Counting the Omer

Sefirat HaOmer: Forty-Nine Days from Passover to Shavuot

Next: Friday, April 23, 202716 Nisan 5787In 161 days

The counting of the Omer (Sefirat HaOmer) begins this year on the evening of Thursday, April 22, the second night of Passover, and continues for forty-nine days until Shavuot: "And you shall count for yourselves... seven complete weeks" (Leviticus 23:15).

The Sefer HaChinuch (mitzvah 306) explains that we count the days to show our great longing for the day the Torah was given. They are also days of mourning for the students of Rabbi Akiva, who died between Passover and Shavuot (Yevamot 62b).

The Torah commands us to count from the day the Omer offering of barley was brought in the Temple. The count links the Exodus to the giving of the Torah: we left Egypt in order to receive the Torah, and each day is a step of preparation and of refining our character.

The count is said each night after nightfall, standing, with a blessing. Because of the mourning for the students of Rabbi Akiva, who died because they did not show respect to one another, weddings, haircuts and music are avoided during these days. Ashkenazi and Sephardi customs differ on how long these customs last.

Below you will find the laws of the count and the meaning of these seven weeks.

Start here

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Frequently Asked Questions

The count begins on the evening of Thursday, April 22, the second night of Passover (16 Nisan), and continues for 49 days, until the eve of Shavuot. The dates for the next three years, with the Hebrew dates, are in the table on this page.

If you forgot at night, count during the day without a blessing, and continue on the following nights with a blessing. If you missed an entire day, night and day, continue counting the rest of the days without a blessing.

According to the Shulchan Aruch, which Sephardim follow, the customs continue until the morning of the 34th day. Many Ashkenazim end them on Lag BaOmer, the 33rd day, and some keep other customs. Follow the custom of your community.

After sunset, before you have counted, answer "yesterday was day…". Saying today's number could count as fulfilling the mitzvah without a blessing.