Author Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein

This Halacha is an excerpt from our Sefer Buy me here or on Amazon.com Is in doubt if missed a day:[1] If one is in doubt as to whether he counted at night, and he did not count the next day, then he is nevertheless to continue counting with a blessing on the coming […]

This Halacha is an excerpt from our Sefer Buy me here or on Amazon.com Forgot to count one full day?[1] If one forgot to count one full day of Sefira [meaning he forgot to count both at night and also the next day] it is disputed in Poskim as to whether he is still […]

  Continuing to count with a blessing in the event that one counted during the day:[1]   If one forgot to count at night and counted during the day without a blessing, as explained above, then he has not forfeited the blessing and may thus continue to count with a […]

This Halacha is an excerpt from our Sefer Buy me here or on Amazon.com Forgot to count at night and remembered during the day:[1] If one forgot to count the Sefira at night and remembered during the day, he is to count the Sefira during the day without a blessing.[2] Until when at night […]

This Halacha is an excerpt from our Sefer Buy me here or on Amazon.com How to answer if one is asked “What day of Sefira is it today?”[1] If one is asked by another person “What is the day of Sefira tonight?”, then if he is asked this question at night, prior to him […]

This Halacha is an excerpt from our Sefer Buy me here or on Amazon.com Fulfilling the Mitzvah through hearing the Sefira from another person:[1] One cannot appoint a messenger to count the days on his behalf. This applies whether one asks an individual to count on his behalf, or one asks a congregation, or […]

This Halacha is an excerpt from our Sefer Buy me here or on Amazon.com   Counting on condition:[1] If for whatever reason one does not desire to count Sefira at a certain time, but is afraid that if he does not count at this time he may forget to count later on, then he […]

This Halacha is an excerpt from our Sefer Buy me here or on Amazon.com   Counted without intention to fulfill the Mitzvah:[1] If one unintentionally stated the Sefira of that night [i.e. without intent to fulfill the Mitzvah], he is to recount later on at night without a blessing.[2] [This applies irrelevant of which […]

  If one is unsure of the date, is it valid to count both days out of doubt, and may a blessing be recited? Some Poskim[1] rule that an indefinite count is invalid, and hence it is invalid to count two dates out of doubt. Other Poskim[2] however rule that […]

This Halacha is an excerpt from our Sefer Buy me here or on Amazon.com Saying or having in mind the wrong day: A. Said the wrong date and did not remember until the next night: If one counted the wrong date and only discovered the next night, then it is considered that he did […]

This Halacha is an excerpt from our Sefer Buy me here or on Amazon.com   Knowing the day of the count before saying the blessing:[1] Lechatchilah, one is not to say the blessing over the Sefira until he verifies which day of the count it is.[2] In the event that one said the blessing […]

This Halacha is an excerpt from our Sefer Buy me here or on Amazon.com The blessing:[1] Prior to counting the Omer at night one must say a blessing, just as is done prior to the fulfillment of every Mitzvah, whether Biblical or Rabbinical.  The blessing is “Baruch Ata Hashem Elokeinu Melech Haolam Asher Kidishanu […]

This Halacha is an excerpt from our Sefer Buy me here or on Amazon.com In what language is one to count?[1] One may count in any language that he understands. One may not count in a language that he does not understand, even if it is in Lashon Hakodesh. [Thus, if he does not […]

This Halacha is an excerpt from our Sefer Buy me here or on Amazon.com How to count: Counting in numbers versus letters?[1] One is to count the Sefira in number digits [אחד, שתים] as opposed to letters [i.e. א, ב, ג]. If one counted in letters and not in numbers, such as he said […]

This Halacha is an excerpt from our Sefer Buy me here or on Amazon.com   Counting the days and the weeks?[1] The Law: One is Biblically obligated to count both the days and the weeks.[2] At the end of each week:[3] According to all opinions, one is Biblically required to count both the days […]

This Halacha is an excerpt from our Sefer Buy me here or on Amazon.com Standing while counting:[1] The Sefira must be recited[2] in a standing position.[3] Nevertheless, if one counted while sitting, he fulfills his obligation.[4]   Leaning:[5] It is forbidden for one to lean on any item in a way that it supports […]

This Halacha is an excerpt from our Sefer Buy me here or on Amazon.com Melacha prior to counting:[1] It is accustomed for both men[2] and women to avoid doing work/Melacha during the entire period of Sefiras HaOmer, from the time of sunset until after counting the Omer.[3] (Possibly, those women who are not accustomed […]

This Halacha is an excerpt from our Sefer Buy me here or on Amazon.com Eating before counting:[1] One must abstain from eating even a small meal starting from a half hour prior to the time of Sefira[2], which is a half hour before Bein Hashmashos [i.e. sunset].[3] This applies even if one has already […]

This Halacha is an excerpt from our Sefer Buy me here or on Amazon.com When is one to count? The starting date:[1] One begins to count Sefiras Haomoer on the second night of Pesach, which is the 16th of Nissan. [This applies in all areas, even the Diaspora.[2]] This is because the Omer offering […]

This Halacha is an excerpt from our Sefer Buy me here or on Amazon.com Women counting Sefiras Haomer:[1] Women are exempt from the Mitzvah of Sefiras HaOmer.[2] [Likewise, based on Kabala, women are not able to fulfill this Mitzvah.[3]] However in certain provinces[4] women have accepted this Mitzvah upon themselves as a complete obligation.[5] […]

This Halacha is an excerpt from our Sefer Buy me here or on Amazon.com The Mitzvah:[1] It is a positive command of the Torah for every single Jew[2] to count seven weeks worth of days beginning from when the Omer was offered. [In the times of the Temple the Omer was offered on the […]