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Sefirat HaOmer: Difference between revisions
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==Procedure of counting Sefirat HaOmer== | ==Procedure of counting Sefirat HaOmer== | ||
#One should say the Sefirat HaOmer standing. <Ref>S”A 489:1 based on the Rosh (Pesachim 10:41e) and Rambam (Temidin UMusafin 7:23) write that Sefirat HaOmer should be said standing. So rules S”A 489:1 that you need to stand. Rambam adds that, if one did say it while seated you’re also yotseh. So rules Mishna Brurah 489:6. Mishna Brurah adds that you should stand also for the Bracha. </ref> | #One should say the Sefirat HaOmer standing. <Ref>S”A 489:1 based on the Rosh (Pesachim 10:41e) and Rambam (Temidin UMusafin 7:23) write that Sefirat HaOmer should be said standing. So rules S”A 489:1 that you need to stand. Rambam adds that, if one did say it while seated you’re also yotseh. So rules Mishna Brurah 489:6. Mishna Brurah adds that you should stand also for the Bracha. </ref> | ||
== | ==When to count Sefira== | ||
# | # According to most poskim, it is correct to wait until Tzet Hakochavim in order to count sefirat haomer; however, one fulfills his obligation by counting after sunset. <Ref> | ||
* Tosfot (Menachot 66a) has one opinion who says that one may count sefira during Bein HaShemashot since sefira is only derabbanan. Rosh (Pesachim 10:40) and Tur 489:1 agree. However, the Ran (Pesachim 28a) argues that it’s not proper to enter a safek initially. Similarly, Rambam (Temidin UMusafin 7:22) rules that sefira should be counted at night. | |||
* Bet Yosef 489:1 quotes this dispute, and his ruling in S”A is unclear. Mishna Brurah 489:14 understands that S”A holds that the halacha follows Tosfot but that it is proper to wait until Tzet Hakochavim. Chazon Ovadyah (p. 232) agrees. | |||
* After the fact, if one counted during Bein HaShemashot, Magan Avraham 489:6 writes that he has fulfilled his obligation. Beiur HaGra 489:3 and Mishna Brurah 489:15 agree. However, Eliyah Rabba 489:10 argues that one should count again after Tzet Hakochavim without a Bracha. </ref> | |||
# If one is praying in a minyan that finishes maariv after sunset and one wants to count after Tzet Hakochavim, he should count then without a Bracha and mentally stipulate, "if I don't remember to count with a bracha then this counting should fulfill my obligation, however, if I remember later then I have intent not to fulfill my obligation with this counting." If one in fact remembers, he should count after Tzet Hakochavim with a Bracha. <ref> | |||
* The Avudraham (Tefillot HaPesach) writes that if one prays with an early minyan, he should count without a Bracha, and if he remembers later, he should count with a Bracha. S"A 489:3 codifies this as the halacha. Taz 489:6 and Beiur HaGra 489:3 explain that the case is where the minyan finished during Bein HaShemashot. | |||
* Mishnah Brurah 489:17 writes that if one wants to count after Tzet Hakochavim, he should count with the minyan without a Bracha and have in mind that if he remembers later to count with a Bracha, this original counting shouldn’t fulfill his obligation. Hagahot Rabbi Akiva Eiger 46:16 and Aruch HaShulchan 489:8 agree. Chazon Ovadyah (Yom Tov p. 233-4) adds that the stipulation should be "if I don't remember to count with a bracha then this counting should fulfill my obligation, however, if I remember later then I have intent not to fulfill my obligation with this counting." However, the Taz writes that making such a condition doesn’t work. | |||
* See, however, the Levush 489:3, who explains that the case is where the minyan finished before sunset, and the reason they counted was for Amei HaAretz who wouldn’t count later at night. </ref> | |||
# If one is going to pray maariv with a minyan that is late at night, some poskim hold that one should wait to count with the minyan, while others say that one should count at Tzet Hakochavim. <Ref> | |||
* S”A 489:1 writes that on the second night of Pesach, one should count sefira after maariv. The Chok Yaakov 489:16 explains that this is based on the halacha of giving precedence to the more common activity (Tadir). However, Mor UKetziah 489:1 argues that Tadir doesn’t apply here since sefira is deoritta, or at least the mitzvah is explicit in the pasuk even though nowadays it’s derabbanan, while tefillah is entirely derabbanan. Thus, he explains that sefira must be said in the beginning of the night (Tzet Hakochavim) because one shouldn’t delay a mitzvah. | |||
* Sh”t Igrot Moshe 4:99(1) defends the Chok Yaakov and writes that one must wait to count sefira after maariv even if he prays later in the night. Rav Elyashiv (quoted by Piskei Shemuot p. 18) agrees. On the other hand, Shevet HaLevi 6:53(3) agrees with the Mor UKetziah and says that if one is going to daven in a late minyan, he should count by himself earlier, but he defends the minhag to wait to count with the minyan because otherwise many people would forget to count. </ref> | |||
# If one counted during the day (before Plag Mincha) one has not fulfilled one’s obligation even if one Davened Mariv early and one must count it again that night with a Bracha. <Ref>S”A 489:2, Mishna Brurah 489:13, Biur Halacha 489:3 D”H MeBeOd Yom</ref>However, because of a minority opinion who says one did fulfill one's obligation, some say one should count again at night without a bracha. <ref>Kaf HaChaim 489:47</reF> | # If one counted during the day (before Plag Mincha) one has not fulfilled one’s obligation even if one Davened Mariv early and one must count it again that night with a Bracha. <Ref>S”A 489:2, Mishna Brurah 489:13, Biur Halacha 489:3 D”H MeBeOd Yom</ref>However, because of a minority opinion who says one did fulfill one's obligation, some say one should count again at night without a bracha. <ref>Kaf HaChaim 489:47</reF> | ||
# If one said Mariv before Shekiyah after Plag Mincha one shouldn’t count then but rather wait until at least Ben HaShemashot, However if one did so then one should count again at night without a Bracha unless one didn’t daven mariv before Shekiyah in which case one should count again with a Bracha. <Ref>Hilchot Chag BaChag (pg | # If one said Mariv before Shekiyah after Plag Mincha one shouldn’t count then but rather wait until at least Ben HaShemashot, However if one did so then one should count again at night without a Bracha unless one didn’t daven mariv before Shekiyah in which case one should count again with a Bracha. <Ref>Hilchot Chag BaChag (pg 29) </ref> | ||
# If someone is insistent on saying Kriyat Shema at night after [[Tzet HaCochavim]] of | # If someone is insistent on saying Kriyat Shema at night after [[Tzet HaCochavim]] of Rabbenu Tam, one should also wait until [[Tzet HaCochavim]] in order to count Sefirat HaOmer. <Ref>Piskei Shemuot (Shavuot pg 40-1) in name of Rav Nassim Karlitz </ref> | ||
# One shouldn’t rely on the minhag to count after Plag Mincha. <Ref>Rav Elyashiv in Kovetz Teshuvot (vol 3, end of chapter 4) quoted by Piskei Shemuot (Shavuot pg 42), Biur Halacha 489:3 D”H MeBeOd Yom </ref> | # One shouldn’t rely on the minhag to count after Plag Mincha. <Ref>Rav Elyashiv in Kovetz Teshuvot (vol 3, end of chapter 4) quoted by Piskei Shemuot (Shavuot pg 42), Biur Halacha 489:3 D”H MeBeOd Yom </ref> | ||
# One should say the Sefirah in the beginning of the night, if one forgot one can say the Sefirah with a Bracha the entire next night. <Ref> Tur 489:1 writes that if one forgot to count at the beginning of the night one can count all night. Perisha 489:1 quotes the Ran (Pesachim 28a D”H VeBeHaggadah Gam Ken) who agrees. So rules S”A 489:1. </ref> | # One should say the Sefirah in the beginning of the night, if one forgot one can say the Sefirah with a Bracha the entire next night. <Ref> Tur 489:1 writes that if one forgot to count at the beginning of the night one can count all night. Perisha 489:1 quotes the Ran (Pesachim 28a D”H VeBeHaggadah Gam Ken) who agrees. So rules S”A 489:1. </ref> | ||
# If one forgot to count the Omer an entire night and day one should continue to count without a Bracha. <Ref> S"A 489:8, Yabia Omer 3:28. Mishna Berura 489:36-37 explains that we continue counting to satisfy the opinions that say that you can, but don't say a beracha because of the opinions that you cannot, namely the Behag quoted by Tosafot Menachot 66a "zecher" that if you miss one night you can't count any longer because to fulfill the mitzva you need seven full weeks. Tosafot themselves disagree and say you can continue counting, as does Rabbeinu Yitzchak quoted in the Rosh Pesachim 10:41 because the Behag believes that the mitzva is only one long mitzva. Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik quoted by Rav Herschel Schachter in Eretz Hatzvi 3:6-7 explains the behag not as saying that you need seven full weeks, but that you need the 49 consecutive days, and that is why the halacha is that if you count during the day even if you missed it the night before, you can continue through the rest of sefira with a beracha because you accomplished this obligation of consecutive nights. Sh"t Beit Halevi 1:39 says that since there is a mitzva to count days and weeks, if somebody misses a night in the middle of the week, he can count with a beracha on the nights that complete the week. Shearim mitzuyanim Bihalacha 120:4 says that nowadays when people miss a night they think they are exempt, and that is not what the S"A intended by saying that one should count without a beracha, and therefore, nowadays one should continue counting with a beracha. </ref> | # If one forgot to count the Omer an entire night and day one should continue to count without a Bracha. <Ref> S"A 489:8, Yabia Omer 3:28. Mishna Berura 489:36-37 explains that we continue counting to satisfy the opinions that say that you can, but don't say a beracha because of the opinions that you cannot, namely the Behag quoted by Tosafot Menachot 66a "zecher" that if you miss one night you can't count any longer because to fulfill the mitzva you need seven full weeks. Tosafot themselves disagree and say you can continue counting, as does Rabbeinu Yitzchak quoted in the Rosh Pesachim 10:41 because the Behag believes that the mitzva is only one long mitzva. Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik quoted by Rav Herschel Schachter in Eretz Hatzvi 3:6-7 explains the behag not as saying that you need seven full weeks, but that you need the 49 consecutive days, and that is why the halacha is that if you count during the day even if you missed it the night before, you can continue through the rest of sefira with a beracha because you accomplished this obligation of consecutive nights. Sh"t Beit Halevi 1:39 says that since there is a mitzva to count days and weeks, if somebody misses a night in the middle of the week, he can count with a beracha on the nights that complete the week. Shearim mitzuyanim Bihalacha 120:4 says that nowadays when people miss a night they think they are exempt, and that is not what the S"A intended by saying that one should count without a beracha, and therefore, nowadays one should continue counting with a beracha. </ref> | ||
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==Eating before counting the Omer== | ==Eating before counting the Omer== | ||
# | # From a half hour before the time for sefira (according to some poskim, this refers to sunset, while others maintain that it refers to Tzet Hakochavim), one shouldn’t eat a meal until he counts sefira. More than a [[KeBaytzah]] of bread is considered a meal, however, even a lot of fruit isn’t a meal. There is a dispute whether [[Pas HaBah Bekisnin]] is considerd like bread for this halacha. Nonetheless, many poskim defend the minhag to eat before sefira if one regularly attends a later minyan.<ref> | ||
* Rama 489:4 writes that from the time of sefira, it is forbidden to eat until one counts. Mishna Brurah 489:23 writes that really the prohibition begins from a half hour before Tzet Hakochavim, while the S”A HaRav 489:17 and Kaf HaChaim 489:64 hold that the prohibition begins from a half hour before sunset. | |||
* Kaf HaChaim 489:66 clarifies that it is forbidden only to eat a meal that fits the criteria given by S”A 232:3, meaning more than a KeBeitzah of bread; fruit, even in large quantities, is not considered a meal. Yalkut Yosef 489:43 and Hilchot Chag BeChag (p. 16) write that Pat HaBah Bekisnin is the same as bread for this halacha; Nitai Gavriel 26:5 disagrees. | |||
* Sh”t Igrot Moshe 4:99 writes that the logic permitting a person to eat before maariv - namely, that if one usually prays in a minyan he won’t forget to pray - should also permit eating before sefira, even after Tzet Hakochavim. Az Nidbaru 6:52, Rav Elyashiv (quoted by Piskei Shemuot p. 47), and Nitai Gavriel 26:4 agree. See Aruch HaShulchan 232:16, who records this leniency regarding mincha. </ref> | |||
# Learning is permitted before sefira if one usually goes to a later minyan. <Ref> Regarding shacharit, Rashi Brachot 5b understands that Abba Binyamin wouldn’t learn before Davening, however, Tosfot disagrees. Rosh 1:7 explains that Rashi meant only that a person who doesn’t usually pray with a minyan shouldn’t learn before praying. Someone who usually prays with a minyan, on the other hand, is unlikely to forget to pray and thus may learn before praying. Tur and S”A 89:6 codify the Rosh as halacha. Mishna Brurah 232:11 writes that the same is true of mincha. Therefore, when Mishna Brurah 489:24 writes that doing any activity before counting sefira is the same as by mincha, he means that it’s permitted if one usually davens with a minyan. </ref> | |||
==Who is obligated to count?== | ==Who is obligated to count?== | ||
