Each spring, between Passover and Shavuot, we are invited to embark on a sacred journey: the Counting of the Omer. This seven-week period offers us an opportunity for intentional reflection, spiritual growth, and inner transformation as we prepare to receive the gift of Torah anew.
The Practice of Counting the Omer
In the Torah (Leviticus 23:15–16), we are commanded to count seven weeks from the second night of Passover until Shavuot, marking the time from the Israelites’ liberation from Egypt to their receiving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. Over time, this practice evolved from a simple agricultural offering to a deeply spiritual discipline—an opportunity to refine our character, one day at a time. Each day becomes an invitation to grow closer to who we are called to be.
The Seven Lower Sefirot
In Jewish mystical tradition, each week of the Omer focuses on one of the seven lower sefirot—Divine attributes or emanations that represent different aspects of holiness. Every day, we reflect on the interplay between two qualities: the quality of the week and the quality of the day. By contemplating these combinations, we open ourselves to greater awareness, compassion, discipline, balance, endurance, humility, connection, and manifestation.
Here’s a brief overview of the seven weekly themes:
Journey Toward Revelation
I wrote this prayer reflecting upon the annual journey from freedom to revelation.
Journey Toward Revelation
For 49 days we are instructed to count the Omer,
as we journey from freedom to revelation.
We study the seven lower Sefirot;
the Divine attributes of Chesed, Gevurah, Tiferet,
Netzach, Hod, Yesod, and Malchut,
and try to understand, emulate, and embody
the best of these qualities.
7 weeks of 7 days; a matrix of 49 pairings
inviting us to grow, to prepare ourselves
to receive the gift of Torah.
Sinai eternally awaits,
transcending the conveyor belt of linear time.
Revelation, continuously unfolding,
insistently beckons us to experience the Mystery.
Braced and bolstered by community,
surrounded by the generations that came before us,
and the generations that will come after us,
we answer the sacred call and open our hearts.
We gather the sparks, we sow the seeds,
we ascend the mountain of inner transformation.
May each step we take bring us closer
to who we are meant to become.
May each day we count ignite a deeper knowing
of the Divine within and around us.
And when we stand at the threshold of revelation,
may we be ready—
with open hearts,
with willing souls,
with the courage to receive
and the wisdom to renew.
Counting the Omer: A Spiritual Journey
Part of my Omer practice for the past few years has been to count, study the sefirot, and do guided journaling in community. Towards that end I’ve been creating a new guided journaling page each day to help explore the intersectionality of the sefirot of the day and week. Here are the journaling pages I created for the last two days of the week of Gevurah:
You are welcome to use these journaling prompts (and you are welcome to join our Omer Counting group– we meet nightly at 10 ET. Send me a note if you’d like the Zoom link).
In addition to journaling pages for each day, I’ve created designs for each of the seven weeks of the Omer. Here’s the intro to the week of Tiferet, which starts Saturday at sundown, as well as the images for Tiferet, Netzach and Hod.
Which one is your favorite?
Weekly Reflection Questions
For those who are counting the Omer, I encourage you to pause and reflect on your journey. Here are some journaling questions to help deepen your experience:
Weekly Journaling Questions:
- How has your understanding of this week’s sefirah deepened?
- In what ways did you notice this quality showing up in your life?
- Where did you experience growth? Where did you encounter resistance?
- What practices helped you stay mindful of the qualities you explored?
- How do you hope to carry this week’s learning into the days ahead?
Closing Blessing
May the days we count be filled with meaning,
and may the meaning we discover guide our steps.
May each quality we explore
take root within our hearts,
blossoming into acts of kindness, courage, beauty, and truth.
May we arrive at Sinai not only prepared to receive,
but transformed by the journey itself.
Kein y’hi ratzon — may it be so.