Sefirah is synonymous with purification. when we are ready to purify ourselves, we discover that it isn't
a speedy process. Only
through gradual procession will we attain our goal. And to be fully
purified, we must wait until after the sefirah, after we've counted
again and again. in the meantime, we have to count one day at a time;
slowly building up purity until we are able to overcome all the
undesirable and impure aspects of our lives. On the 16th day of Nissan,
the Omer Sacrifice 'a Barley offering' was brought. Using barley, which
serves as feed for animals, would seem t indicate the low nature of this
offering. but, because animals lack the power of speech, this makes
barley a most appropriate choice. This is because the Omer is brought to
rectify and endow the power of speech, elevating from the lower level
of the animal to the more purified level of man. And this is its
connection to the sefirah. During the Sefirah we try to rectify
ourselves. Quintessentially, Teshuvah is our accepting that everything
which happens is from Hashem. When one is embarrassed before Hashem, he
can be likened to an animal without the power of speech. As a result of
the embarrassment he feels for having gone against Hashem's will and
transgressed, he cannot lift up his head or raise his voice. Thus, a
major step in repentance and returning to Hashem is remaining silent as
we hear and fell ourselves being embarrassed. Teshuvah means that we
longer rush to counter the insult with rationalizations, excuses, or
just plain arrogance. By truly accepting that everything is from Hashem,
then even when we know that the person ridiculing or chastising us is
no better that we are, we say nothing. We understand that he is no more
than Hashem's messenger, and we remain silent and embarrassed before the
One who sent him.This is the significance of the elevation, Tenuphah, of the Omer. TeNUPhaH can be read TeNU-Peh 'give mouth'! This implies that a person who counts the Sefirat Ha'Omer, thereby rectifying his speech, raises himself from the level of animal to that of man. He becomes a complete person. Man is called a 'Ma'daber' one who speaks; as animals are called b'hehmot.
Seven weeks later, on Shavuot, the sacrifice which was brought consisted of wheat. Unlike the lowliness of barley, wheat is a "human" gain. Yet, wheat also carries an aspect of being silent, for there are, in fact two levels of silence. The first level, the animal level, is someone who is so embarrassed by his sins that he can't speak. He finds himself speechless because he recognizes his guilt. But then he repents. He acquires speech, as in, "take with you words and return to Hashem"(Hoshea 14:3). And through his returning and coming closer to Hashem, he can achieve the second level of silence: The gate of wisdom(Avot 3:17). This higher silence corresponds to the divine Emanation, Sephirah, of Keter; itself an aspect of Shavuot.
On Shavuot, after 49 days of counting 'after 49 gates of repentance and Tehillim reciting' the higher level of silence is finally attained Even so, it must be remembered that all this begins with PeSaCh' with Peh SaCH, a talking mouth. For the only path to these upper levels is through Tefillah, the ture speech of calling out to Hashem (Likutey Halakhot, Simanei Behemah v'Chayah T'horah 4).
Last night was 25 days in the Omer, keep counting 24 days to go you can do it!
Iyar the month of Refuah!
Blessings Reb Nati
