Greetings in the name of His & Her Imperial Majesties Qedamawi Haile Sellassie I & Itege Menen Asfaw,

I welcome you all to another post for the celebration of the season leading up to the second feast of the Shalosh Regalïm/YeAmät Sost Bä’al; better known as the “Three Pilgrimage Feasts,” of YHWH.  The Counting of the Omer, constitutes the observance of the passage from Scriptures reading from Leviticus 23: 15-16.  The children of Israel, were to number the weeks between Pesach & Shab(v)uot.  Which are the first two moedim – מועדים/ bä’allat – በዓላት, or the appointed times or holidays of the Three Pilgrimage Feasts which were set for the children of Israel to observe by G-d.

The Counting of the Omer, relates in so many ways to the agriculture and the teaching which come forth from the observance of the Sabbath.  This observance is not a major holiday but serves as a great reminder of the coming of Shab(v)uot.

Modern Jewish tradition links the holiday to the Bar Kokhba Revolt against the Roman Empire (132-135 CE).

Book of Leviticus; chpt. 23: 15-16

15) And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the day of rest, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the waving; seven weeks shall there be complete;

16) even unto the morrow after the seventh week shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall present a new meal-offering unto the LORD.

NOTES:

• Shalosh Regalim = http://www.tanach.org/vayikra/emor1.txt
• Counting of the Omer = http://www.jewfaq.org/holidayb.htm
• http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Holidays/Spring_Holidays/Sefirat_HaOmer/sefirat_haomer.html
• http://www.chabad.org/holidays/sefirah/omer-calendar.htm