What are the ramifications of "u'Sefartem lachem"?
Ramban: It is a Mitzvah incumbent upon every individual to verbally count the weeks and the days of the Omer. 1
Ramban: like "u'Lekachtem lachem (in connection with taking the Arba Minim on Sukos); but as opposed to "ve'Safar lo" and Vesafrah lah" (in 15:13 & 28), in connection with a Zav and a Zavah, who are not obligated to count in order to terminate their Tum'ah and "ve'Safarta L'cha" - in B'har, 25:8 -, in connection with the Yovel, where the onus to count lies on the Beis-Din. See also Torah Temimah. note 49, who elaborates.
When is "mi'Mochoras ha'Shabbos" referring to?
Rashi: Refer to 23:11:1:1.
Menachos, 68b: The day after Yom-Tov,- which we learn via Gezeirah Shavah "Shabbos" "Shabbos" from "Ad mi'Mochoras ha'Shabbos" in Pasuk 16. 1
See Torah Temimah, note 51.
Does "mi'Yom Havi'achem es Omer ha'Tenufah". mean that one may count the Omer any time during the day that they bring the Omer?
Menachos, 66a: No! Because the Torah writes in Devarim 16:9 "me'Hachel Chermesh ba'Kamah Tachel Lispor ? ". 1
See Torah Temimah citing Menachos Ibid., and note 52.
Does "mi'Yom Havi'achem es Omer ha'Tenufah" mean that one brings the Omer and counts the Omer by day?
Seeing as mi'Mochoras ha'Shabbos" means 'the day after Yom-Tov', what is the meaning of "Sheva Shabbasos"?
Ramban #1 (Pasuk 11) and Targum Yonasan: It means 'seven weeks'. 1
Ramban #2 (11): Both words mean 'week', and the Pasuk is saying that on the day that the Omer is waved, one begins counting the weeks of the Omer 2 - In other words, one begins counting on the day 3 after the week that has just concluded [on the first day of Yom Tov], and counts the seven ensuing weeks. 4
Ramban: As it does in Pasuk 16 (See Rashi there). The word 'Shabbos' takes on two meanings, as we find in Shoftim, 10:4 and in Melachim 2, 11:9, and the reason Chazal refer to a week as 'Shabbos' (See for example, Kesuvos, 2a) is because every week contains a Shabbos. See Ramban, who elaborates.
This explanation is based on the fact that the Torah has changed from a regular seven-day week that begins on Sunday and ends on Shabbos, to a week comprising seven days on whatever day the waving of the Omer falls, when Shabbos can fall in the middle of the week.
Ramban: the 'Mem' in "mi'Mochoras" is translated as a 'Beis', as if the Torah had written "b'Mochoras ha"Shabbos". And the same applies to "ad mi'Mochoras ha'Shabbos ha'Shevi'is" in Pasuk 16.
See Ramban.
What are the implications of "Temimos"?
Rashi: It implies that one begins counting the Omer each night 1 , so that the day should be complete. 2
Ramban, Targum Onkelos and Targum Yonasan: It means seven complete weeks, 3 each comprising seven dsys.
The underlying idea behind counting the Oer is working towards self-perfection. 4
Moshav Zekenim: One begins counting at the beginning of the night, due to Temimos. Consequently, the B'hag rules that someone who misses a night can no longer count with a Brachah. Rav Hai Gaon however, maintins that he counts with a Brachah during the day, and even if he misses an entire day, he continues to count the reamining days with a Brachah.
The question arises however - if 'Temimos' refers to the days, why does the Torah insert it together with "Shabbasos" and not with "Chamishim Yom"?
Ramban: No less and no more (as in Pinchas Bamidbar, 28:19) - followed by Shavu'os, similar to the seven times seven years of the Shemitah cycle followed by the Yovel. Indeed, the reasons behind the two Mitzvos are similar. See Ramban.
Why do we begin counting the Omer a day after the first day of Pesach and not on the first day of Pesach itself?
Oznayim la'Torah: Because, since, on the fisr day of Pesach, Yisrael attain the highest level 1 - like angels - it is not necessary to begin working on purifying oneself. 2
Due to the fact that Hashem Himself comes down to elevate them ('It'arusa di'Le'eila') - Refer to 23:11:1:1 and note.
Refer to 23:15:151:2.
Seeing as we only count forty-nine days, why the Torah write "Chamishim Yom"?
Oznayim la'Torah: It hints at the fifty levels of Binah that exist and which Yisrael stive to attain between Pesach and Shavu'os, even though no human-being can attain the fiftieth level 1 - which is why we count only forty-nine days.
As the Pasuk in Tehilim6, 8: indicates when it writes - in connection with Moshe Rabeinu "Vatachsereihu Me'at me'Elokim".
Why do we count the days until Shavu'os, unlike the other Yamim-Tovim?
Moshav Zekenim #1: Because, whereas before] Pesach and Sukos, when people are at home, and when Sheluchim of Beis Din informed them of the day of Kidush ha'Chodesh, people are ready to go 1 to the Beis-Hamikdash, before] Shavu'os, they are busy harvesting, and the Sheluchim are not likely to find them at home. 2
Moshav Zekenim #2: When Moshe told Yisrael that they will receive the Torah fifty days after Yetzi'as Mitzrayim, they became excited and began counting the days. So Hashem turned this into a permanent Mitzvah to commemorate that excitement.
Oznayim la'Torah: In order to purify ourselves from the Tum'ah of Egypt, 3 so as to be worthy of receiving the Torah. 4
The Gemara states in Ta'anis 10a that it takes some people fifteen days to get to the River P'ras (the end of Eretz Yisrael). If so, people there could not wait for Sheluchim to come. All the more so, Shavu'os, which is already on the sixth of the month. People more than three days journey from the Mikdash could not wait for the Sheluchim! (There are another six days of Tashlumin to bring the Korbanos, but this is Bedi'eved, and in any case people far from the Mikdash cannot wait for them. Why did Moshav Zekenim need to say that it is because people are not at home? - PF)
In similar vein, we count the Omer at nighttime; because during the day people are preoccupied and are prone to forget to count.
Refer to 23:11:1.1:1.
Oznayim la'Torah: Like the Shiv'ah Neki'im of a Nidah. See Or ha'Chayim and Oznayim la'Torah, who elaborates.
Nowadays when we cannot bring the Omer, what is the status of Sefiras ha'Omer?
Seforno (on Pasuk 21): "be'Chol Moshvoseichem" teaches us that counting the Omer always applies mi'd'Oraisa.
Hadar Zekenim (on Pasuk 16): Nowadays, we count mi'de'Rabbanan - to commemorate the counting in the Beis-Hamikdash. 1
Hadar Zekeinim: That is why, following Sefiras ha'Omer we Daven forthe Mikdash to be rebuilt, so that it should revert to a Mitzvah d'Oraisa.
