Your Omer Connection
Click here for a Simplified DAILY Omer Count Instructions (Updated Daily)
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Get out your running shoes! The Omer is a marathon of cosmic cleansing. Kabbalah teaches us that during these
forty- nine days following Pesach, we need to take great care in ridding all negative influences from every area of
our lives. After Pesach, we begin anticipating Shavuot, the next holiday and in essence the conclusion of Pesach.
Pesach was a free connection. The Omer is the work we do to earn the Light of Pesach and Shavuot. We
cleanse ourselves by counting the days of the Omer until Shavuot’s arrival.
The Omer is counted from the second night of Passover through the night before Shavuot. It is best to count the
Omer at nightfall, immediately after the evening prayer. However, one may count at any time throughout the night.
Blessings are recited and the week, day, and corresponding Sefirah (emanation of the Tree of Life) is mentioned
while standing. While counting the Omer, we must bear in mind four things:
1) one word from the Lamnatzeach found on the Menorah image (see image & chart below);
2) one letter from the verse found on the center pillar of the Menorah image (see image & chart below);
3) one word from the Ana b’Koach (chart below) connecting us to the energy of the particular day; and
4) the corresponding sefirah of that night (chart below).
The blessings of the Omer connect us to what the kabbalists called the “surrounding Light,” followed by the “inner
Light,” and finally it will help materialize all the Light in our world. This prepares us for receiving all the Light of
Shavuot.
Kabbalah teaches that there are 50 gates of negativity. G-d forbid, if we should ever descend to the 50th gate, our
battle against our own negativity would be lost. By counting the Omer, we lift sparks of Light that are trapped in
our internal negative gates. This “raising of the sparks” affects our health, the protective energy around us, and
the world around us.
The 49 days of the Omer are broken down into seven weeks. Each of the seven weeks corresponds to one of the
seven lower Sefirot (emanations from the Tree of Life) that affect our world. Each day of the week raises the
sparks for that particular week and Sefirot. The Hebrew letters recited or scanned on each of the 49 days of the
Omer are the access codes that tap us into the Light of correction so we can prepare ourselves for Shavuot.
Blessing – Draws Surrounding Light (protective aura)
Scan Hebrew right to left,
Read transliteration left to right
Baruch ata adonai eloheinu melech haolam asher kidshanu
b’mitzvotav vetzivanu al sfirat ha’omar
Insert the appropriate day’s count. See chart below (column 2)
Harachaman – Draws Inner Light (which sustains us)
Scan Hebrew right to left,
Read transliteration left to right
Harachaman hu yachazir avodat beit hamikdash limkomah
bimheirah veyameinu Omayn, selo.
The following connections help us manifest this Light:
Lamnatze’ach – 1) & 2) Word (column 3) and letter (column 4) for the day found in the Menorah and Psalm
This Psalm has seven sentences corresponding to the seven Sefirot that affect our world. By connecting to the
seven, we seize control over the physical world. The Psalm is also written on the Menorah image below. We
should recite the Psalm while scanning the Menorah. The Kabbalists say that gazing at this Menorah every day is
equal to lighting the Menorah in the Bet Hamikdash - Holy Temple. The lighting of the Menorah in the Holy
Temple in Israel revealed amazing amounts of Light. We can draw this Light as well. Additionally, the kabbalists
say that whoever reads the Psalm of Lamnatze'ach in the shape of a Menorah will have nothing evil happen to
him and he will succeed in everything he does.
On the first day, recite the verse, stopping at the first word of the blessing (fifth word on first line), “elohim”
(אלהים). This is found at the top of the far left column of the Menorah. Take time to contemplate the word, it's
letters, their shape and vibration. When we get to the verse beginning with “Yis-me-khu “ (ישמחו - to the right of
the colon on the third line) as written on the central column of the Menorah, on the first day, we stop at the first
letter, the letter yud (י). Each column of the Menorah has seven words for each of the days of the week.
One the second day of the Omer, recite the version stopping at the second word down on the far left (יחננו)
column of the Menorah. Once we get to the central column (the verse begining with "Yis-me-khu"), we stop at the
second letter, the letter shin (ש), for the second day of the Omer. On the first day of week two, we stop and
meditate on the first word of the second column from the left. Then, at the third week, we pause on appopriate
word on the third column, etc. The follows the same pattern for the 49 days. Use the chart below as your guide
to find the word and letter within the Menorah on the appropriate day of the Omer.
Scan Hebrew right to left,
Read transliteration left to right
Lam-na-tze-akh bin-gi-not miz-mor shir. E-lo-him ye-kha-ne-nu vi-var-khe-nu ya-er pa-nav
i-ta-nu se-la: La-da-at ba-aretz dar-ke-kha be-khol go-yim ye-shu-ate-kha
yo-du-kha a-mim e-lo-him yo-du-kha a-mim ku-lam: Yis-me-khu vi-ran-nu le-u-mim
ki tish-ot a-mim mi-shor, ul-u-mim ba-a-retz tan-khem se-la: yo-du-kha a-mim
e-lo-him yo-du-kha a-mim ku-lam: e-erets nat-na ye-vu-la ye-var-khe-nu e-lo-him
e-lo-hei-nu: ye-var-khe-nu elohim ve-yir-u o-to kol af-sei a-rets
Click to enlarge & print
Click to enlarge & print
Ana b’Koach – 3) Word for the Day of the Omer
At this point, we recite the Ana b’Koach meditation, stopping to meditate on the letters of the word of the day. Use
the chart below to find the world of the day (column 5). [Click here] for more on the Ana b’Koach.
Sefirot of the Day – 4) Inside the parentheses, we insert the actual Sefirah that corresponds to
the respective day and week (see column six).
When counting the Omer, all the days and weeks relate to the seven Sefirot. The first weeks of the Omer,
therefore corresponds to Chesed, which is the highest level. The first day also corresponds to Chesed;
therefore, the first day of the first week is Chesed of Chesed. On the second day of the first week it would
correspond to Gvurah of Chesed. The second week relates to Gvurah, so the first day of the second week is
Chesed of Gvurah. It may appear confusing at first, but with a little review, it is actually quite simple. Scan or read
the Hebrew below meditation on the meaning of the particular day's Sefirah. [Click here] to find out more about
the daily Sefirot.
(Insert the appropriate day’s Sefirah. See chart below - column six)
Scan or read Hebrew right to left
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Column 3:
Word in
Lamnatze’ach
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Column 5:
Word in Ana
b’Koach
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Column 6:
Sefirah of the
Day
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Night 1
April 13
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Ha-yom yom e-chad la-omer |
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 chesed of chesed |
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Night 2
April 14
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Ha-yom sh'nay yamim la-omer |
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 gvurah of chesed |
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Night 3
April 15
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Ha-yom sh'losha yamim la-omer |
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 tiferet of chesed |
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Night 4
April 16
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Ha-yom arba-a yamim la-omer |
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 netzach of chesed |
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Night 5
April 17
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Ha-yom chami-sha yamim la-omer |
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 hod of chesed |
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Night 6
April 18
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Ha-yom shi-sha yamim la-omer |
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 yesod of chesed |
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Night 7
April 19
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Ha-yom shiv-a yamim, shehaymshavu-a e-chad la-omer |
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 malchut of chesed |
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Column 3:
Word in
Lamnatze’ach
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Column 5:
Word in Ana
b’Koach
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Column 6:
Sefirah of the
Day
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Night 8
April 20
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Ha-yom sh'mona yamim, shehaym shavu-a e-chad v'yom echad la-omer |
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 chesed of gvurah |
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Night 9
April 21
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Ha-yom tish-a yamim, shehaym shavu-a echad ushnay yamim la-omer |
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 gvurah of gvurah |
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Night 10
April 22
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Ha-yom asara yamim, shehaym shavu-a echad ushlosha yamim la-omer |
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 tiferet of gvurah |
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Night 11
April 23
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Ha-yom achad asar yom, shehaym shavu-a echad v'arba-a yamim la-omer |
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 netzach of gvurah |
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Night 12
April 24
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Ha-yom sh'naym asar yom, shehaym shavu-a echad vachami-sha yamim la-omer |
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 hod of gvurah |
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Night 13
April 25
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Ha-yom sh'losha asar yom, shehaym shavu-a echad v'shisha yamim la-omer |
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 yesod of gvurah |
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Night 14
April 26
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Ha-yom arba-a asar yom, shehaym sh'nay shavuot la-omer |
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 malchut of gvurah |
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Column 3:
Word in
Lamnatze’ach
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Column 5:
Word in Ana
b’Koach
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Column 6:
Sefirah of the
Day
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Night 15
April 27
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Ha-yom chami-sha asar yom, shehaym sh'nay shavuot v'yom echad la-omer |
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 chesed of tiferet |
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Night 16
April 28
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Ha-yom shi-sha asar yom, shehaym sh'nay shavuot ushnay yamim la-omer |
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 gvurah of tiferet |
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Night 17
April 29
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Ha-yom shiva asar yom, shehaym sh'nay shavuot ushlosha yamim la-omer |
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 tiferet of tiferet |
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Night 18
April 30
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Ha-yom shemonah asar yom, shehaym sh'nay shavuot v'arba-a yamim la-omer |
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 netzach of tiferet |
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Night 19
May 1
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Ha-yom tisha asar yom, shehaym sh'nay shavuot va'chamisha yamim la-omer |
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 hod of tiferet |
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Night 20
May 2
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Ha-yom esrim yom, shehaym sh'nay shavuot v'shi-sha yamim la-omer |
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 yesod of tiferet |
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Night 21
May 3
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Hayom e-chad v'esrim yom, shehaym shlosha shavuot la-omer |
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 malchut of tiferet |
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Weeks FOUR and FIVE Chart available in WORD .DOC FILE below.
Weeks Six and Seven to be added soon!
Print Word .Doc File
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Michigan University and is not associated with any other kabbalah teaching organization.
All material here is (c) 2004-06 Student Kabbalah Group or
used with permission or according to "Fair Use" copyright laws.
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