An Omer Count Schedule for you to copy and run off!

OMER COUNT SCHEDULE

Begin each night’s count with the blessing:

Hebrew: "Baruch atah YAHWEH Eloheinu Melekh Ha-olam asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu al S'firat Ha-omer."

(English: Blessed are You, YAHWEH our Elohim, King of the Universe who sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to count the Omer.)

After reading the Scripture, "announce" the day count in English or in Hebrew. (Hebrew transliteration is provided.)

Note: These Psalm readings are only suggestions. It is traditional to begin with Psalm 119, read over several days. Psalms are all about praise and recognizing our joy in Torah, but you can readothers if you like.

(Remember – the count is after sunset each night. You can keep this document on file and run it off each year as a handy reference to keep track of the Omer Count.)

1st Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 67 and Psalm 119:1-8

Say out loud: “Today is the 1st day of the Omer.”

היום יום אחד לעומר:

(Ha-yom yom e-chad la-omer)

2nd Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 119:9-16

Say out loud: “Today is the second day of the Omer.”

היום שני ימים לעומר:

(Ha-yom sh’nay yamim la-omer)

3rd Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 119:17-24

Say out loud: “Today is the third day of the Omer.”

היום שלשה ימים לעומר:

(Ha-yom sh’losha yamim la-omer)

4th Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 119:25-32

Say out loud: “Today is the fourth day of the Omer.”

היום ארבעה ימים לעומר:

(Ha-yom arba-a yamim la-omer)

5th Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 119:33-40

Say out loud: “Today is the fifth day of the Omer.”

היום חמשה ימים לעומר:

(Ha-yom chami-sha yamim la-omer)

6th Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 119:41-48

Say out loud: “Today is the sixth day of the Omer.”

היום ששה ימים לעומר:

(Ha-yom shi-sha yamim la-omer)

7th Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 119:49-56

Say out loud: “Today is the seventh day of the Omer.”

היום שבעה ימים שהם שבוע אחד לעומר:

(Ha-yom shiv-a yamim, shehaym shavu-a e-chad la-omer)

8th Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 119:57-64

Say out loud: “Today is the eighth day of the Omer.”

היום שמונה ימים שהם שבוע אחד ויום אחד לעומר:

(Ha-yom sh’mona yamim, shehaym shavu-a e-chad v’yom e-chad la-omer)

9th Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 119:65-72

Say out loud: “Today is the ninth day of the Omer.”

היום תשעה ימים שהם שבוע אחד ושני ימים לעומר:

(Ha-yom tish-a yamim, shehaym shavu-a e-chad ushnay yamim la-omer)

10th Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 119:73-80

Say out loud: “Today is the tenth day of the Omer.”

היום עשרה ימים שהם שבוע אחד ושלשה ימים לעומר:

(Ha-yom asara yamim, shehaym shavu-a echad ushlosha yamim la-omer)

11th Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 119:81-88

Say out loud: “Today is the 11^th day of the Omer.”

היום אחד עשר יום שהם שבוע אחד וארבעה ימים לעומר:

(Ha-yom achad asar yom, shehaym shavu-a echad v’arba-a yamim la-omer)

12th Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 119:89-96

Say out loud: “Today is the 12th day of the Omer.”

היום שנים עשר יום שהם שבוע אחד וחמשה ימים לעומר:

(Ha-yom sh’naym asar yom, shehaym shavu-a echad vachami-sha yamim la-omer)

13th Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 119:97-104

Say out loud: “Today is the 13th day of the Omer.”

היום שלשה עשר יום שהם שבוע אחד וששה ימים לעומר:

(Ha-yom sh’losha asar yom, shehaym shavu-a echad v’shisha yamim la-omer)

14th Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 119:105-112

Say out loud: “Today is the14t day of the Omer.”

היום ארבעה עשר יום שהם שני שבועות לעומר:

(Ha-yom arba-a asar yom, shehaym sh’nay shavuot la-omer)

15th Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 119:113-120

Say out loud: “Today is the 15th day of the Omer.”

היום חמשה עשר יום שהם שני שבועות ויום אחד לעומר:

(Ha-yom chami-sha asar yom, shehaym sh’nay shavuot v’yom echad la-omer)

16th Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 119:121-128

Say out loud: “Today is the 16th day of the Omer.”

היום ששה עשר יום שהם שני שבועות ושני ימים לעומר:

(Ha-yom shi-sha asar yom, shehaym sh’nay shavuot ushnay yamim la-omer)

17th Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 119:129-136

Say out loud: “Today is the 17th day of the Omer.”

היום שבעה עשר יום שהם שני שבועות ושלשה ימים לעומר:

(Ha-yom shiva asar yom, shehaym sh’nay shavuot ushlosha yamim la-omer)

18th Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 119:137-144

Say out loud: “Today is the 18th day of the Omer.”

היום שמונה עשר יום שהם שני שבועות וארבעה ימים לעומר:

(Ha-yom shemonah asar yom, shehaym sh’nay shavuot v’arba-a yamim la-omer)

19th Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 119:145-152

Say out loud: “Today is the 19th day of the Omer.”

היום תשעה עשר יום שהם שנו שבןעות וחמשה ימים לעומר:

(Ha-yom tisha asar yom, shehaym sh’nay shavuot va’chamisha yamim la-omer)

20th Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 119:153-160

Say out loud: “Today is the 20th day of the Omer.”

היום עשרים יום שהם שני שבועות וששה ימים לעומר:

(Ha-yom esrim yom, shehaym sh’nay shavuot v’shi-sha yamim la-omer)

21st Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 119:161-168

Say out loud: “Today is the 21st day of the Omer.”

היום אחד ועשרים יום שהם שלשה שבועות לעומר:

(Ha-yom e-chad v’esrim yom, shehaym shlosha shavuot la-omer)

22nd Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 119:169-176

Say out loud: “Today is the 22^nd day of the Omer.”

היום שנים ועשרים יום שהם שלשה שבועות ויום אחד לעומר:

(Ha-yom sh’nayim v’esrim yom, shehaym shelosha shavuot v’yom echad la-omer)

23rd Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 1 (all)

Say out loud: “Today is the 23rd day of the Omer.”

היום שלשה ועשרים יום שהם שלשה שבועות ושני ימים לעומר:

(Ha-yom sh’losha v’esrim yom, shehaym shelosha shavuot ushnay yamim la-omer)

24th Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 11 (all)

Say out loud: “Today is the24th day of the Omer.”

היום ארבעה ועשרים יום שהם שלשה שבועות ושלשה ימים לעומר:

(Ha-yom arba-a v’esrim yom, shehaym shelosha shavuot u’shelosha yamim la-omer)

25th Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 15 (all)

Say out loud: “Today is the 25th day of the Omer.”

היום חמשה ועשרם יום שהם שלשה שבועות וארבעה ימים לעומר:

(Ha-yom chami-sha v’esrim yom, shehaym shelosha shavuot v’arba-a yamim la-omer)

26th Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 19:7-14

Say out loud: “Today is the 26th day of the Omer.”

היום ששה ועשרים יום שהם שלשה שבועות וחמישה ימים לעומר:

(Ha-yom shi-sha v’esrim yom, shehaym shelosha shavuot va-chamisha yamim la-omer)

27th Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 25:4-11

Say out loud: “Today is the 27^th day of the Omer.”

היום שבעה ועשרים יום שהם שלשה שבועות וששה ימים לעומר:

(Ha-yom shiva v’esrim yom, shehaym shelosha shavuot v’shi-sha yamim la-omer)

28th Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 63:1-8 (2-9 some ver.)

Say out loud: “Today is the28th day of the Omer.”

היום שמונה ועשרים יום שהם ארבעה שבועות לעומר:

(Ha-yom shemonah v’esrim yom, shehaym arba-a shavuot la-omer)

29th Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 67 (all)

Say out loud: “Today is the 29^th day of the Omer.”

היום תשעה ועשרים יום שהם ארבעה שבועות ויום אחד לעומר:

(Ha-yom tisha v’esrim yom, shehaym arba-a shavuot v’yom e-chad la-omer)

30th Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 70 (all)

Say out loud: “Today is the 30^th day of the Omer.”

היום שלשים יום שהם ארבעה שבועות ושני ימים לעומר:

(Ha-yom shloshim yom, shehaym arba-a shavuot ushnay yamim la-omer)

31st Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 78:1-8

Say out loud: “Today is the 31st day of the Omer.”

היום אחר ושלשים יום שהם ארבעה שבועות ושלשה ימים לעומר:

(Ha-yom e-chad u’sheloshim yom, shehaym arba-a shavuot u’shelosha yamim la-omer)

32nd Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 93 (all)

Say out loud: “Today is the 32nd day of the Omer.”

היום שנים ושלשים יום שהם ארבעה שבועות וארבעה ימים לעומר:

(Ha-yom sh’nayim u’sheloshim yom, shehaym arba-a shavuot v’arba-a yamim la-omer)

33rd Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 95:1-7

Say out loud: “Today is the 33rd day of the Omer.”

היום שלשים ושלשים יום שהם ארבעה שבועות וחמשה ימים לעומר:

(Ha-yom sh’losha u’sheloshim yom, shehaym arba-a shavuot vachamisha yamim la-omer)

34th Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 96 (all)

Say out loud: “Today is the 34th day of the Omer.”

היום ארבעה ושלשים יום שהם ארבעה שבועות וששה ימים לעומר:

(Ha-yom arba-a u’sheloshim yom, shehaym arba-a shavuot v’shi-sha yamim la-omer)

35th Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 98 (all)

Say out loud: “Today is the 35th day of the Omer.”

היום חמשה ושלשים יום שהם חמשה שבועות לעומר:

(Ha-yom chami-sha u’sheloshim yom, shehaym chami-sha shavuot la-omer)

36th Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 99 (all)

Say out loud: “Today is the 36^th day of the Omer.”

היום ששה ושלשים יום שהם חמשה שבועות ויום אחד לעומר:

(Ha-yom shi-sha u’sheloshim yom, shehaym chami-sha shavuot v’yom echad la-omer)

37th Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 100 (all)

Say out loud: “Today is the37th day of the Omer.”

היום שבעה ושלשים יום שהם חמשה שבועות ושני ימים לעומר:

(Ha-yom shiva u’sheloshim yom, shehaym chami-sha shavuot ushnay yamim la-omer)

38th Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 101 (all)

Say out loud: “Today is the 38th day of the Omer.”

היום שמונה ושלשים יום שהם חמשה שבועות ושלשה ימים לעומר:

(Ha-yom shemonah u’sheloshim yom, shehaym chami-sha shavuot u’shelosha yamim la-omer)

39th Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 103:1-12

Say out loud: “Today is the 39th day of the Omer.”

היום תשעה ושלשים יום שהם חמשה שבועות וארבעה ימים לעומר:

(Ha-yom tisha u’sheloshim yom, shehaym chami-sha shavuot va’arba-a yamim la-omer)

40th Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 103:13-22

Say out loud: “Today is the 40^th day of the Omer.”

היום ארבעים יום שהם חמשה שבועות וחמשה ימים לעומר:

(Ha-yom arba-im yom, shehaym chami-sha shavuot va’chamisha yamim la-omer)

41st Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 105:1-11

Say out loud: “Today is the 41st day of the Omer.”

היום אחד וארבעים יום שהם חמשה שבועות וששה ימים לעומר:

(Ha-yom e-chad v’arbaim yom, shehaym chami-sha shavuot v’shi-sha yamim la-omer)

42nd Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 106:1-5

Say out loud: “Today is the 42nd day of the Omer.”

היום שנים וארבעים יום שהם ששה שבועות לעומר:

(Ha-yom sh’nayim v’arbaim yom, shehaym shi-sha shavuot la-omer)

43rd Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 111 (all)

Say out loud: “Today is the 43rd day of the Omer.”

היום שלשה וארבעים יום שהם ששה שבועות ויום אחד לעומר:

(Ha-yom sh’losha v’arbaim yom, shehaym shi-sha shavuot v’yom e-chad la-omer)

44th Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 112 (all)

Say out loud: “Today is the 44th day of the Omer.”

היום ארבעה וארבעים יום שהם ששה שבועות ושני ימים לעומר:

(Ha-yom arba-a v’arbaim yom, shehaym shi-sha shavuot ushnay yamim la-omer)

45th Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 121 (all)

Say out loud: “Today is the 45th day of the Omer.”

היום חמשה וארבעים יום שהם ששה שבועות ושלשה ימים לעומר:

(Ha-yom chami-sha v’arbaim yom, shehaym shi-sha shavuot u’shelosha yamim la-omer)

46th Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 130 (all)

Say out loud: “Today is the 46th day of the Omer.”

היום ששה וארבעים יום שהם ששה שבועות וארבעה ימים לעומר:

(Ha-yom shi-sha v’arbaim yom, shehaym shi-sha shavuot v’arba-a yamim la-omer)

47th Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 133 & 134 (all)

Say out loud: “Today is the 47th day of the Omer.”

היום שבעה וארבעים יום שהם ששה שבועות וחמשה ימים לעומר:

(Ha-yom shiva v’arbaim yom, shehaym shi-sha shavuot va’chami-sha yamim la-omer)

48th Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 146 (all)

Say out loud: “Today is the48th day of the Omer.”

היום שמונה וארבעים יום שהם ששה שבועות וששה ימים לעומר:

(Ha-yom shemonah v’arbaim yom, shehaym shi-sha shavuot v’shi-sha yamim la-omer)

49th Day: Date: __________ Read: Psalm 148 (all)

Say out loud: “Today is the 49th day of the Omer.”

היום תשעה וארבעים יום שהם שבעה שבועות לעומר:

(Ha-yom tisha v’arbaim yom, shehaym shiv-a shavuot la-omer)

Halleluyah, it’s Shavuot! Read: Psalm 150 (all) and Ruth.

Attend services at your synagogue. If holding your own service, read the commandments given at Mt Sinai, Exodus 19:1-20:23 and the commandment to count the Omerand observe Shavuot, Leviticus 23:9-21. Meditate throughout the next day on what a blessing the Torah is for us! Shavuot is a High Holy day! (All day May 17th is Shavuot.)

Explanation of why these Dates

The Omer is counted after sunset on each date shown because at sunset it becomes the next Hebrew day. In essence, you are counting the Omer just as the new Hebrew day has begun. This may seem odd at first, as we are used to our “civil” day changing at midnight. In the Hebrew calendar, the day changes at sunset and soon it becomes “second nature” - at sunset, it is a “new day”.

The counting of the Omer is a commandment from Leviticus 23:15-16 “From the day after the day of rest-that is, from the day you bring the sheaf for waving-you are to count seven full weeks, until the day after the seventh week; you are to count fifty days; and then you are to present a new grain offering to YHWH.”

Each year, the argument rages: “Just which ‘day of rest’ is the ‘day after’ to begin the Omer count?” There are FOUR primary “camps” in this age-old battle for the understanding of the day of First Fruits. One camp says First Fruits is always Sunday because Leviticus 23:11 says that you “wave the sheaf on the day after the Shabbat”, and they posit the Shabbat can only be the weekly 7th day.

Another camp says First Fruits is always the 16th of Nisan, because the “Shabbat” in Lev 23:11 is the High Holy Shabbat of the 1st day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which is always the 15th. Still another camp says the count begins AFTER the END of the week of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the fourth says the 15th of Nisan is the day to begin the count because it is the "morrow of Passover"!

The “winner is”: The 16th of Nisan! This is determined by scripture alone. The proper day to begin the Omer count is in scripture if only you take the time to understand it. Leviticus

Chapter 23 is broken into 3, very clear sections. Many miss this fact. It really is divided into separate sections and the sections are important to the understanding. But our modern English translations completely lose this section division, though some versions insert “section headings”, not from the original text, to identify the feasts being described at that point in the text. But in the original Hebrew text, even without vowels, or punctuation, we absolutely know the intended sections of Leviticus 23 because the original manuscripts use a “marking” to identify the sections. The JPS Tanakh explains:

The Hebrew Bible has two types of breaks: within a line (setumot, “closed”), and starting a new line (petuhot, “open”) – the latter suggesting a greater shift in content. Like many Bible printers, we have used the letters samekh (for setumot) and peh (for petuhot) as markers to show paragraph breaks in the source manuscript.

These section markings, the samekh and peh, found in the original Hebrew are lost in modern English translations.

English translations simply do not reveal the separations of the sections!

What the sections mean

The original sections are very important. They absolutely define the importance of the Feasts and why the special Shabbats (High Holy Days) of the Feasts are not to be confused with the weekly Shabbat. The weekly Shabbat is, in fact, the 1st of the recurring appointments with YHWH, and is therefore not to be taken lightly.

Leviticus 23 Sections:

1st section. Verses 1-3. Chapter 23 begins with “YHWH said to Moshe. ‘Tell the people of Isra'el: 'The designated times of YHWH which you are to proclaim as holy convocations are my designated times.’ ” (vs 1-2). Then comes the definition of the weekly Shabbat: "'Work is to be done on six days; but the seventh day is a Shabbat of complete rest [Shabbat Shabbaton], a holy convocation; you are not to do any kind of work; it is a Shabbat for YHWH, even in your homes.” (v 3).

2nd section. Verses 4-32. It begins: “These are the designated times of YHWH, the holy convocations you are to proclaim at their designated times” (v 4). The remainder of the 2nd section describes all the special days, Scripture itself says this in the first verse of the section!

3rd section, starting in verse 33. A summary section beginning with the last of the major feasts - Sukkot. Then in verse 37-38 the summary concludes: “37 'These are the designated times of YHWH that you are to proclaim as holy convocations and bring an offering made by fire to YHWH -a burnt offering, a grain offering, a sacrifice and drink offerings, each on its own day - 38 besides [separated from or apart from] the Shabbats of YHWH, your gifts, all your vows and all your voluntary offerings that you give to YHWH” (vs 37-38). The remainder of the 3^rd section closes with some discussion on the importance of the Festival of Sukkot to the memory of the people about what YHWH did for them.

The importance of the 3 sections

Notice the italicized & bolded part above in verse 37-38 . The Holy Days described in these verses are here clearly identified as “each on its own day - besides [separated from or apart from] the Shabbats of YHWH”. This clearly shows that the “weekly Shabbat” is special on its own, and is defined first in verse 3. It is thus clear that “Shabbat” in verse 11 is not the “weekly Shabbat” as the special Shabbats of the Feasts are “each on its own day”.

The simple recognition that the weekly Shabbat is a Shabbat Shabbaton and is identified and set aside as a special day on its own, the “problem” of the word “Shabbat” in verse 11 is eliminated because the 1st and last day of the Feast of Unleavened bread which are "shabbats", are not a "shabbat shabbaton". The word “Shabbat” whether it means the “weekly, 7th-day Sabbath”, or a “count of 7-days”, or a “count of 7-years” (as it sometimes does – see Leviticus 25:8), or as simply a “special day of rest”, depends entirely on the context in the original Hebrew.

Therefore it is not enough to simply see the word “Shabbat” in verse 11 and assume it only means “the weekly 7^th day”. The English translation of the Hebrew always as the single word “Shabbat” is thus wrong, since the single word “Shabbat” in English fails to convey its context-meaning. This has led many astray because without this understanding, the word “Shabbat” in Leviticus 23:11 becomes easily mistaken as the “weekly 7th day” instead of what it actually means which is “the special Sabbath day” identified in verses 6-7, the 1st day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread – which is by definition and context “a” Shabbat.

I should end here but there will still be those who are not convinced. So let me offer the following additional evidence.

As indicated, the argument for First Fruits always being on a Sunday is 100% from the part of Leviticus 23:11 which says: “the cohen is to wave it on the day after the Shabbat.” And the rationale is that they insist the word “Shabbat” must mean “the weekly 7th day”. But I would ask them to go look at verse 27 to 32 of the same chapter, which is describing Yom Kippur.

This High Holy Day, Yom Kippur, is identified as the 10th of the month of Tishri, and verse 32 says (about it): “It will be for you a Shabbat of complete rest [Shabbat Shabbaton], and you are to deny yourselves; you are to rest on your Shabbat from evening the ninth day of the month until the following evening.” So here we have the same Hebrew phrase, “Shabbat shabbaton”, yet here it is clearly understood as describing Yom Kippur as "its own day" and NOT as the “7th day of the week”. So the premise that the word “Shabbat” in verse 11 must be the weekly Shabbat is already negated within the same Chapter of Leviticus.

It is simply wrong to insist that the use of “Shabbat” in verse 11 must be referring to the weekly 7th day. If “Shabbat” can only mean “weekly 7th day”, then Leviticus is saying Yom Kippur can only be on Saturday! But absolutely no one argues that. Thus the only conclusion must be that where the word “Shabbat” is used inLeviticus 23, in any verse after verse 3, must be understood in its context as “a special day of rest”, a High Holy Day, as the identified important day of the Feast, just as we see for Yom Kippur.

Recognizing this concept also completely eliminates the erred understanding of the counting of the Omer, found in Leviticus 23:15-16. While some argue the scripture says to “count Sabbaths”, we see that the scripture is actually saying to “count weeks”, that is, “periods of 7 days”. This follows, in part, from the fact that if First Fruits were intended to always fall the day after the weekly Shabbat, scripture would not have had to say “count 50 days”! Counting 50 days becomes completely unnecessary if you are “counting weeks by 7th-day Shabbats”.

Verse 16: “…until the day after the seventh week; you are to count fifty days; and then you are to present a new grain offering to ADONAI”, becomes completely unnecessary as it says to count until the day after the 7th week, which, if you were counting weeks by the weekly Sabbath, there is no need whatsoever to also count “50 days”.

While we see that verses 15-16 provide additional confirmation that we are counting 50 days, in 7-day periods, and not counting weeks from weekly Shabbats, some still refuse to give up the idea that First Fruits is NOT a Sunday. They insist that the “Messiah rose on First Fruits”, so they “require” First Fruits to be on Sunday. For those, I would ask that they look at just what “First Fruits” are. You will find that “First Fruits” don’t “rise” – they are instead “presented” at the beginning of the spring harvest after Pesach, Leviticus 23:10; at beginning of the summer harvest, Shavuot, Leviticus 23:16 & Numbers 28:26; at fall harvest Sukkot, Leviticus 23:39 & Deuteronomy 16:13. And this is the symbolism of the Messiah as First Fruits. The Messiah “was” First Fruits – simple as that. He was “presented” as first of the “crop” of those who believed and obeyed (Rev 12:17). Since First Fruits don’t “rise”, there is no reason to require the Messiah to “rise” on First Fruits. But that is an entirely separate topic.

And finally, if one goes through the book of Exodus, starting with Chapter 12, verse 29, we find that the first (original) Passover was the 15th of Abib (today called "Nisan"), i.e., the time after sunset of the 14th when then day changes), and the Exodus began well after midnght that very night. This means even if the mass of people began moving on the 15th, the “first day” of the exodus was the 16th of Abib, for on the 15th, they were all still in their homes in Egypt, packing-up and plundering the Egyptians. We keep reading Exodus till the Commandments are given in Exodus 20 verse 1 and we carefully count the days from when the Exodus began (Exodus 12 verse 29), and we find the Commandments were presented to Israel 50 days after the exodus began.

Indeed, this is the relationship to Shavuot, the 50th day after counting the Omer. Therefore, by simply counting the days of the Exodus, we find that the 50 day count began on 16 Abib that original year of the Exodus. Thus, each year this event is commemorated by also counting the Omer from the 16th of Abib.

Notice this year (2021) the Omer count began at sunset on March 28th, meaning the daytime of March 29th is the “1st day of Omer”. This is "in-sync" with the traditional calendar exept that the traditional calendar began the month of Nisan a day late due to the traditional calendar's use of the "average moon".

In the traditional Hebrew calendar which all of traditional Judaism of today follows, the first day of the month is calculated, and is not necessarily tied to the actual day of the New Moon. This, plus the fact that “postponements” are added to prevent Yom Kippur from falling on a Friday or a Sunday, AND a rigid (scheduled) intercalation of the leap month, means they don’t follow the true Lunar-Solar calendar, which dictates the 1st day of the Hebrew month begins the sunset after conjunction.

If one starts the Hebrew month on the correct sunset after lunar conjunction, the middle of the month will be greeted with a full moon rising at or very near sunset on the 14th or 15th. All too often though, in the traditional calendar, the night Pesach arrives, the moon is seen to rise clearly past full -often well after sunset - a very clear "sign" your calendar is off.

Sadly, calendar studies have shown how even the ancient Hebrews could know FOUR YEARS in advance just what (future) month would be the month of Abib, and hence what future full moon would be the Pesach moon!

Simply using all the available signs, the proper calendar could be kept years in advance without the use of a single modern computer!

A calendar by “sighting the crescent” is also wrong! By waiting to "sight" the new crescent, the month is automatically 1-3 days off! Thus, in the same way, sighting the crescent pretty much automatically means you will miss the actual middle of the lunar month and a beautiful significant sign of Pesach and Sukkot.

The good thing is that whichever Hebrew calendar you choose to follow, at least you are trying to follow the mitzvoth of our Creator and not some man-made observance which in no way honors the commanded moedim.

Blessings from The Refiner’s Fire!

( therefinersfire.org )

Passover 2026

Passover (Hebrew: Pesach) this year begins late afternoon on Thursday, 2 April. The Festival of Unleavened Bread begins a little later, at sunset, which kicks off the High Shabbat, making 3 April a High Holy Day on which no work is to be done. We celebrate Passover because of this command:

Exodus 23:14-16: "Three times a year, you are to observe a festival for me. Keep the festival of matzah: for seven days, as I ordered you, you are to eat matzah (unleavened bread) at the time determined in the month of Aviv; for it was in that month that you left Egypt. No one is to appear before me empty-handed. Next, the festival of harvest, the firstfruits of your efforts sowing in the field; and last, the festival of ingathering, at the end of the year, when you gather in from the fields the results of your efforts."  (CJB)

Passover/Unleavened Bread marks the beginning of a seven-day period during which the eating of leavened bread is forbidden, as leaven is a symbol of sin (I Corinthians 5:6-8; see also Exodus 23:14-16; Romans 6:4 and II Corinthians 5:21).

Passover celebrates the deliverance of the slaves from Egypt. It is the story of redemption by the killing of the Passover Lamb, the blood of which was applied to the doorposts while the Israelites were still in Egypt, shortly before their Exodus.

Obedience to the command to take a lamb into their homes for a few days and then kill it for the purpose of spreading its blood on the doorposts ensured that their firstborn would be spared the Tenth Curse against Pharoah who refused to let God's enslaved Chosen People leave Egypt. When the Angel of Death passed through the land and saw the blood, he "passed over" those houses and spared the first born within (Exodus 12:1-13).

Passover not only serves as a reminder of the events leading up to the Exodus from Egypt; but it is also the story of redemption through Messiah Yeshua, whose shed blood on the cross freed Believers from the slavery of earthly bondage to "the world!"

Yeshua fulfilled this event when he was crucified. However, please note, he was NOT "the Passover Lamb!' per se. Why? Because (1) the original Passover lamb in Egypt was not a "sin "sacrifice"; it was a "substitute", a "redemption"; and (2) no one "sacrificed" Yeshua, as he martyred himself to shed his divine blood on our behalf to take away our PAST sins...

So, this is the whole connection: Yeshua was our substitute, our redemption - and by believing and always following YHWH's Torah to help us to lower our tendency to sin and do our best to NOT sin anymore, we have the chance for eternal life!

NOTE 1: Some people insist you are to clean out your "yeast" before Passover, but this is not true. There is no way to get rid of all yeast, because yeast spores are everywhere, including in every breath we take. For an indepth explanation, check out my article entitled, Yeast or Leaven.

NOTE 2: For those interested, I offer a free downloadable haggadah (liturgy) for Pesach/Passover on our website. Just click on the Articles and Studies, and scroll down until you see "Free calendars, Siddurs & Pesach Seder" and choose one of the final two links...

FOR THOSE NEW TO TORAH AND GOD'S 7 APPOINTED TIMES, you can find an overview on my website.

May God richly bless you for your willingness to dig ever deeper into His Word so that you can learn HIS Truth and begin an eye-opening journey you never realized existed!

 

YOU can become a warrior for Yahweh/Yeshua/Torah!

DO YOU REALIZE THAT YOU CAN BECOME A WARRIOR FOR YHWH/YESHUA/TORAH IN THESE ENDS TIMES WE'RE FACING? In order to do that, though, you have to learn to not just give your opinions to this lost and decadent world of ours; but to actually be able to prove what you say, and backing it up with Scripture.

If you don’t, then all you’re doing is presenting just another “opinion” …

A quick example of this would be if someone tries to tell you that MONEY is the root of all evil. You – KNOWING what the Bible says – can respond with: “That's not true. First Timothy 6:10 says the LOVE of money is the root of all evil.”

Those with eyes to see and ears to hear (Matthew 13:9-16) will understand that they were wrong and correct themselves. The blind and stubborn will keep on proclaiming to the world that “Money is the root of all evil.” They don't even realize that they will one day stand before YHWH to explain why they kept leading people astray with their falsehoods.

Even Yeshua, when “tested” by the Adversary (Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4) responded with “It is written.” What was “written” during his time? Torah and Tanach…. (Early manuscripts of the biblical texts did not contain the chapter and verse divisions in the numbered form familiar to modern readers.)

Anyway, as you all know, most opinions are pretty much worthless because they’re not necessarily based on facts. All it takes is a little effort on your part, though. Knowledge is power!

You don’t have to be a Bible expert or scholar; you just have to be familiar enough to know exactly what the Bible says and doesn’t say – and then Google the pertinent passages for context.

Proverbs 18:15 An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge. (ESV)

Proverbs 15:14 The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly. (ESV)

Proverbs 1:22 “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge?  (CJB)

WE CAN ALL BE WARRIORS FOR YHWH, telling the world not only what we THINK on any given Bible subject, but gain some respect by being able to back it up with actual Scripture references to show that we DO know what we're talking about. That is all part of how the "sheep" are separated from the "goats"....

One of many reasons why Jews don’t wish to “believe in Jesus”…

Reading Leviticus 6:17-23 (in some versions verses 24-30), one can certainly understand why traditional Jews refuse to recognize Yeshua as a SIN Sacrifice because, nowhere did Yahweh ever demand human sacrifices, and nowhere did He ever demand we eat human flesh...

Leviticus 6: 24 ADONAI said to Moshe, 25 "Tell Aharon and his sons, 'This is the law for the sin offering: the sin offering is to be slaughtered before ADONAI in the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered; it is especially holy. 26 The cohen who offers it for sin is to eat it -it is to be eaten in a holy place, in the courtyard of the tent of meeting. 27 Whatever touches its flesh will become holy; if any of its blood splashes on any item of clothing, you are to wash it in a holy place.

28 The clay pot in which it is cooked must be broken; if it is cooked in a bronze pot, it must be scoured and rinsed in water. 29 Any male from a family of cohanim may eat the sin offering; it is especially holy. 30 But no sin offering which has had any of its blood brought into the tent of meeting to make atonement in the Holy Place is to be eaten; it is to be burned up completely. (CJB)

Reading the Hebrew context, however, reveals the following:

Offerings "qurbana" and sacrifices "dabekha" are two different entities. Although there are certain aspects to Mashiyach's death that are utterly unique to him (Zechariah 12:10, etc.), his death nevertheless echoes aspects of offerings and sacrifices that came before. The qurbana is the human life (nefesh/soul) that Yeshua voluntarily offers up on the stake. The result of that offering is his blood put out on the "altar"; hence dabekha.

However, this is certainly not, as some critics suggest, human sacrifice. Rather, this indicates Y'shua's status as Mashiyach ben Yoseph. Per strict accordance with Isaiah 53 and Genesis 22:8, Mashiyach ben Yoseph was required to suffer and die.

After his death, the offering of himself became a sacrifice that was taken up, and he was resurrected three days later. Many of Yahweh's prophets also suffered and were martyred at the hands of those who fought against the Malchut Elohim (Kingdom). In the case of Mashiyach, his shed blood is counted as the acceptable sacrifice, the Lamb of Yahweh, which is most Set Apart unto Yahweh. (SOURCE:  AENT)

Was Yeshua advocating cannibalism?

SOME QUICK THOUGHTS TO PONDER: Many anti-God types attempt to use the following passage to show that Yeshua was advocating cannibalism when he said to drink his blood and eat his body ... but those who truly know Yahweh and have studied His Word realize this was an ALLEGORY:

Matthew 26: 26. And while they were dining, Y'shua took bread and blessed it and broke it and gave it to his disciples and said, Take eat. This is my body. 27. And he took the cup and gave thanks and gave it to them and said, Take drink from it all of you. 28. This is my blood (see 1 Corinthians 11:27) of the renewed covenant, which for the sake of many is shed for the forgiveness of sins. (CJB)

Our Mashiyach was simply demonstrating that his coming sacrifice was to be for us! He in NO WAY meant to literally eat and drink of him!

FOR EXAMPLE, take the story of the slow tortoise beating a fast hare in a race. It didn't literally mean that the tortoise was faster; it was simply an ancient story designed to teach a moral lesson about character and behavior. It tells the story of an arrogant, overconfident, fast-moving hare and a slow, persistent tortoise.

Yeshua sacrificed himself to become our Redemption, our Divine Substitute. We must remember, Father Yahweh has always required all types of sacrifices (including the ones we see in Leviticus 7:37 - burnt, grain, sin, guilt, consecration and peace. (Note that Yeshua was only our SIN Sacrifice!)

As strange as that might sound to our modern ears, the bottom line in all this is "obedience." Obedience separates Yahweh's people from "the world" - something that was reiterated throughout both "Testaments" such as the following from the Prophets and the Brit Chadashah/New Testament:

Jeremiah 7: 21 Thus says ADONAI-Tzva'ot, the God of Isra'el: "You may as well eat the meat of your burnt offerings along with that of your sacrifices. 22 For I didn't speak to your ancestors or give them orders concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices when I brought them out of the land of Egypt. 23 Rather, what I did order them was this: 'Pay attention to what I say. Then I will be your God, and you will be my people. In everything, live according to the way that I order you, so that things will go well for you.' (CJB)

What happens when "all does NOT go well" because people refuse to OBEY God? Take a look at just these two examples:

Jeremiah 8: 10 "'Therefore I will give their wives to others, and their fields to those who take them over; for from the least to the greatest, all are greedy for gains; prophets and cohanim (priests) alike all practice fraud; 11 they dress the wound of the daughter of my people, but only superficially, saying, "There is perfect shalom (peace"," when there is no shalom. 12 They should be ashamed of their detestable deeds, but they are not ashamed at all, they don't know how to blush. So when others fall, they too will fall; when I punish them, they will stumble,' says ADONAI.(CJB)

Jeremiah 9: 23 Here is what ADONAI says: "The wise man should not boast of his wisdom, the powerful should not boast of his power, the wealthy should not boast of his wealth; 24 instead, let the boaster boast about this: that he understands and knows me - that I am ADONAI, practicing grace, justice and righteousness in the land; for in these things I take pleasure," says ADONAI. (CJB)

 Author and Bible scholar Jeremy Chance Springfield adds the following interesting info:

A parallel in Jewish thought is found in the text of the Zohar, where, upon the death of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, his disciples did something interesting. The work reads: “…his companions, they all drank blood.” While on the surface it sounds horrific, it is understood idiomatically in Judaism to mean “they internalized his teachings.” It appears Yeshua was likely using that same idiomatic concept when he uttered his words: “The covenant must be internalized.” Just like the Tanakh speaks of physical circumcision as well as “circumcision of the heart”—the vital obligation of the believer is to make the spiritual work of trust infuse every part of our beings.

A dire warning from Romans 21 concerning the state of man

Romans 21 has a warning message that resounds into today’s world and definitely applies to “modern man” as we are continuing to sink into the abyss of deliberate sin…

Romans 1:18. For the wrath of Elohim from heaven is revealed against all the iniquity and wickedness of men who hold the truth in iniquity 19. Because a knowledge of Elohim is manifest in them; for Elohim has manifested it in them.

20. For, from the foundations of the world, the hidden things of Elohim are seen by the mind in the things he created even his eternal power and divinity, so that they might be without excuse 21. Because they knew Elohim and did not glorify him and give thanks to him as Elohim, but became vain in their imaginings and their unwise heart was darkened. 22. And, while they thought within themselves that they were wise, they became fools.

23. And they changed the glory of the incorruptible Elohim into a likeness to the image of a corruptible man,[1] and into the likeness of birds and four-legged animals and reptiles on the earth. 24. For this cause, Elohim gave them up to the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies with them. 25. And they changed the truth of Elohim into a lie; and worshipped and served the created things, much more than the Creator of them, to whom belong glory and blessing, forever and ever: Amen. 26. For this cause, Elohim gave them up to vile passions: for their females changed the use of their natures[2] and employed that which is unnatural.

27. And so also their males set aside the use of females, which is natural, and burned with lust toward one another; and, male with male, they did what is shameful, and received in their core substance[3] the just recompense of their error. 28. And as they did not determine with themselves to know Elohim, Elohim gave them over to a vain mind; that they might do what they should not.

29. Being full of all iniquity and lewdness, and bitterness and malice, and covetousness and envy, and slaughter and strife, and deceit and evil machinations 30. And backbiting and slander; and being haters of Elohim, scoffers, proud, vain-glorious, devisers of evil things, destitute of reason, disregardful of parents.

31. And to whom a covenant is nothing, neither affection, nor peace, and in whom is no compassion. 32. These, while they know the judgment of Elohim, that he condemns those to death who perpetrate such things, are not only doers of them, but the companions of such as do them.   (AENT)

---

[1] Rav Shaul (Paul) rejects the idea of making a deity out of a human being, something he himself is often being wrongly accused of. The key is the phrase “corruptible man” which is put in contradistinction of Y’shua who fulfilled prophecy by virtue of having the Ruach haKodesh, the Spirit of YHWH, inside him.

If Rav Shaul did not approve of others turning images of men into false deities, he would certainly not approve of what Christendom has done today. The Son did the Father YHWH’s will; his human side submitted to the divine.

This is what opened the door for repentance for all of us; therefore, all who follow Y’shua must also yield unto YHWH rather than follow a deity who lessens the Name of YHWH and abolishes Torah.

[2] The Image of Elohim is both male and female (B’resheet/Gen. 1:27). To deny the distinctions of male/female gender is to spurn the One who created male and female according to His own Image.

[3] The word translated as “themselves” by Murdock is much better rendered as “core substance” ‑ one of several important meanings for qnoma, which also refers to an occurrence (not a separated “person”) of a nature. This verse states that punishment for sexual sin is not in the external body, but in a foundational place where the very essence of humanity resides.

The significance of the Tabernacle…

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE TABERNACLE BECOMES CLEAR ONCE WE RECOGNIZE that YAHWEH not only sent us His Messiah who chose to martyr Himself on our behalf (NOTE: nobody “sacrificed” Yeshua - there was no altar on which to “sacrifice,” and he allowed himself to be murdered on mankind’s behalf to become our Final SIN Sacrifice” to wash away our PAST sins); but you can be sure that he will be meting out justice from the Third Temple, once it is built:

Hebrews 9: 1. Now, under the first (covenant), there were ordinances of ministration and an earthly sanctuary. 2. For in the first tabernacle which was erected there was the menorah and the table and the bread of the presence; and this was called the Sanctuary. 3. But the inner tabernacle which was within the second veil was called the Kadosh Kadoshim (Holy of Holies). (AENT)

NOTE: Kadosh Kadoshim (Set Apart of the Set Aparts) translated as "Holy of Holies"; however, it is important to note that many religions use "holy" as a term to denote what is sacred unto them. In the Malchut Elohim (Kingdom of Elohim), the term Kadosh denotes the "nature" of Yahweh, who is the sole Creator and sustainer of Life. He has made distinct "boundaries" in Himself which He reveals according to His Word and through the Ruach haKodesh (Holy Spirit).

In Christianity being "holy" is often thought of as "being like Jesus" although most Christians wouldn't dare to live like Yeshua and His Talmidim (Disciples) for fear of being "too Jewish," or being labeled as legalists! Yeshua and His followers were Torah Observant; and it is within Torah Observance that one can truly define what it means to be "Set Apart unto Yahweh." "But know that Yahweh has Set Apart for Himself those who are Chasid (righteous): Yahweh will hear when I call unto him." (Psalm 4:3).

Hebrews 9: 4. And there were in it the golden censer and the ark of the covenant which was all overlaid with gold; and in it were the golden urn which contained the manna and the rod of Aaron which sprouted, and the tables of the covenant; 5. and over it were the cherubim of glory which overshadowed the mercy seat. But there is not time to speak particularly of each of the things which were so arranged. 6. And into the outer tabernacle the priests at all times entered and performed their ministration.

7. But into the inner tabernacle, once a year only, the high priest entered, with the blood which he offered for himself and for the sins of the people. 8. And by this the Ruach haKodesh indicated that the way to the Set Apart (places) was not yet manifested so long as the first tabernacle was standing: 9. and it was a symbol for that time during which oblation and sacrifices were offered that could not make perfect the conscience of him who offered them: 10. but (they consisted) only in food and drink and in the ablutions of diverse things which were flesh ordinances, and were set up until the time of restoration. (AENT)

Hebrews 9: 11. But the Mashiyach who came was a High Priest of the good things which he created: and he entered into the great and perfect tabernacle which was not made with hands and was not of these created things. 12. And he did not enter with the blood of goats and calves; but with the blood of himself he entered once into the sanctuary and obtained eternal redemption.

13. For if the blood of goats and calves, with the ashes of a heifer, was sprinkled upon them that were defiled and sanctified them as to the purification of their flesh; 14. then how much more will the blood of the Mashiyach, who by the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to Elohim, purge our conscience from dead works so that we may serve the living Elohim? 15. And for this reason he became the Mediator of the renewed covenant, that he might by his death be redemption to them who had transgressed the first covenant; so that they who are called to the eternal inheritance might receive the promise. (AENT)

Now take a look at what's to come:

Revelation 11: 1. And a reed was given to me, like a rod; and the Messenger stood, saying, Arise and measure the temple of Elohim, and the altar, and them that worship inside it. 2. But the court which is without the temple, leave out, and measure it not, because it is given to the Gentiles; and they will tread down the Set Apart city forty and two months. 3. And I will give my two witnesses; and they will prophesy a thousand and two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth. 4. These are the two olive-trees and the two menorahs which stand before Master YHWH of the earth.

5. And if any person will harm them, fire comes out of their mouth and consumes their adversary; and if any one will harm them, thus must he be slain. 6. They have power to shut up heaven so that the rain will not fall in those days: and they have power over the waters, to turn them into blood; and to smite the earth with all plagues as often as they please.

7. And when they will have completed their testimony, the beast of prey that came up from the abyss will make war upon them and will overcome them. 8. And their dead bodies (will be) in the open street of that great city which is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Master (Y'shua) was executed on the stake. 9. And (they) of the nations and tribes and peoples and tongues will look upon their dead bodies, three days and a half; and will not suffer their dead bodies to be laid in the grave.

10. And they who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and will be merry, and will send presents to one another; because those two prophets tormented them who dwell on the earth. 11. And after these three days and a half, the Spirit of Life from Elohim entered into them, and they stood upon their feet: and great fear fell on those who saw them.

12. And they heard a great voice from heaven, which said to them: Come up here. And they ascended to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies saw them. 13. And in the same hour there was a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell: and the persons killed in the earthquake were seven thousand names: and they who remained were afraid and gave glory to Elohim. (AENT)