Only after Moshe signals to the Jews is there any movement on their part. There are no planned confrontations with the Egyptians no speeches of national revival no demonstrations just silent waiting. The Jews are told to remain inside their homes and simply wait for Moshe to give the sign. There is no action whatsoever, no initiative. What stands out is the astonishing passivity of the Jews. When carefully examining the Jews’ behavior on the day of the actual Exodus, which corresponds to the first day of Pesach, we become aware of a strange phenomenon. If the purpose of counting is indeed to re-enact the entire historical period between Pesach and Shavuot, why not start on the same day that the Exodus took place, which was also the first day that Jews began their journey to moral freedom? To prepare ourselves for the upcoming celebration of Shavuot and the giving of the Torah, we are asked to climb a ladder of 49 spiritual steps, each day adding another dimension to our souls.Ĭommentators are therefore surprised to notice that the actual counting of the Omer begins on the second day of Pesach and not on the first (Ibid.). Nothing is more dangerous for a person than to remain spiritually stale, and for this reason we are required to count the 49 days of the Omer. The purpose of the period between the two festivals is to relive these sublime moments so as to ennoble ourselves.
Both the exodus from Egypt - which initiated our ancestors’ first encounter with liberty - as well as its culmination with the giving of the Torah (the law of moral freedom) at Mount Sinai should become ingrained in our personalities, inspiring constant moral elevation. Numerous commentators and philosophers have explained the biblical commandment to count the days between Pesach and Shavuot (Vayikra 23:15.) as a way to encourage people not only to count these days, but to use this time to examine their thoughts and feelings and take stock of their lives.
Illustrative: A wheat field in southern Israel (Doron Horowitz/Flash90)
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