Ask The Rabbi
18 May 1996
Issue #105
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This Issue Contains:
1.  The Little Things that Count
2.  Answer to Yiddle Riddle
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Avraham Silvers <silvers@netvision.net.il>wrote:

>Dear Rabbi,
>My son Akiva has the following question:
>
>I am 12 years old.  At parshat 'Emor' I will be observing my Bar Mitzvah.
>Until now I have been counting the Omer with a bracha [blessing].  When I
>reach thirteen I will be counting the Omer as an adult and previously I
>was only counting as a minor for `chinuch' [educational purposes].  When I
>become bar Mitzvah, should I continue counting with a bracha as I do have
>a certain level of `Temmimut' [completeness], but on the other hand the
>quality of my mitzvah is not the same as if I had begun at the beginning?
>Thank you for your time, Akiva Silvers

Alan Shear of Yeshiva College South Africa <yeshcol@global.co.za > wrote:

>Dear Rabbi
>Many people have asked me the following question which can really be a bit
>perplexing.  A boy who has his bar mitzvah during Sefirat HaOmer, may he
>continue counting with a Bracha?  This has practical application here
>right now, so a timely answer would be greatly appreciated.  Many Thanks

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Dear Akiva & Alan,

The Torah says "From the day after Pesach you shall count seven complete
weeks..."  We therefore count each day for 49 days between Pesach and
Shavuot, saying "today is the first day of the Omer, today is the second
day of the Omer, etc."  Each day we make a blessing.

The authorities differ whether each day's count is a mitzvah by itself, or
if together all 49 days comprise one single mitzvah.  The difference would
be in a case where someone forget to count:

o   If each day is a separate mitzvah, someone who forgot a day continues
    to fulfill the mitzvah by counting the following days.  So he should
    continue counting and each day say the blessing.

o   But if together all 49 days comprise one single mitzvah, someone who
    missed a day can no longer fulfill the mitzvah.  Consequently, he can't
    say the blessing.

In practice, someone who forgets a day continues to count -- in accordance
with the first opinion -- but does not say the blessing -- in consideration
of the second opinion.

But what should you do?  On the one hand, you've counted every day!  But
since you're not yet bar mitzvah and aren't commanded by the Torah to
count, perhaps your counting `doesn't count.'  Perhaps your "seven complete
weeks" are incomplete.

Most Poskim rule that if you counted every day until your bar mitzvah, you
continue counting with a blessing.

Interestingly enough, Akiva, the command to count the Omer is found in
parshat Emor -- your bar mitzvah parsha.  The verse says "Count after
Pesach, the day you bring the Omer offering, seven complete weeks..."  In
Hebrew, the word `complete' is the 12th word of the verse.  Perhaps this
hints that even though you are only 12 years old and not yet bar mitzvah,
your mitzvah of counting is nonetheless `complete'!

Speaking of counting:  Two professors of theoretical mathematic were
debating how many fingers people have.

"Nine!" -- said one.
"Ten!" -- the other insisted.
Unable to convince one another through logical induction or proof, they
decided to count.
"I say there are ten!" said one, lifting up his hands.  "Go ahead and
count!"
"Zero, one, two, three,..." began the other.

Sources:
o  Minchat Chinuch, Mitzvah 306
o  Aruch HaShulchan Orach Chaim. 489:15
o  Sheilot U'tshuvot Ktav Sofer 99
o  Sheilot U'tshuvot Maharam Shick 260

Yiddle Riddle
Last week we asked:  Three members of the Jewish People whose names are
mentioned in the Torah did not go out of Egypt during the Exodus.  Who are
they?

Answer:  Tzippora, Gershom and Eliezer.  Moses' wife Tzippora and his two
sons, Gershom and Eliezer, lived in Midian at the time of the Exodus from
Egypt.  Although Moses had planned to bring them along when he returned to
Egypt, Aharon convinced him to the contrary.  "Aren't there enough Jews
suffering in Egypt already?" said Aharon.

Sources:
o  Exodus 18:2,3 and Rashi
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