Page 110 - issue
P. 110
SEFIRA BEARDS
AND BEACONS
RABBI YAAKOV WEINBERG’S INSIGHTS
ON THE MOURNING PERIOD FOR RABBI AKIVA’S STUDENTS
If you take a look at Jewish men post-Pesach, you’ll proba-
bly notice many of them with stubble on their faces, the
beginnings of beards. Why the sudden wish to join the
bearded men of the world? It’s only a temporary beard,
grown as a sign of mourning during the period between
Pesach and Shavuos called sefiras ha’omer, the counting
of the omer.
In reality, a “sefira” beard should be a contradiction in
terms. We are excited that Shavuos is coming and we will be
receiving and recommitting ourselves to the Torah once
again. That’s why we count the 49 days between Pesach and
Shavuos, anxiously awaiting the day. It is a great time of hap-
piness. How, then, could Jewish history have developed in
such a way that this season became one of mourning? Since
when does passion and joy turn to sadness?
Let us explain this seeming dichotomy and study in-depth
the contradictory roles played by the sefiras ha’omer time
period:
“You should count for yourselves, beginning with the day
after the day of rest [Pesach], when you bring the Omer
(measurement of barley) offering. Seven weeks shall be
[counted and] completed until the day after the seventh
week – fifty days.” (Vayikra 23:15-16)
The Sefer HaChinuch elucidates the purpose of this
counting (loose partial translation):
102 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
AND BEACONS
RABBI YAAKOV WEINBERG’S INSIGHTS
ON THE MOURNING PERIOD FOR RABBI AKIVA’S STUDENTS
If you take a look at Jewish men post-Pesach, you’ll proba-
bly notice many of them with stubble on their faces, the
beginnings of beards. Why the sudden wish to join the
bearded men of the world? It’s only a temporary beard,
grown as a sign of mourning during the period between
Pesach and Shavuos called sefiras ha’omer, the counting
of the omer.
In reality, a “sefira” beard should be a contradiction in
terms. We are excited that Shavuos is coming and we will be
receiving and recommitting ourselves to the Torah once
again. That’s why we count the 49 days between Pesach and
Shavuos, anxiously awaiting the day. It is a great time of hap-
piness. How, then, could Jewish history have developed in
such a way that this season became one of mourning? Since
when does passion and joy turn to sadness?
Let us explain this seeming dichotomy and study in-depth
the contradictory roles played by the sefiras ha’omer time
period:
“You should count for yourselves, beginning with the day
after the day of rest [Pesach], when you bring the Omer
(measurement of barley) offering. Seven weeks shall be
[counted and] completed until the day after the seventh
week – fifty days.” (Vayikra 23:15-16)
The Sefer HaChinuch elucidates the purpose of this
counting (loose partial translation):
102 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
