Counting Sefirat Ha’Omer Yourself / Part 1

By Rabbi Moshe Pinchasi

There are a few instances in which the Torah commands us to count: counting the years of Yovel, counting the days of Ziva, and, of course, counting the Omer. Each counting is conducted in a different manner. With regards to Sefirat Ha’Omer, the Gemara in Menahot[1] derives from the expression “U’Sfartem Lachem” – “and thou shall count for yourselves” – that each person has an individual obligation to count. This seems to imply that one must verbally count the Omer themselves and not rely on a community counting[2].

The Rashba’s Opinion

Indeed, the Rashba was asked[3] why the custom is that the Hazan recites Sefirat Ha’Omer out loud, although the public recites it again themselves. The Rashba answered that one can fulfill his obligation to recite the Beracha of Sefirat Ha’Omer by hearing it from the Hazan, and only the counting itself must be recited by each individual[4]. This too is the opinion of the Levush[5], and the Hok Yaakov[6] who compares Sefirat Ha’Omer to the obligation of taking Lulav and Etrog, in which the Torah also uses the expression of “Lachem” – “for yourselves” – implying an individual obligation. Just as one must take a Lulav an Etrog himself, so too one must recite the Sefirat Ha’Omer himself.

However, the Poskim note that the Rashba seems to contradict what he writes in a different Teshuva[7] regarding hearing the Sefirat Ha’Omer from the Hazan before reciting it, that “as long as [the individuals] have in mind not to fulfill the Mitzvah via the counting of the Hazan, then they must recite the Beracha again, as all Poskim agree that when one has a specific intent not to fulfill a Mitzvah with a certain action, then he does not fulfill that Mitzvah”. The Magen Avraham[8] points out that in this latter Teshuva the Rashba is implying that one can fulfill his obligation to count Sefirat Ha’Omer via listening, contrary to what he writes in the former Teshuva.

The Individual Mandate

To answer this seeming contradiction, the Hok Yaakov writes that the Rashba never meant to say that the community fulfills their obligation to count by hearing the counting from the Hazan, only that they fulfill their obligation to recite the Beracha. The counting, however, must still be recited individually. The Pri Megadim[9] agrees with this understanding, and this seems to be the opinion of the Rama as well. Thus, the Pri Megadim writes, that even if one had the intent to fulfill the Mitzvah when he heard the counting of the Hazan, one should nevertheless count again themselves (albeit without a Beracha, as per the opinions that one has already fulfilled their obligation).

HaRav C.P. Scheinberg in Mishmeret Hayim[10] suggests that the reason one cannot rely on hearing the Sefira from someone else is because counting the Omer is meant to show one’s anticipation for the acceptance of the Torah, as the Hinuch writes[11]. Therefore, it is imperative that one counts himself rather than relying on hearing it from someone else.

On the Other Hand…

Still, the Pri Hadash[12] writes that while it is preferable to count on your own, one can fulfill the Mitzvah by hearing it from others[13]. This too is the opinion of the Mahatzit HaShekel[14]. The Hattam Sofer and the Hida in Birke Yosef[15] also agree with the Pri Hadas while adding that the individual mandate to recite Sefirat Ha’Omer is only meant to exclude the option of a Bet Din counting on behalf of the community (as is done with regards to counting the fifty years of Yovel). [16]

Additionally, the Hattam Sofer argues that one cannot compare Lulav and Etrog, in which the Mitzvah is a physical act which cannot be performed vicariously, to Sefirat Ha’Omer which should be subject to the general rule in which hearing is considered like reciting – “Shomea K’Oneh”.[17]

As to the opinion of the Rashba, the Hida understands that he never meant to imply that one cannot fulfill the Mitzvah via listening, only that it is customary to recite the Mitzvah individually out of “Hibuv Mitzvah” – showing love for the Mitzvah. The Be’ur Halacha[18] writes that this is the opinion of most Rishonim and Aharonim. L’Halacha, the Mishna Berura[19] concludes that one should preferably recite the Sefirat Ha’Omer themselves, and that if one heard it from the Hazan – with the intention to fulfill the Mitzvah – one should nevertheless recite the Sefirat Ha’Omer on their own without a Beracha.

No Intention

Hacham Ovadia Yosef, in Hazon Ovadia, raises a possible issueחזו”ע עמ’ רלwith regards to hearing the Sefirat Ha’Omer from the Hazan. He cites the opinion of the Shulhan Aruch HaRav who goes to the other extreme and writes[20] that one who hears the Sefirat Ha’Omer from the Hazan – without neither of them having any intent that the Hazan’s counting should “count” as the listener’s count –can no longer count with a Beracha; unless he specifically had in mind not to fulfill the Mitzvah[21]. Accordingly, Hacham Ovadia advises to stipulate that one intends not to fulfill the Mitzvah by listening to the Hazan’s count, or, alternatively, to recite the counting along with the Hazan. [There are various customs as to whether the Hazan recites “BiR’shut Moray V’Rabbotay” before counting, and whether he counts first or the community counts first. We hope to address these issues in our next article, Be’Ezrat Hashem.]

Sources

[1] דף ס”ה ע”ב

[2] וכ”כ בבאה”ל (ס”א ד”ה ומצוה) להוכיח מדברי רש”י שם ד”ה לכל דס”ל כן, ועי’ בחזו”ע (הל’ יו”ט עמ’ רכט) שכ’ להעיר ע”ד דאי”ז מוכרח

[3] שו”ת ח”א סי’ קכו

[4] וכן נראה מחידושיו למנחות יעו”ש ד”ה וקשיא

[5] סי’ תפט ס”א

[6] סק”ד

[7] שם סי’ תנח, הו”ד בב”י (סי’ תפט), וברמ”א שם ס”ג

[8] סק”ב

[9] א”א סק”ב

[10] ח”א, עניני ספירת העומר, אות ד

[11] מצוה שו, וז”ל: לפי שכל עיקרן של ישראל אינו אלא התורה וכו’, נצטוינו למנות ממחרת יו”ט של פסח עד יום נתינת התורה, להראות בנפשינו החפץ הגדול אל היום הנכבד הנכסף, ע”כ. ובביאור דברי החינוך עי’ מש”כ הגרש”ד פינקוס זצ”ל בשיחות הגרש”ד על ספירת העומר בדרוש ‘שבע שבתות תמימות תהיינה’

[12] סי’ תפט ס”א

[13] ואין להק’ ממש”כ בתשובה (סי’ קכו) דהש”צ יכול להוציא בברכה ואח”כ היחידים יספרו, דמשמע שאינם יכולים לצאת בספירה עצמה, דאיכא למידחי דהשיב כן הרשב”א מפני שהשואל סבר דא”א לצאת יד”ח בברכת ספה”ע מהש”צ משום דבעינן וספרתם לכם, וע”כ השיב לו הרשב”א דבברכה ‘אפי’ לכתחילה’ יכול היחיד לצאת בברכת הש”צ, אבל בספירה לא מצי למימר ד’לכתחילה’ יכול היחיד לצאת יד”ח מפי הש”צ משום דלכתחילה כ”א סופר לעצמו, ואין דעת הש”צ להוציא את הרבים יד”ח בספירה, אבל אה”נ אם רוצה הוא לצאת יד”ח הספירה ג”כ והש”צ יכוין להוציאו שפיר דמי

[14] ע”ד המג”א שם

[15] סק”ו

[16] כמש”כ תוס’ במנחות (דף סה: ד”ה וספרתם), וע”ע בשו”ת חת”ס (חאו”ח סימן רא)

[17] עי’ כפות תמרים עמ”ס סוכה דף מא: ד”ה גמ’.

[18] ד”ה ומצוה

[19] סק”ה

[20] סעיף יב

[21] ובפרט דלשי’ הפר”ח (סי’ תפט ס”ד) שי’ השו”ע היא דבמצות דרבנן א”צ כוונה [ומוכח להדיא מדברי השו”ע דס”ל דספירת העומר בזה”ז היא מדרבנן], ואף שהגר”י טייאב בערך השלחן (סי’ ס סק”א) כ’ דאף למ”ד דמצות אינם צריכות כוונה היינו דוקא כשמזכיר הברכה בפיו, אבל אם רוצה הוא לצאת בשמיעה לכו”ע צריך כוונה לצאת, וא”כ לדבריו כיון שאין השומע מכוין לצאת תו ליכא למיחש למה ששומע הוא את הברכה והספירה מהש”צ, מ”מ אין כן דעת השו”ע הרב.