Counting the Omer 2021 - Day Five

Day Five

26th of Nisan 5781 – from sundown on April 7th to sundown on April 8th, 2021 

Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Memorial Day)

Begin by reciting the following blessing:

The traditional prayers for the Counting of the Omer are preferably recited after sundown. One begins by reciting the following blessing:

ברוך אתה יהוה אלוהינו , מלך העולם , אשר קדשנו במצותי

וציונו עלי לספירת העומר

Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu Melekh ha'Olam asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav
v'tizivanu al sefirat ha'omer.

Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with your commandments and commanded us to count the omer.

Recite the day of the count: 

היום  חמשה ימים לעומר

Hayom chamishah yamim la'omer

Today is five days of the omer.

Psalm 67:  (NASB)

God be gracious to us and bless us, And cause His face to shine upon us. Selah

That Your way may be known on the earth, Your salvation among all nations.

Let the peoples praise You, O God; Let all the peoples praise You.

Let the nations be glad and sing for joy; For You will judge the peoples with uprightness And guide the nations on the earth.     Selah

Let the peoples praise You, O God; Let all the peoples praise You.

The earth has yielded its produce; God, our God, blesses us.                             

God blesses us, That all the ends of the earth may fear Him.

Psalm 119: 33-40: (NKJV)         ה          Hei

Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes, And I shall keep it to the end.  Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law; Indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart.  Make me walk in the path of Your commandments, For I delight in it.  Incline my heart to Your testimonies, And not to covetousness.  Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, And revive me in Your way.  Establish Your word to Your servant, Who is devoted to fearing You.  Turn away my reproach which I dread, for Your judgments are good.  Behold, I long for Your precepts; Revive me in Your righteousness.  

Prayer for Day 5: 

Avinu shebah shamayim - Our Father who is in Heaven, we implore You, by the awesome power of Your right hand, release the captive. Accept the prayers of your people; strengthen and purify us, Awesome and Mighty King of the Universe, we beseech you, that You guard as the apple of your eye your people Israel. Bless them, cleanse them; bestow upon them forever Your merciful kindness. Powerful, Holy One, in Your abounding goodness, we humbly ask that You preserve and protect Your people who are called by your holy Name. Strengthen us! Give us courage to stand against the evil powers of this world and forces of darkness. Heal our land that has been defiled by the shedding of innocent blood and help our nation to turn back to you. Accept our supplication  יְהוָ֖ה  Yehovah  and hear our cry, you who knows the secret thoughts.  Blessed be the name of the glory of His kingdom forever and ever.

Sovereign of the universe, You have commanded us through Moses Your servant to count the days of the omer, in order to purify us from our evil and uncleanness so that the souls of your people may be cleansed from their defilement. Therefore, may it be Your will, Lord our God and God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, that in the counting of the omer which I (we) have counted today, I (we) may be purified and sanctified with your unimaginable holiness. And through my (our) obedience to your commandments, may Your abundant bounty be granted all the world. May it rectify our soul and our spirit from every baseness and defect, and may it purify and sanctify us with all your holiness.  

Abba, father, on this, the fifth day of the counting of the omer, I (we) remember your bountiful kindnesses to your children in that you brought them through the sea on dry ground vanquishing their enemies. I (We) humbly ask that You refine us, help us to always trust only in Your salvation, our Yeshua. Amen.

After reciting the prayer, continue to pray and meditate on how after the Israelites walked through the parting of the Red Sea they wandered in the Wilderness of Shǖr but they ran out of water. Reflect on what you are currently without, similar to how the Israelites lacked water and reflect on how this may be affecting your relationship with God. 

Suggested selections for further reading include the special readings for Passover and other related selections from the Old Testament (Tanak) and New Testament writings (B'rit Hadashah): Exodus 15:1-21; 2 Samuel 22:31-37; Psalms 76:5-12; Proverbs 29:6;  Isaiah 42:10-13; Revelation 15:1-4

Suggested reading from the weekly Torah portion: Shmini – 5th reading: Leviticus 10:16-20
Suggested reading from the Brit Hadashah and the prophets: Hosea 9:4; Psalm 103:11-14; 2 Cor 5:1-21

The Sefirot for Day Five is: Hod of Chesed or the Gratitude in Loving-Kindness
Suggested activity for today: Swallow your pride – call and reconcile with a loved one you have quarreled with.

Go to Counting the Omer 2021 - Day Six
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