Tag Archives: shavuot

Spotlight on Nature: The Omer Bird Count

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Jews around the world are involved three thousand year old ritual called ‘the Counting of the Omer’.

The period between the second day of Pesach (Passover) and Shavuot (Pentecost) is called the Omer. According to Scripture; this forty nine day period between the Exodus from Egypt and the giving of the books of law, the Torah, on Mount Sinai was marked by a daily sacrifice of barley and the appointing of a daily ‘count’.

Now that there is no longer a Holy Temple in Jerusalem Jews around the world mark the day by counting which day it is every night, for instance 2 nights ago we counted ‘1 day of the Omer Count’, the day after we counted two and so on.

There are many different responses to how to make this relevant to daily life. Many people focus on a separate moral issue every day. Many people have a different spiritual theme every day (typically they follow the 49 kabbalistic permutations mentioned in the Jewish books of mysticism).

A novel response by Rabbi Bobby Silverman has been to assign a different bird of Israel to each day. The bird pictured above is a Turtle Dove, the kind commonly found in the Sinai Peninsular and in Israel.

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This word of Torah is devoted to the Health of Zlata bat Sima

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This word of Torah is devoted to the health of Zlata bat Sima

 

 

Torah Portion Ki Tavo – Where to stay ?

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This week’s Torah Reading describes an obligation for all Jew’s to the bring first fruits of their produce in the Land of Israel to the Temple at three times in the year.  The picture above is an artist’s impression of what one of the Gates to the Temple (Robinson’s arch) would have looked like. One can well imagine thousands of Jews crowding these steps waiting to present their first fruits. A good question to ask would be; if all the Jews in ancient Israel came here, where would they stay?

Visit the Davidson Centre

A guided tour in the Davidson Archeological Centre would answer this question. At the bottom of the park their are a series of excavations where the remains of massive structures were unearthed. It is thought that these massive structures dating back to the Herodian period were hostels for pilgrims.

Free Room and Board

In the light of certain aspects of Jewish law (See Tosefta Maaser Sheni 1:12) where renting rooms in Jerusalem was forbidden,  it seems possible that there was not only a Hostel for a large number of people, but it  was a a free hostel. There is a source where one Rabbi Elazar ben Zaddok even restricts the rental of linen or beds (see Ahron Horovitz’s book Jerusalem: Footsteps Through Time).

Come and See it for Yourself !

The Jews would come and present the first fruits every Pesach (Passover), Shavuot (Pentecost) and Succot (Tabernacles). It is still a tradition to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem at these times of year. If you want to see some tour ideas click here !

To book your trip click here !