JERUSALEM—As Israel faces unprecedented security challenges and a war for its survival against Iranian-backed terror groups, the nation continues to draw strength from its deep spiritual roots. Day by day, countless Israeli Jews join together in the observance of Sefirat HaOmer—the biblical mitzvah of counting the days and weeks from Passover to Shavuot, a tradition that intertwines faith, national identity, and hope for renewal.
The Counting of the Omer, commanded by Torah and involving a daily blessing and declaration, carries profound significance in Israel’s collective psyche, especially in times of peril. On the 24th day of the Omer this year, as recited by millions—”Today is twenty-four days, which are three weeks and three days of the Omer”—the words resonate far beyond synagogue walls. They echo through the Israeli home front, military outposts, and the hearts of citizens longing for security, peace, and the restoration of Jewish sovereignty at its spiritual pinnacle: the Temple in Jerusalem.
Historical and Religious Foundations
The mitzvah of Sefirat HaOmer traces its origins to the Bible. As outlined in Leviticus 23:15-16, the Jewish people are enjoined to count forty-nine days from the bringing of the first barley offering on the second day of Passover until Shavuot, the festival commemorating the giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai. Traditionally, this period marked the wheat harvest in ancient Israel and was closely associated with agricultural renewal and thanksgiving.
Yet the Omer count is not merely agricultural. Throughout two millennia of exile, Jews have continued the practice, adapting its significance to yearnings for Jerusalem’s Temple—a focus underscored in the daily liturgy: “May the Merciful One restore the service of the Temple to its place, speedily in our days. Amen, Selah.”
Spiritual Resilience Amid War
In contemporary Israel, the Counting of the Omer takes on renewed meaning as Israelis fend off existential threats. The trauma of the October 7, 2023, massacre—when Hamas terrorists rampaged across southern Israel and committed the deadliest antisemitic atrocity since the Holocaust—remains freshly seared into national consciousness. Even now, as IDF soldiers under Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir undertake acts of self-defense across multiple fronts against Iranian-backed proxies, the entire society engages in collective acts of remembrance and spiritual defiance.
Notably, the daily recital of the Omer blessings and the associated prayers have become both an anchor and a declaration. As noted by Rabbi Dr. Yehoshua Levi, a Jerusalem Torah scholar, “In times of darkness, the Omer binds us to our ancient purpose and to the hope that, just as we overcame slavery in Egypt and exile in Babylon, we shall yet rebuild and flourish in our land.” Official guidance from Israel’s chief rabbinate also provides special comfort for those who, amid the chaos of war or displacement, may have missed a day in the count: if someone forgets to count with a blessing, they continue the count without reciting it, ensuring ongoing participation in the tradition.
Connecting to the Temple: Hope for National Restoration
The Omer’s connection to the Temple is explicit, as the climactic prayer affirms, “May the Merciful One restore the service of the Beit HaMikdash to its place.” For Israelis, this plea is both historical and future-oriented. The longing for the Temple symbolizes not only religious hope but also national restoration—the reemergence of sovereign Jewish worship in Jerusalem, in the face of centuries of destruction, occupation, and repeated assaults by foreign powers.
Israeli archaeologist Dr. David Baruch notes, “The Omer period has always represented the bridge between liberation from Egypt and the ultimate goal of sanctification. In today’s Israel, that journey is lived anew, with citizens recalling Jerusalem’s centrality even as they defend it from ongoing threats.”
Perseverance Through Adversity
In recent decades, and particularly during the Iron Swords War launched in response to the October 7 massacre, scenes of Israeli soldiers counting the Omer on battlefields or security outposts have become emblematic. Photos and testimonies circulating in Israeli media document reservists gathered at dusk, whispering the blessing—sometimes by candle, sometimes with flashlights—before resuming their patrols. The act testifies to the fusion of ancient heritage and modern courage.
For families who lost loved ones on October 7 or during the subsequent military campaign, the Omer period is a time of both mourning and resilience. Jewish custom designates the Omer as semi-mourning—weddings and celebrations are minimized—mirroring the national mood of remembrance for the hostages held in Gaza by Hamas and for IDF casualties. At the same time, the progression toward Shavuot signifies a shift from sorrow to redemption, reminding Israelis that “from the narrow straits I called to the Lord; He answered me with expansiveness” (Psalms 118:5).
Jewish Law and Contemporary Practice
Halachic authorities in Israel have issued clarifications to assist the public in observing Sefirat HaOmer with integrity, particularly after disruptions from rocket attacks or displacement. According to leading posek Rabbi Eliyahu Yosef, “If one did not count the Omer from the beginning, one continues without blessing; the mitzvah’s heart is continual connection, even under duress.”
Synagogues across the country, from Tel Aviv to small villages on the Gaza and Lebanon borders, emphasize the Omer in nightly services. The tradition is inclusive—children, elderly, soldiers, and civilians alike join in the count, reinforcing communal unity during a period in which the threat of further terror looms from Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and affiliated militias in Syria and Yemen.
Linking Past, Present and Future
While the Omer is rooted in a biblical past, for Israelis today it embodies the journey from trauma to hope. Zionist thinkers have long asserted that the rebirth of Israel in 1948—after centuries of exile—was a fulfillment of ancient promise. The restoration of Jewish life in the land, the revival of Hebrew language, and the defense of Jerusalem are seen as extensions of the Torah’s vision.
The ongoing war imposed by Iran’s terror proxies has only made this connection more poignant. Events and remembrances during the Omer coincide with Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day), Yom HaZikaron (Remembrance Day for Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terror), and Yom Ha’atzmaut (Israel’s Independence Day)—each serving as a modern-day pilgrimage from memory to renewal. The physical act of counting becomes, in the words of Israeli author Shira Eden, “a daily affirmation that we are still here, unbroken and determined.”
On the Front Lines: Soldiers’ Testimonies
Accounts from active-duty soldiers illuminate the living power of this commandment. Lieutenant Aviv Shaham, deployed to the north, recalls: “We were in the trenches on the Lebanese border, vigilance absolute. Yet as night fell, we gathered for a moment, took out a battered siddur, and counted the Omer together. It gave us strength above all else.”
Another reservist, Sergeant Meir Halberstam, who lost comrades during Gaza operations, shares: “Each day in Omer is both a memorial and a hope. We count the days and, with them, the sacrifices. But we also count victories, gratitude, and the promise that our struggle is for something eternal.”
National and Global Impact
The impact of Sefirat HaOmer transcends Israel’s borders. Jewish communities around the world—in the United States, Europe, and beyond—observe the count in solidarity with their brethren in the Jewish state. In synagogues from New York to Paris, prayers include pleas for the safety of Israeli hostages, swift victory for the IDF, and the restoration of the Temple service, echoing the ancient hope for “the world to be perfected under the sovereignty of the Almighty.”
Israeli diplomats, in their communications with diaspora communities, often cite the Omer as an example of Israel’s enduring spiritual contributions and as a reminder of the values for which Israel stands in its ongoing battle against terrorism and antisemitism.
The Omer in Israeli Education and Public Life
State-run and religious schools integrate Omer observance into lessons on Jewish values, history, and citizenship, reinforcing national unity. Government offices and the IDF chief rabbinate have issued statements emphasizing the Omer’s importance as both a spiritual and national practice, highlighting the public recitation of “May the Merciful One restore the Temple service” as a vision for the Jewish future.
Public ceremonies held in Israel’s Knesset and local municipalities often begin with the daily Omer count, especially during national memorial days. This ritual connects Israel’s ancient mission “to be a light unto the nations” with the immediate realities of defense, sacrifice, and perseverance in the face of terror.
A Vision Toward the Future
Above all, the Counting of the Omer during wartime serves as a testament to Israel’s unbroken will. In a period marked by international delegitimization campaigns and the persistent violence of Iranian-sponsored groups such as Hamas, Israel turns inward to foundational rituals, finding strength to carry forward. The simple act of reciting, “Today is twenty-four days”—amid the sirens and uncertainty—serves as a living bridge between Israel’s biblical past and its modern fight for survival.
The Omer count concludes on Shavuot, commemorating revelation at Sinai. For Israelis in 2024, the journey is as much about fulfilling ancestral law as it is about forging hope—hope for peace, for the safe return of all hostages, and for the restoration of Jewish sovereignty in Jerusalem. As prayers for the Beit HaMikdash echo through the holy city and beyond, Israel’s spirit remains undiminished—rooted in faith, strengthened by suffering, and uplifted by the promise of renewal.
As the words of the prayer affirm this hope: “May the Merciful One restore the service of the Temple to its place, speedily in our days. Amen.”
