Click Here to Sponsor Daily Halacha
"Delivered to Over 6000 Registered Recipients Each Day"

Download print

Parashat Emor- Turning Ourselves Into Sapphire

The Torah in Parashat Emor (23:15) introduces the Misva of Sefirat Ha’omer – to count each day for 49 days starting from the 16th of Nissan, the second day of Pesach. Of course, we are in the process of fulfilling this Misva during this time of year, between Pesach and Shabuot.

The Or Ha’haim (Rav Haim Ben-Attar, 1696-1743), in his discussion of this Misva, cites a teaching of the Zohar associating the seven weeks of the Omer period with the process of purification undergone by a woman after becoming a Nidda. Just as a woman requires a period of seven "clean days" in order to regain her status of purity, similarly, Beneh Yisrael similarly required a period of seven weeks to cleanse themselves in preparation for Matan Torah. Over the course of the centuries spent in Egypt, Beneh Yisrael were submerged in the decadent, pagan culture of the ancient Egyptians, and they became defiled. In order to be able to receive the Torah, they needed to undergo a seven-week period of purification, corresponding to the seven-day period of purification undergone by a Nidda. The Or Ha’haim explains that Beneh Yisrael needed seven weeks, and not just seven days, because of the intensity of their defilement, and because they were being purified collectively as a nation, thus necessitating a much lengthier process than that required for the purification of a lone individual.

Developing this point further, the Or Ha’haim cites the Midrash’s comment that the two stone tablets which Moshe was given at Mount Sinai were made from "Senaprinon" – "sapphire." The Or Ha’haim writes that just as G-d’s commands were engraved upon the tablets, so are the words of Torah to be engraved upon our souls. But in order for this to happen, our souls must be pristine and glistening like sapphire. The Torah therefore commands, "U’sfartem Lachem" (literally, "You shall count for yourselves") – an allusion to sapphire ("U’sfartem"). The purpose of the seven-week Sefira period is for us to cleanse our souls, to rid ourselves of our spiritual impurities so that our souls radiate and shine like "sapphire," such that we will be prepared to receive the Torah anew on the festival of Shabuot.

The Misva of Sefirat Ha’omer is assigned to each and every one of us – demonstrating that we are all capable of reaching this level, of becoming like "sapphire." No matter what we have done in the past, we have the ability during these weeks to cleanse ourselves and become pristine and beautiful – just as Beneh Yisrael cleansed themselves during these weeks from their state of impurity. Let us take advantage of the opportunity presented by this special period, and work to improve ourselves so that we shine as brightly as we can, and we arrive at Shabuot in a pristine state ready to accept the Torah.


Related Parasha
Parashat Emor- Keter Shem Tob 'The Crown of Good Reputation' - 2023 Year
Lag BaOmer: Profit Sharing - 2021 Year
Lag Baomer- Reinforcing Our Bitahon - 2020 Year
Parashat Emor: Preparing for Matan Torah - 2019 Year
Parashat Emor- Man and Beast - 2018 Year
Parashat Emor: Shabbat as “Mikra Kodesh” - 2017 Year
Parashat Emor: Kiddush Hashem and Hilul Hashem - 2016 Year
Parashat Emor: The Sanctity of Shabbat - 2015 Year
Parashat Emor- Seeking Guidance - 2014 Year
Parashat Emor: The Trickle Down Effect - 2013 Year
Shabbat Morning Class - Parasha Emor / Lag BaOmer - 2012 Year
Acquiring Torah - 2012 Year
Shabbat Morning Class - Parasha Emor - 2011 Year
Shabbat Morning Class - Parasha Emor - 2011 Year
Parashat Emor- A Lesson in Parenting - 2011 Year
Shabbat Morning Class - Parasha Emor / Lag BaOmer - 2010 Year
Sefer/Parasha:
Parashat Balak: The Story of Bilam as a Lesson in Emuna
Parashat Hukat: Avoiding Conflict – the Ultimate Good
Parashat Korah: Elevating Ourselves
Parashat Shelah- The Spiritual Mission of Yehoshua’s Spies
Parashat Behaalotecha: Remaining Loyal to Tradition
Parashat Naso: Learning From Our Forebears
Shabuot: Completing Our Celebration of the Exodus
Parashat Behukotai: Living Without Worry
Parashat Behar: Unquestioning Compliance
Parashat Emor- Turning Ourselves Into Sapphire
Kedoshim- The Reward for Honoring Parents
Parashat Ahareh Mot- Feeling Hashem’s Presence
Shevi'i Shel Pesah- Achieving True Freedom
Pesah: Remembering the Root Cause of the Egyptian Exile
Shabbat HaGadol: The Power of Mesirut Nefesh
1002 Parashot found