* Translation by Yehoshua Siskin
What are a Jew’s most valuable assets? According to this week’s Torah portion, they would appear to be special times of the year and time itself. The special times are holidays and Shabbat. And the significance of time itself we learn from counting the Omer between Pesach and Shavuot, as we are doing now.
When we count something, we recognize it’s importance. And so the counting that we do now according to the Torah’s prescription — “And you will count for yourselves . . . seven complete weeks” — emphasizes that each of the days comprising these weeks is particularly precious.
We often hear it said that “time is money,” but it is more than this. We are made aware of its importance as we count the 49 days between leaving Egypt and the revelation on Mount Sinai. Each day that we count represents a character trait we are meant to refine to be worthy of receiving the Torah.
Instead of “wasting” or “killing” time, we have a 49-day window of opportunities to teach us the sanctity of time. Today is the 27th day of the counting of the Omer. May we all recognize the unique quality and value of this particular day — and of every day to come.
