You may have heard about Counting the Omer (in Hebrew Sefirat HaOmer – sometimes referred to simply as Sefira, or The Omer). You may even do it yourself. Jews are commanded to count the Omer from the second day of Passover, when we celebrate freedom from slavery in Egypt, until the evening before Shavuot, when we celebrate God giving us the Torah at Mount Sinai.
Counting the Omer for 49 days – seven weeks of seven days – starting on the second day of Passover, and with the 50th day being Shavuot, reminds us of the important connection between the two holidays of Passover and Shavuot. For example, it reminds us that freedom (i.e., freedom from slavery) doesn’t mean we can just do whatever we want. Once our ancestors were freed from being avadim (the Hebrew words for “slaves/servants”) to Pharaoh, they became avadim/servants of God. And we are also taught, as we count each day upward (1. 2, 3….all the way to 49) that we aren’t just “counting down” to get from one period of time to another. Counting upward emphasizes that each day is precious, and we must treasure and make the most of our time.
There’s a lot we can learn from the Counting of the Omer. But what does any of this have to do with dogs? Certainly there’s no traditional connection between the two. But Rabbi Abi Weber, a self-described “dog-loving rabbi” who worked as a dog walker before entering the Jewish Theological Seminary, has created a connection.
First on Facebook, and then, starting in 2021, on Instagram as well, Rabbi Weber shared with her followers #dogbaomer. Each day of the Omer, in addition to posting – using the traditional Hebrew formula and English translation – what day of the Omer it was, Rabbi Weber posted a picture of a different dog. What a great way to expose dog lovers to this Jewish ritual that emphasizes the precious value of time and the significance of this seven-week period in which we anticipate our celebration of the Giving of the Torah. And, as a bonus, every day during the seven-week period you get to see a different adorable pup. It’s a win-win for Jewish dog lovers!
You can follow @dogbaomer on Instagram
Here are three of the dogs featured in #dogbaomer in 2022 (which corresponded with the year 5782 on the Jewish Calendar)
