Parashat Emor: Lessons from Pesach Sheni, the Omer Offering, and Spiritual Growth

Good morning, everyone.

Today, I want to begin with a heartfelt tribute to a very dear friend and neighbor, Mrs. Miriam Kampf, Miriam bas Ebers Eve, who left us exactly one year ago. Though a full year has passed, her absence still feels incredibly fresh, as if it were just yesterday. Miriam was a woman of action, not words—she performed tremendous acts of chesed (kindness) in the most humble and unassuming way, never expecting anything in return. She exemplified the virtue of siyata d’lanaya—keeping quiet, avoiding unnecessary remarks, and always thinking of others. May her neshama have a true aliyah on this day.

The Mitzvah of the Korban Omer and Its Deep Significance

Today is Pesach Sheni—the second Passover—a day that offers a powerful lesson about second chances and spiritual growth. This connects beautifully to the mitzvah of the Korban Omer, which is brought on the first day of Chol HaMoed Pesach (the intermediate days of Passover) and is described in this week’s Parashat Emor.

When the Temple stood, on this day the kohanim (priests) would go to the fields and harvest the first barley (seorim)—the beginning of the harvest season. The offering of this barley was accompanied by a special ritual called tenufah, a waving of the basket in four directions symbolizing the winds that bring dew and blessings. This was a heartfelt prayer to Hashem, asking for a blessed harvest.

Interestingly, this first offering was barley—considered animal feed—while by the time of Shavuot we bring wheat, which is human food, symbolizing spiritual refinement and growth.

Our sages explain that this process reflects our spiritual journey: At Pesach, after leaving Egypt where we were at a very low spiritual level (the 49th degree of impurity), we begin the ascent toward purity. By Shavuot, we hope to reach the 49th degree of purity, symbolized by the wheat offering—food fit for a human, representing a higher spiritual state.

Recognizing Hashem as the Source of All Blessings

Rabbi Destler adds a profound insight: While harvesting gives us a feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment, it’s crucial to recognize that Hashem is the true source of all blessings. The natural world, including planting seeds that rot and then bring forth new life, is a constant miracle (techiat hameitim). There is no such thing as "natural" phenomena independent of Hashem’s will.

On Pesach, we deepen our faith (emunah), and through the Korban Omer, we reaffirm that Hashem renews creation constantly (mechadesh bechol yom tamid maaseh bereishit). Even in moments when we think we have control, Hashem reminds us—especially through events like the recent pandemic—that everything depends on Him, and He can change our world instantly to draw us closer to Him.

The Power of Tenufah—Lifting Our Prayers to Hashem

The ritual of tenufah is more than a physical waving; its name can be broken down to mean “opening the mouth” (tenu peh)—a call to pray and cry out to Hashem for sustenance and blessing. When we recognize Hashem as the ultimate source, our prayers become sincere, heartfelt, and powerful.

Counting the Omer: A Spiritual Journey Toward Receiving the Torah

Why does the Torah immediately follow the Korban Omer with the mitzvah of sviat haOmer—counting the Omer?

The counting period between Pesach and Shavuot symbolizes our spiritual preparation to receive the Torah. This is not just a countdown; it’s an opportunity to evaluate our growth, to see how much closer we are coming to Hashem each day.

The word sfirah (counting) is related to sapir (sapphire)—a precious, shining stone. Every day of counting reveals another facet of our inner light, our connection to Hashem, and our potential to illuminate the world around us.

We count weeks (sheva shabbatot) because, like the weekly cycle culminating in Shabbat, each stage of the Omer period brings a new spiritual fruit, all oriented toward the ultimate goal: Kabbalat HaTorah (receiving the Torah).

The Lesson of Pesach Sheni: Embracing Second Chances

Pesach Sheni teaches us that even if we missed an opportunity, Hashem provides a second chance.

In the desert, some people who were ritually impure on Passover were allowed to bring the Korban Pesach a month later on Pesach Sheni. This is a powerful reminder: life often gives us second chances.

Rabbi Akiva’s story exemplifies this. After losing 24,000 students to a plague, he didn’t despair. Instead, he found five students and continued teaching Torah, building anew. Similarly, in recent weeks, we have mourned the loss of many great gedolim and tzadikim. The pain is real, but like Rabbi Akiva, we must continue, hold on to hope, and grow stronger.

The Menorah and Lechem HaPanim: Daily Spiritual Illumination

At the end of Parashat Emor, the Torah reminds us of two daily mitzvot in the Temple: lighting the menorah and placing the twelve loaves (lechem haPanim) on the table.

Though these were mentioned when the Mishkan was built, the Torah repeats them here to emphasize that our spiritual mission is daily. The menorah symbolizes Torah and the light we bring to the world every day—not just on festivals.

The lechem haPanim stayed hot and fresh miraculously all week, teaching us that parnasa (sustenance) is a daily miracle. We must never take these blessings for granted.

The Story of the Blasphemer: A Lesson in Spiritual Identity

The Parasha concludes with a sobering story about a man, the son of Shlomit bat Divri, who blasphemed Hashem’s name and was executed.

This man’s background is complex: his mother was Jewish, but before Matan Torah (the giving of the Torah), Jewish identity followed the father. His father was an Egyptian, so he was initially not Jewish but converted later.

His story connects us to the past, to Moshe Rabbeinu’s intervention when he saw an Egyptian beating a Jew, and to the challenges of spiritual identity and unity.

Conclusion

Parashat Emor offers us a profound journey—from the first barley harvest and Korban Omer, through the counting of the Omer, to Pesach Sheni and the daily mitzvot of lighting the menorah and preparing lechem haPanim. Each element teaches us about growth, faith, daily spiritual effort, and the constant presence of miracles in our lives.

May we be inspired to open our hearts in prayer, to embrace second chances, and to light up the world every day with Torah and kindness.

Emor 2020