Sefiras Haomer

The Torah says to begin counting  the Omer on "the day after Shabbos."  This is not Sunday but the second day of Pesach.  So the first day of Pesach is called Shabbos.  Why?


Shabbos has two aspects: "remember" and "keep." The first is a positive mitzva, representing "do good."  The second is a negative mitzva (to avoid work), representing "turn away from evil."

The Omer counting begins with Pesach which represents "turn away from evil."  Pesach means liberation from the impurity of Egypt. The counting is completed with Shavuos, the giving of the Torah.  That represents "do good."

So the counting connects to both aspects of Shabbos: turn away from evil and do good.

But why is the first day of Pesach called "Shabbos"?  Both Shabbos and Pesach are an "arousal from Above," meaning they are initiated by G-d regardless of human input.  G-d sanctifies the Shabbos whether or not we observe it.  The redemption from Egypt (the theme of Pesach) was an act of G-d, a great Divine illumination the Jewish people did not create.

 This Divine initiative continues every first night of Pesach.  He illuminates us with a true taste of redemption on Seder night.  This "arousal from Above" is followed by counting of the Omer.  That is an "arousal from below." From then onwards we make an effort to recapture that sense of redemption.  We prepare for the goal of redemption- receiving the Torah.

The free gift of spiritual inspiration we receive on the first day of Pesach gives us the wherewithal to make our own efforts to climb towards reception of the Torah on Shavuos.  The counting of the Omer is the bridge between the two (Nesivos Shalom).