Shalom Beth Immanuel e-Community!
The month of Iyar is a time of special joy for disciples of Yeshua as we celebrate the forty days of the risen Messiah. During these days, the risen Messiah appeared to his disciples and commissioned them as apostles. On the fortieth day, he ascended from the Mount of Olives.
Free Book Offer
First Fruits of Zion recently released Pastor Lancaster’s new book Elementary Principles: Six Foundational Principles of Ancient Jewish Christianity, based upon teachings from the Hebrews series. The book is available as a free offer during the counting of the Omer and while supplies last. Order one for yourself and tell your friends about the offer.
Sabbath Table
We are also preparing for the release of Aaron Eby’s new project, The Sabbath Table, a liturgical guide to the three meals of the Sabbath. Watch for Aaron’s forthcoming videos about the three meals of Sabbath featuring Beth Immanuel families. The official release for The Sabbath Table book will take place at a special Shabbaton at Beth Immanuel (May 30-31).
Troy Mitchell’s New CD
Troy Mitchell’s long-awaited new CD will be released this month. Troy celebrates a release party on Erev Lag Ba’Omer (May 17) this year. Troy is available for travel and performances. Contact us for booking arrangements.
The new CD is called Light and it features the following tracks: In that Day, Open for Me, Or Chadash, Hashivenu Avinu, Shiru LaShem, Light of the World, Veha’er Einenu, Lechem, Fire on the Mountain, In the Light, Shuvu, The Oil Remains, Mizmor Shir.
Passover Teachings
Enjoy a special series of teachings from Passover at Beth Immanuel dedicated to dispelling common Hebrew Roots myths about Passover and the suffering of the Master. Was Yeshua in the tomb for three days and three nights? Was his Last Supper a Seder? Did the Romans replace Passover with a fertility festival? Find out with these teachings on the Death of the Messiah.
Death of the Messiah
Item Title
Death of the Messiah 1 Sign of Jonah
Death of the Messiah 2 Last Supper or Last Seder?
Death of the Messiah 3 Easter and the Quartodecimans
Death of the Messiah 4 The Real Tomb of Jesus
Counting the OmerCount the Omer this year with Beth Immanuel. Click here to learn about the mitzvah of counting the omer or download our free PDF Omer Counting Calendar.
Counting the Omer
Author: D. T. Lancaster
The command to bring the first sheaf of the harvest to the Temple is of great significance to the disciples of Yeshua. It is an obscure appointment on the Biblical calendar, sometimes called the First Fruits of the Barley Harvest, but better known simply by its Biblical name, “The Omer.” The Omer is a minor festival with major Messianic implications.
The Omer and the Messiah
On the same day that Caiaphas and his associates tried the Master, three apostles from the Sanhedrin went out to a barley field not far from Jerusalem. On the same day that the Romans bound and crucified the Master, the apostles from the Sanhedrin bound up the standing barley into bundles while it was still attached to the ground so that it would be easier to reap.
Saturday night, they returned to the barley field after the conclusion of the first day of Passover. Crowds from the local villages had gathered to witness the ceremony. Brandishing sickles, the three apostles of the Sanhedrin addressed the crowd, asking, “Has the sun set?” The people replied, “Yes!” They repeated the question two more times, and they received a total of three affirmations from the villagers. Then they asked three times, “Shall we cut with this sickle?” and the crowd responded with three enthusiastic affirmations. Three times the apostles from the Sanhedrin asked, “Shall we place the grain in this basket?” Each of the reapers asked, “Shall I begin to cut now?” Each time, the crowd responded enthusiastically, “Yes!” In this manner, the new harvest began.
The reapers collected three seahs of barley in their baskets and carried it back to Jerusalem that same night. The baskets contained more than enough grain to constitute a full sheaf’s worth (an omer, עמר), enough to fulfill the Torah’s mandate:
You shall bring in the omer of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest. He shall wave the omer before the LORD for you to be accepted; on the day after the sabbath the priest shall wave it. (Leviticus 23:10–11)
The Torah prohibited using or eating any produce from the new year’s cereal crops until the priesthood offered up to the LORD the first of the new grain. The barley crop ripens first in Israel, so the priesthood always offered an omer of barley. The commandment of the barley omer reminded Israel that the land and its produce belong first to God. Until the people harvested and offered the first fruits of the barley in the Temple, the rest of the crops were not considered kosher.
That same night, the priests in the Temple threshed, roasted, and ground the barley into flour. All night they prepared it. The same night that our Master left the tomb, the priests refined the freshly milled flour by sifting it through thirteen sieves.
Sunday morning, while the women discovered the empty tomb, the high priest was busy mixing the barley flour with oil and frankincense to prepare it as a bread offering. The priests mixed the flour into dough with olive oil and incense. Caiaphas took the batch of dough in hand and waved it before the LORD as a wave offering. Then he touched the barley flour to corner of the altar.
After the morning sacrifice and the additional Passover sacrifices (described in Numbers 28:24), Caiaphas offered a portion of grain offering on the altar as a memorial portion. The priests baked the remainder of the dough into loaves of unleavened barley bread to be shared among the priesthood. Caiaphas concluded the ceremony by sacrificing a single male lamb as a burnt offering to accompany the new grain. That day began the fifty-day count to the festival of Shavuot (Pentecost).
The Pharisees and the Sadducees disagreed about the correct day for the barley ritual. The Pharisees maintained that “the day after the Sabbath” (Leviticus 23:11) referred to Nisan 16, the day following the Yom Tov of the festival of Passover. The Pharisees explained that the Torah referred to the Yom Tov as “the sabbath” because it was a special festival day with Sabbath work-restrictions.
The Sadducees maintained that “the day after the Sabbath” referred to the day after the first Saturday (weekly Sabbath) that fell during the week of Passover. In their opinion, the day for offering the barley sheaf always fell on a Sunday.
The Pharisees had the upper hand because they had the popular support of the people. In the days of the apostles, “the day after the Sabbath” meant Nisan 16. Rabbinic literature indicates that, during the days of the apostles, the Jewish people followed the Pharisaic interpretation of Leviticus 23:11, interpreting “the day after the Sabbath” as “the day after Yom Tov.” Evidence from Josephus, Philo, and the Septuagint confirms this.
On the second day of unleavened bread, which is the sixteenth day of the month [Nisan], they first partake of the fruits of the earth, for before that day they do not touch them … They also at this participation of the first-fruits of the earth, sacrifice a lamb as a burnt offering to God. (Josephus, Antiquities 3:250–251/x.5)
There is also a festival on the day of the Passover feast, which succeeds the first day, and this is named the sheaf [omer], from what takes place on it; for the sheaf is brought to the altar as a first fruit … (Philo, Special Laws 2:162)
And he shall lift up the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted for you. On the day after the first day the priest shall lift it up. (Leviticus 23:11, LXX)
In that particular year, both opinions coincided. Nisan 16 (the correct date according to Pharisaic opinion) fell on a Sunday (the correct weekday according to Sadducean opinion). By divine design, the ritual of offering the first fruit of the barley omer in the Temple coincided with the resurrection of the Messiah. Paul invoked the symbolism when he wrote, “Messiah has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20). The day of His resurrection began the fifty-day count to Pentecost.
Counting the Omer--A Subject of Dispute
The Harvest of the Barley Omer occurs on the second day of the seven days of Unleavened Bread. It is a miniature festival within a festival. It is listed in Leviticus 23 along with all the appointed times of God.
Beginning on the day that the first omer of barley was harvested and brought to the Temple, a countdown to the next Biblical Festival began. The Torah commands the Israelites to count off 49 days and then celebrate the festival of Shavuot (Pentecost) on the 50th day. The day the Omer was brought was Day One of what is called Counting the Omer. The next day was Day Two of the Omer count, the next was Day Three and so on.
During the 49 days of the Omer count, the wheat crop in Israel ripens. By the end of the Omer count, the crop is ready for harvest and the First Fruits of the wheat crop can be brought to the Temple for Pentecost.
No Small Consequence
The counting of the days of the Omer is a Biblical commandment incumbent upon every Jew. Traditionally, the period of the Omer count is to be a time of spiritual introspection as the counters prepare themselves for Shavuot. Because it begins during Passover and concludes at Shavuot, the counting of the omer remembers the journey from Egypt to Mount Sinai.
The Messianic implications of the Omer and the subsequent count down are great. According to Matthew 28:1, Yeshua rose “after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week,” a Hebraic expression for havdalah hour that ends the Sabbath on Saturday night. We cannot help but notice that the appointed day for harvesting the barley omer coincides with the resurrection of Messiah. In a remarkable display of God’s sovereign planning, the Torah set aside the resurrection as a day of first fruits 1400 years before its occurrence.
Just as the first omer of barley was brought as a first fruits of the whole harvest, so too Messiah’s resurrection was a first fruits of the resurrection of the dead. This is the imagery Paul invokes with the words, “Messiah has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.” Just as the first fruits of the barley made all the rest of the harvest kosher for harvest, so too the resurrection of Messiah makes the resurrection of the dead possible.
Counting the Days of Messiah
Because of the resurrection and the connection to Pentecost, the counting of the Omer is an important mitzvah for believers.
According to Jewish tradition, the counting is done in the following prescribed manner. After the evening prayers each day, the counter recites a blessing: “Blessed are You, LORD Our God, King of the Universe, Who has sanctified us with his commandments and commanded us to count the Omer.” Then the counter simply states, “Today is X days of the Omer.” The person counting follows his formal declaration of the omer day with a recitation of Psalm 67 and a few short petitions for spiritual cleansing and renewal.
Tradition prescribes the recitation of Psalm 67 because it is composed of exactly 49 Hebrew words which correspond to the 49 days of the omer count. The Psalm is seasonally appropriate because of its harvest motif. It is spiritually appropriate because it speaks clearly of God’s salvation (Yeshua) being made known over all the earth.
The Counting of the Omer creates a count down to Shavuot, the time of giving of the Torah and the time of the giving of the Holy Spirit. As such, it guides us on a spiritual journey of preparation. It is a journey which is begun with Passover, the symbol of our Salvation in Yeshua, and completed at Pentecost, the symbol of our completion through the Spirit. The distance of days between the two events should be a time of spiritual reflection, growth, purification and preparation.
The Master’s resurrection makes the counting of the Omer a season of special significance and joy. For his disciples, it is a time to remember the resurrected Yeshua. All of his post-resurrection appearances fell within the days of the Omer count.
At the end of the first day of the Omer, he rose and appeared to Miriam and to two of our number while they traveled to Emmaus, and also to Peter. On the second day of the Omer he appeared in our midst, among the Twelve. On the ninth day of the Omer, he appeared to us again and Thomas was with us. During the counting, he appeared to 500 of our number and then to James. During the counting, he appeared to seven of our number while they fished on the sea. On the fortieth day of the Omer, he led us out to a hill near Bethany, and we saw him ascend to heaven. Before he ascended, he commanded us not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father.
We waited and counted the days. Forty-one, forty-two, forty-three, forty-four, forty-five, forty-six, forty-seven, forty-eight, forty-nine days of the omer . . . and when the day of Pentecost was fully come we were all together in one place.
Let’s work together this year as we keep the mitzvah of Counting the Omer. Let’s express the resurrected life within us by doing more mitzvahs and spreading more joy.[D. Thomas Lancaster, Torah Club Volume Four: Chronicles of the Messiah]
Dag BaOmer
We are counting off the days of the Omer, and this Friday morning is Dag BaOmer, meaning “Fish in the Omer.” Dag BaOmer is a Beth Immanuel tradition of sharing a sunrise fish breakfast cooked over hot coals on the banks of a body of water in memory of John 21 which occurred during the days of the Omer. May 2, 6:00 AM, St. Croix River Park, Hudson.Click here to learn more about Dag BaOmer by listening to a sermon online.
http://www.bethimmanuel.org/audio/content/dag-baomer
Click here to learn the laws of Dag BaOmer.
On the second day of the Hebrew month of Iyar, the seventeenth day of the omer, there is a little-known holiday that you won’t find on a typical Jewish calendar. That’s because it’s completely made up. It’s called Dag BaOmer.
You might be thinking, “That actually sounds kind of familiar,” but you’re probably thinking of Lag BaOmer, the thirty-third day of the Omer, which commemorates the anniversary of the death of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. No, that’s a totally different holiday.
In 2014, Dag BaOmer lands on Friday, May 2. So on that day, greet your friends with a hearty “Dag Sameach!”
Reliving the Days of the Risen Messiah
The celebration of Dag BaOmer started just eight years ago when a few disciples of Yeshua were contemplating the appearances of the risen Master to the eleven during the period of the counting of the Omer.
From a Jewish perspective, time is not linear, but it is constantly circling. Each Passover, we are once again freed from bondage in Egypt; every Shavuot we receive the Torah anew. Likewise, we wanted to relive and truly experience the presence of Yeshua during this time.
A commemoration of some sort seemed in order, and it was determined that having grilled fish for breakfast would be a delicious reenactment of the story of the post-resurrection miraculous catch of fish in John 21. But when should this commemoration take place? The text does not say when the miracle occurred. Or does it?
A Curious Detail
John 21:11 teaches,
So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn.
Why was the precise number of fish noted in the narrative? Surely it would have sufficed to say “many fish,” or at perhaps “more than 150.” The mention of the exact number seems to imply that there is something significant about that number, especially in such a symbolic and mystical book as John.
Scholars have pondered the significance of the number and have proposed a variety of interpretations. Math geeks point out that the number 153 is significant in that it is triangular. In other words, the units can be arranged in a perfect equilateral triangle shape, like this:
Triangle of 17
Triangular numbers are also the sum of a set of consecutive whole numbers. In other words, six is a triangular number because it is the sum of 1 + 2 + 3. Look at the top three rows of the graphic for an example.
As it turns out, 153 is the sum of all whole numbers from 1 to 17. That is:
153 = 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 + 8 + 9 + 10 + 11 + 12 + 13 + 14 + 15 + 16 + 17
This sequential pattern is curious when coupled with the fact that this happened during the counting of the omer. What if the number 153 was miraculously chosen to mark the 17th day of the omer?
Kind of Fishy
OK, so this interpretation is admittedly a stretch. It could simply be that the specific number of fish was included to make the story more vivid and credible. But that doesn’t matter. There is no reason to say that it couldn’t have been the 17th day of the omer. And so it seemed like a good day for the celebration.
Dag is the Hebrew word for fish. The name Dag BaOmer (“fish on the omer”) was chosen as a play on Lag BaOmer.
Festivus Yes Bagels NoOver the years, our observance of Dag BaOmer has developed in interesting ways. On one hand, we recognize that it is fictional and we don’t take it too seriously, but on the other hand, it has turned out to be very meaningful, inspiring, and fun, and it has caught on. In that way, I kind of think of Dag BaOmer along the lines of Seinfeld’s “Festivus.”
Last year, I penned a list of “laws” of Dag BaOmer, and this year I have enhanced it substantially. Keep in mind that this list of “laws” is satire. It was purposely written in the style of halachic manuals as an attempt at insider humor. By no means are these laws authoritative on any level, nor do they actually reflect any longstanding Jewish practice.
On the other hand, the list of “laws” does actually reflect the way our tradition has developed over the last eight years. So if you want to join us in our lighthearted celebration, this list would set you on the right path!
These laws are written in halachah-speak. That’s part of the joke. If I defined all of the Hebrew terms for you, it would no longer be funny, so if you have any questions, you’ll just have to ask your local rabbi.
Laws of Dag BaOmer
- One should rise early in the morning on the seventeenth day of the omer (the second day of the month of Iyar), to pray according to the vatikin, who would time the Amidah to begin simultaneously with the sunrise, as the verse says, “They shall fear you with the sun” (Psalm 72:5). During shacharit, the story of the miraculous catch of fish (John 21:1-14) is recited.
- In ancient times when the calendar was determined by observation, Dag BaOmer would sometimes fall on Shabbat. In that case, Dag BaOmer must be postponed. While the miraculous catch of fish is a “sign,” Shabbat too is a sign, as it is written, “It is a sign forever” (Exodus 31:17), making the sign of the fish superfluous. The Sages in their wisdom, however, fixed the calendar in such a way that in our time Dag BaOmer never lands on Shabbat.
- One should strive to pray with a minyan if possible. If one cannot gather a minyan, a group of seven men is sufficient, as it is written, “Simon Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were there” (John 21:2).
- It is a custom of very pious individuals to immerse in a mikvah prior to shacharit, in memory of Shimon Keifa, who “threw himself into the sea” (John 21:7).
- It is ideal to partake of the customary meal immediately after the morning prayers, as the Master said, “Come and have breakfast” (John 21:12). “Come” means none other than prayer, as it is said, “when he comes and prays toward this house” (1 Kings 8:42).
- Nonetheless, lechatchilah one may eat the meal any time before midday. Bedieved, one may eat it until sunset. As the Master taught, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world” (John 11:9).
- The meal should be eaten near a natural body of water. If there are forty contiguous seahs of snow outside, there is no need to leave one’s home, since snow qualifies as mayim chayim (see Rashi on b.Shabbat 145b).
- The preferred type of fish is the amnun. “O you of little faith” (keton amanah). Read not “amanah” (faith), but “amnun” (tilapia). While this is the preferred fish, any other fish can be used to fulfill the obligation, as long as it is a kosher species. As the Master taught, “When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good [fish] into containers but threw away the bad” (Matthew 13:48).
- It is ideal for a person to use a fish that he himself has caught, as the Master said, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught” (John 21:10), despite the fact that there were already fish on the fire. Common custom, however, is to ignore this practice. Regardless, one should at least own the fish that they eat, either by buying the fish personally or through a symbolic act of kinyan. One who partakes of the meal with a stolen fish has not fulfilled his obligation.
- The fish should be cooked over an open flame. As it is stated, “they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it” (John 21:9). If none is available, it may be baked in an oven or fried in a pan, as long as it is cooked with the specific intention of use on the holiday. Uncooked fish such as sushi, sashimi, and lox are not valid. Some authorities allow gefilte fish, as long as it is either made from scratch or baked from a frozen log; the type packaged in a jar with jelly is not kosher for the holiday.
- Using a whole fish including a head is a segulah for parnasah, especially when Dag BaOmer coincides with Tax Day, as the Master said, “Go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself” (Matthew 17:27).
- At least one kazayit of bread should be eaten at this meal, as it says, the Master “came and took the bread and gave it to them” (John 21:13). If one does not have bread, one may also use any pat haba bekisnin, such as crackers or cake, as long it is eaten in sufficient quantity to make a kevi’at se’udah. Some consider it a hiddur to use pita.
- While it is not obligatory, it is also customary to eat potatoes (symbolizing the burial and resurrection of the body). As the verse states תחת התפוח עוררתיך, “The tappuach below, I awakened you” (Song of Songs 8:5); the “tappuach below” refers to the tappuach adamah (potato). The potato dish may be served in any fashion. If potatoes are unavailable, other root vegetables may be substituted, as the verse says, תחת התפוח (“instead of the tappuach”).
- Common practice is to drink coffee (symbolizing the revival of the spirit). Lenient authorities say that it is merely a custom and not an obligation; others consider it a requirement, based on Isaiah 51:17 (“Wake yourself, wake yourself, stand up, O Jerusalem, you who have drunk from the hand of the LORD his hot cup [כוס חמתו]”). Some have the custom to take it black, in accordance with the verse, “I am very dark, but lovely” (Song of Songs 1:5), whereas others prefer it creamy and sweetened, as it is said, “honey and milk are under your tongue” (Song of Songs 4:11). When in doubt, ask your rabbi about the local custom.
- While coffee is the preferred beverage, any warm brewed drink that sufficiently constitutes a mechayeh will suffice. In certain locales it is customary to use a glass of tea.
- According to some authorities, the coffee should be served hot (at least yad soledet bo). An allusion to this is seen in Exodus 16:21: בבקר בבקר איש כפי אכלו וחם (“each morning, a man consumed coffee and it was hot”).
- There is a machloket regarding the status of decaffeinated coffee. According to some opinions, it qualifies as a mechayeh because it still contains a minute amount of caffeine. Others argue that because of the intent to remove the caffeine, the remaining traces are considered undesirable and are thus batel in the preponderance of liquid. One who is sensitive may rely on the lenient view; however, to be stringent one should add at least a few drops of regular coffee to the cup. All authorities agree, however, that herbal teas are invalid and should not be used. In any case, one who for medical reasons cannot consume caffeine is exempt from the requirement.
About the Author: Aaron Eby is a staff writer for First Fruits of Zion and Vine of David. He is the chief translator of the Delitzsch Hebrew/English Gospels and the author of Biblically Kosher and Getting Started in Hebrew, as well as several other articles and resources.
Click here to check one of our previous Dag BaOmer events in this Youtube video.
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Lag B’OmerThe anniversary of the passing of Shimon ben Yochai falls on May 18 (33rd day in the Omer).
Ascension Day
Sunday, May 25th is the fortieth day of the omer, the anniversary of our Master’s ascension. We will gather for a special Shacharit service and Ascension Day message at 9:00 A.M. Sunday May 5.
Shavuot
Beth Immanuel is hosting the annual First Fruits of Zion Shavuot Conference May 30-June 5, 2014 in Hudson, WI. The conference this year is broken into three subsequent events: Shabbaton; Eyes on Zion; The Sinai Ethic.
Support
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Beth Immanuel
P.O.Box 562
Hudson, WI 54016-0562
Your donation is tax-deductible. Thank you!
Sincerely,
The Beth Immanuel Elders
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