READINGS FOR OMER COUNT – DAY 08

Behold, I am about to fulfill the affirmative precept of the counting of the Omer, as it is written in the Torah:

“And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the Shabbath, from the day that ye brought the Omer of the wave-offering, seven complete weeks they shall be; until the morrow of the seventh Shabbath shall ye number fifty days.”

Blessed art Thou YHWH, our Elohym, King of the universe, who hast set us apart by Thy commandments and hast given us command concerning the counting of the Omer.

This is the eighth day, making one week and one day of the omer.

May the All Merciful restore the service of the Temple to its place. May it be Thy will, YHWH our Elohym and Elohym of our fathers, that the Temple be speedily rebuilt in our days, and grant our portion in Thy Torah. And there we will serve Thee with awe, as in the days of old and as in ancient years.

May Elohym be favorable unto us and bless us. That Thy way may be known upon the earth, Thy salvation among all nations. Let the peoples give thanks unto Thee, Elohym; let all the peoples give thanks unto Thee. Let the nations rejoice and exult: for Thou wilt judge the peoples with equity and lead the nations upon the earth. Let the peoples give thanks unto Thee, Elohym; let all the peoples give thanks unto Thee. The earth hath yielded her increase: Elohym, even our Elohym, shall bless us. Elohym shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear Him.

READINGS: TEHILLAH 19

The heavens are proclaiming the esteem of Ěl; And the expanse is declaring the work of His hand. Day to day pours forth speech, And night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, and there are no words, Their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world. In them He set up a tent for the sun, And it is like a bridegroom coming out of his room, It rejoices like a strong man to run the path. Its rising is from one end of the heavens, And its circuit to the other end; And naught is hidden from its heat.

The Torah of YHWH is perfect, bringing back the being; The witness of YHWH is trustworthy, making wise the simple; The orders of YHWH are straight, rejoicing the heart; The command of YHWH is clear, enlightening the eyes; The fear of YHWH is clean, standing forever; The judgments of YHWH are true, They are righteous altogether, More desirable than gold, Than much fine gold; And sweeter than honey and the honeycomb. Also, Your servant is warned by them, In guarding them there is great reward.

Who discerns mistakes? Declare me innocent from those that are secret, Also keep Your servant back from presumptuous ones, Do not let them rule over me. Then shall I be perfect, and innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be pleasing before You, O YHWH, my rock and my redeemer.

READINGS: TEHILLAH 20

YHWH does answer you in the day of distress! The Name of the Elohim of Ya‛aqoḇ does set you on high! He does send you help from the set-apart place, And does uphold you from Tsiyon! He does remember all your offerings, And does accept your ascending offering! Selah. He does give you according to your heart, And fills all your plans! We sing of Your deliverance, And in the Name of our Elohim we set up a banner! YHWH does fill all your requests! Now I know that YHWH shall save His Anointed; He answers him from His set-apart heavens With the saving might of His right hand. Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, But we remember the Name of YHWH our Elohim. They, they have bowed down and fallen; But we have risen and are established.

Save, YHWH! Let the King answer us in the day we call.

READINGS: TEHILLAH 21

The king rejoices in Your strength, O YHWH; And how greatly he exults in Your deliverance! You have given him the desire of his heart, And You have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah. For You put before him the blessings of excellence; You set a crown of fine gold on his head. He asked life from You, and You gave it to him – Length of days forever and ever. Through Your deliverance his esteem is great; You have laid excellency and splendor on him. For You have made him most blessed forever; You have made him glad with the joy of Your presence. For the king is trusting in YHWH, And through the mercy of the Most High he is not moved.

Your hand reaches all Your enemies; Your right hand reaches those who hate You. You make them as a furnace of fire in the time of Your presence; YHWH does swallow them up in His wrath, And fire does consume them. You destroy their fruit from the earth, And their seed from among the sons of men. For they held out evil against You; They devised a plot; they do not prevail. For You make them turn their back, When You aim with Your bowstring toward their faces. Be exalted, O YHWH, in Your strength! We sing and we praise Your might.

READINGS: MISHLE 7:1-27

My son, guard my words, And treasure up my commands with you. Guard my commands and live, And my Torah as the apple of your eye. Bind them on your fingers; Write them on the tablet of your heart. Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” And call understanding a close friend, To guard you against the strange woman, Against the foreigner who flatters with her words.

For at the window of my house I looked through my lattice, And I saw among the simple, I perceived among the youths, A young man lacking heart, Passing through the street near her corner; And he went the way to her house, In the twilight, in the evening, In the black and dark night. And look, a woman met him, Dressed like a whore, With a hidden heart. She was boisterous and stubborn, Her feet did not stay at her own house. Now in the street, Now in the square, And at every corner she lurks.

And she took hold of him and kissed him; She hardened her face and said to him: “Slaughterings of peace offerings are with me; Today I have paid my vows. Therefore I came out to meet you, To earnestly seek your face, and I found you. I have spread my bed with coverings, Colored linens of Mitsrayim. I have sprinkled my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. Come, let us take our fill of carnal-love until morning; Let us delight ourselves with love. For my husband is not at home; He has gone on a long journey; He took a bag of silver with him; He comes home on the day of the covering.” With her many words she leads him astray, With her smooth lips she seduces him. He goes after her immediately, Like an ox he goes to the slaughter, And as in chains, a fool to the punishment, Till an arrow strikes through his liver; Like a bird rushing into a snare, And did not know it would take his life.

And now, listen to me, you children; Pay attention to the words of my mouth: Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways, Do not go astray in her paths. For many are the wounded she has caused to fall, And numerous all her killed ones. Her house is the way to She’ol, Going down to the rooms of death.

READINGS: AVOTH 2:1

Rabbi said, which is the right way that a man should choose for himself? That which is splendorous to him who does it, and which also brings him beauty from mankind. Be heedful of a light mitzvah as of a grave one, for thou knowest not the grant of reward for each mitzvah. Reckon the loss incurred by the fulfilment of a mitzvah against the reward secured by its observance, and the gain gotten by a transgression against the loss it involves. Reflect upon three things, and thou wilt not come within the power of sin: Know what is above thee—a Seeing Eye, and a Hearing Ear, and all thy deeds written in a Book.