READINGS FOR OMER COUNT – DAY 44

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 forty-fourth day, making six weeks and two days 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 119

Blessed are the perfect in the way, Who walk in the Torah of YHWH!

Blessed are those who observe His witnesses, Who seek Him with all the heart!

Yes, they shall do no unrighteousness; They shall walk in His ways.

You have commanded us To guard Your orders diligently.

Oh, that my ways were established To guard Your laws!

Then I would not be ashamed, When I look into all Your commands.

I thank You with uprightness of heart, When I learn the judgments of Your righteousness.

I guard Your laws; Oh, do not leave me entirely!

How would a young man cleanse his path? To guard it according to Your word.

I have sought You with all my heart; Let me not stray from Your commands!

I have treasured up Your word in my heart, That I might not sin against You.

Blessed are You, O YHWH! Teach me Your laws.

With my lips I have recounted All the judgments of Your mouth.

I have rejoiced in the way of Your witnesses, As over all riches.

I meditate on Your orders, And regard Your ways.

I delight myself in Your laws; I do not forget Your word.

Do excellence to Your servant, Let me live and I guard Your word.

Open my eyes, that I might see Wonders from Your Torah.

I am a sojourner in the earth; Do not hide Your commands from me.

My being is crushed with longing For Your judgments at all times.

You rebuked the proud, cursed ones, Who are straying from Your commands.

Remove from me reproach and scorn, For I have observed Your witnesses.

Though princes sat, speaking against me, Your servant meditates on Your laws.

Your witnesses also are my delight, My counsellors.

My being has been clinging to the dust; Revive me according to Your word.

I have recounted my ways and You answered me; Teach me Your laws.

Make me understand the way of Your orders; That I might meditate on Your wonders.

My being has wept from grief; Strengthen me according to Your word.

Remove from me the way of falsehood, And favor me with Your Torah.

I have chosen the way of truth; Your judgments I have held level.

I have clung to Your witnesses; O YHWH, do not put me to shame!

I run the way of Your commands, For You enlarge my heart.

Teach me, O YHWH, the way of Your laws, And I observe it to the end.

Make me understand, that I might observe Your Torah, And guard it with all my heart.

Make me walk in the path of Your commands, For I have delighted in it.

Incline my heart to Your witnesses, And not to own gain.

Turn away my eyes from looking at falsehood, And revive me in Your way.

Establish Your word to Your servant, Which leads to the fear of You.

Turn away my reproach which I dread, For Your judgments are excellent.

See, I have longed for Your orders; Revive me in Your righteousness.

And let Your mercies come to me, O YHWH; Your deliverance, according to Your word, So that I answer my reprover, For I have trusted in Your word.

And do not take away from my mouth The word of truth entirely, For I have waited for Your judgments; That I might guard Your Torah continually, Forever and ever; That I might walk in a broad place, For I have sought Your orders; That I might speak of Your witnesses before kings, And not be ashamed; That I might delight myself in Your commands, Which I have loved; That I might lift up my hands to Your commands, Which I have loved; While I meditate on Your laws.

Remember the word to Your servant, On which You have caused me to wait.

This is my comfort in my affliction, For Your word has given me life.

The proud have utterly scorned me, I did not turn aside from Your Torah.

I remembered Your judgments of old, O YHWH, And I comfort myself.

Rage has seized me because of the wrong Who forsake Your Torah.

Your laws have been my songs In the place of my sojournings.

I have remembered Your Name in the night, O YHWH, And I guard Your Torah.

This has become mine, Because I have observed Your orders.

You are my portion, O YHWH; I have promised to guard Your words.

I have sought Your face with all my heart; Show me favor according to Your word.

I have thought upon my ways, And turned my feet to Your witnesses.

I have hurried, and did not delay To guard Your commands.

The cords of the wrong have surrounded me, Your Torah I have not forgotten.

At midnight I rise to give thanks to You, For Your righteous judgments.

I am a companion of all who fear You, And of those guarding Your orders.

O YHWH, Your mercy has filled the earth; Teach me Your laws.

You have done excellence to Your servant, O YHWH, According to Your word.

Teach me excellent sense and knowledge, For I have trusted in Your commands.

Before I was afflicted I myself was going astray, But now I have guarded Your word.

You are excellent, and do excellence; Teach me Your laws.

The proud have forged a lie against me, With all my heart I observe Your orders.

Their heart has become like fat, Without feeling; I have delighted in Your Torah.

It was excellent for me that I was afflicted, That I might learn Your laws.

The Torah of Your mouth is better to me Than thousands of gold and silver pieces.

Your hands have made me and formed me; Make me understand, that I might learn Your commands.

Those who fear You see me and rejoice, For I have waited for Your Word.

I know, O YHWH, That Your judgments are righteous, And in trustworthiness You have afflicted me.

Please let Your mercy be for my comfort, According to Your word to Your servant.

Let Your compassions come to me, That I might live, For Your Torah is my delight.

Let the proud be put to shame, For with lies they perverted me; But I study Your orders.

Let those who fear You turn to me, And those who know Your witnesses.

Let my heart be perfect in Your laws, So that I am not put to shame.

For Your deliverance my being has pined away, For I have waited for Your word.

My eyes have pined away for Your word, Saying, “When would it comfort me?”

For I have become like a wineskin in the smoke, Your laws I have not forgotten.

How many are the days of Your servant? When do You execute judgment On those who persecute me?

The proud have dug pits for me, Which is not according to Your Torah.

All Your commands are trustworthy; They have persecuted me with lies; Help me!

They almost made an end of me on earth, But I, I did not forsake Your orders.

Revive me according to Your mercy, That I might guard the witness of Your mouth.

Forever, O YHWH, Your word stands firm in the heavens.

Your trustworthiness is to all generations; You established the earth, and it stands.

According to Your judgments They have stood to this day, For all are Your servants.

If Your Torah had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction.

Let me never forget Your orders, For by them You have given me life.

I am Yours, save me; For I have sought Your orders.

The wrong have waited for me to destroy me; I understand Your witnesses.

I have seen an end of all perfection; Your command is exceedingly broad.

O how I love Your Torah! It is my study all day long.

Your commands make me wiser than my enemies; For it is ever before me.

I have more understanding than all my teachers, For Your witnesses are my study.

I understand more than the aged, For I have observed Your orders.

I have restrained my feet from every evil way, That I might guard Your word.

I have not turned aside from Your judgments, For You Yourself have taught me.

How sweet to my taste has Your word been, More than honey to my mouth!

From Your orders I get understanding; Therefore I have hated every false way.

Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.

I have sworn, and I confirm, To guard Your righteous judgments.

I have been afflicted very much; O YHWH, revive me according to Your word.

Please accept the voluntary offerings Of my mouth, O YHWH, And teach me Your judgments.

My life is in my hand continually, And Your Torah I have not forgotten.

The wrong have laid a snare for me, But I have not strayed from Your orders.

Your witnesses are my inheritance forever, For they are the joy of my heart.

I have inclined my heart to do Your laws Forever, to the end.

I have hated doubting thoughts, But I have loved Your Torah.

You are my hiding place and my shield; I have waited for Your word.

Turn away from me, you evil-doers, For I observe the commands of my Elohim!

Support me according to Your word, That I might live; And put me not to shame Because of my expectation.

Sustain me, that I might be saved, And always look to Your laws.

You have made light of all those Who stray from Your laws, For falsehood is their deceit.

You have made to cease All the wrong of the earth, like dross; Therefore I have loved Your witnesses.

My flesh has trembled for fear of You, And I am in awe of Your judgments.

I have done judgment and righteousness; Leave me not to my oppressors.

Guarantee Your servant’s well-being; Let not the proud oppress me.

My eyes have pined away for Your deliverance, And for the word of Your righteousness.

Do with Your servant according to Your mercy, And teach me Your laws.

I am Your servant – make me understand, That I might know Your witnesses.

It is time for YHWH to act! For they have broken Your Torah.

Therefore I have loved Your commands More than gold, even fine gold!

Therefore all Your orders I count as right; I have hated every false way.

Your witnesses are wonders; So my being observes them.

The opening up of Your words gives light, Giving understanding to the simple.

I have opened my mouth and panted, For I have longed for Your commands.

Turn to me and show me favor, According to Your judgment, toward those who love Your Name.

Establish my footsteps by Your word, And let no wickedness have rule over me.

Redeem me from the oppression of man, That I might guard Your orders.

Make Your face shine upon Your servant, And teach me Your laws.

Streams of water have run down from my eyes, Because they did not guard Your Torah.

Righteous are You, O YHWH, And Your judgments are straight.

You have commanded Your witnesses In righteousness and truth, exceedingly.

My zeal has consumed me, For my adversaries have forgotten Your words.

Your word is tried, exceedingly; And Your servant has loved it.

I am small and despised; I have not forgotten Your orders.

Your righteousness is righteousness forever, And Your Torah is truth.

Distress and anguish have found me; Your commands are my delight.

The righteousness of Your witnesses is forever; Make me understand, that I might live.

I have called with all my heart; Answer me, O YHWH! I observe Your laws.

I have called upon You; Save me, that I might guard Your witnesses.

I rise before dawn, and cry for help; I have waited for Your word.

My eyes have gone before the night watches, To study Your word.

Hear my voice according to Your mercy; O YHWH, revive me according to Your judgment.

Those who pursue mischief have drawn near; They have been far from Your Torah.

You are near, O YHWH, And all Your commands are truth.

Of old I have known Your witnesses, That You have founded them forever.

See my affliction and deliver me, For I have not forgotten Your Torah.

Plead my cause and redeem me; Revive me according to Your word.

Deliverance is far from the wrong ones, For they have not sought Your laws.

Your compassions are many, O YHWH; Revive me according to Your judgments.

My persecutors and adversaries are many; I have not turned aside from Your witnesses.

I saw traitors and was grieved, Because they did not guard Your word.

See how I have loved Your orders, YHWH, revive me according to Your mercy.

The sum of Your word is truth, And all Your righteous judgments are forever.

Rulers have persecuted me without a cause, But at Your word my heart stood in awe.

I rejoice at Your word As one who finds great treasure.

I have hated falsehood and loathe it, Your Torah I have loved.

I have praised You seven times a day, Because of Your righteous judgments.

Great peace have those loving Your Torah, And for them there is no stumbling-block.

YHWH, I have waited for Your deliverance, And I have done Your commands.

My being has guarded Your witnesses, And I love them exceedingly.

I have guarded Your orders and Your witnesses, For all my ways are before You.

My cry comes before You, O YHWH; Make me understand according to Your word.

Let my prayer come before You; Deliver me according to Your word.

My lips pour forth praise, For You teach me Your laws.

My tongue sings of Your word, For all Your commands are righteousness.

Your hand is a help to me, For I have chosen Your orders.

I have longed for Your deliverance, O YHWH, And Your Torah is my delight.

My being lives, and it praises You; And Your judgments help me.

I have strayed like a lost sheep; Seek Your servant, For I have not forgotten Your commands.

READINGS: MISHLE 26:17-28

A passer-by meddling in a strife not his own Is like one who takes hold of a dog by the ears.

Like a madman who throws sparks, arrows, and death, So is a man who deceived his neighbor, And says, “I was only joking!”

For lack of wood, the fire goes out. And without a slanderer, strife ceases.

As charcoal is to burning coals, and wood to fire, So is a contentious man to kindle strife.

The words of a slanderer are as dainty morsels, Which go down into the inner parts of the heart.

Burning lips with an evil heart Are like earthenware covered with silver dross.

He who hates, pretends with his lips, And lays up deceit within him; Though he speaks kindly, do not believe him, For there are seven abominations in his heart.

Hatred is covered by deceit. His evil is disclosed in the assembly.

Whoever digs a pit falls into it, And whoever rolls a stone, it turns back on him.

A lying tongue hates its bruised ones, And a flattering mouth works ruin.

READINGS: AVOTH 5:23-26

Yehudah ben Teyma said, be strong as a leopard, light as an eagle, fleet as a hart, and strong as a lion, to do the will of thy Father who is in heaven. He used to say, the bold-faced are for Gehinnom, the shame-faced for the Garden of Eden. (He said further) May it be thy will, O YHWH, our Elohym and Elohym of our fathers, that the Temple be speedily rebuilt in our days, and grant our portion in thy Torah.

He used to say, at five years the age is reached for the study of the scripture, at ten for the study of the Mishna, at thirteen for the fulfillment of the commandments, at fifteen for the study of the Talmud, at eighteen for marriage, at twenty for seeking a livelihood, at thirty for entering into one’s full strength, at forty for understanding, at fifty for counsel, at sixty a man attains old age, at seventy the hoary head, at eighty the gift of special strength, at ninety he bends beneath the weight of years, at a hundred he is as if he were already dead and had passed away from the world.

Ben Bag Bag said, turn it (the Torah), and turn it over again; for everything is in it; and contemplate it, and wax grey and old over it, and stir not from it, for thou canst have no better rule than this.

Ben Hai Hai said, according to the labor is the reward.