The Omer is the 49-day period between the celebration of Passover and the Festival of Shavuot. This year, we invite you to count the Omer with us through the lens of creation and recreation—not only of the world but of ourselves and our community.
You will receive a weekly email with guiding quotes for each day – rooted in Torah, spirituality, and personal growth – and a question to carry with you. These offerings are meant to open space for reflection, guide our steps through the wilderness, and help us shape not only who we are but who we are becoming – individually and together.
Week 4: Sun and Moon and Stars
“God said, ‘Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate day from night; they shall serve as signs for the set times – the days and the years; and they shall serve as lights in the expanse of the sky to shine upon the earth.’ And it was so.”
Genesis 1:14-15
There is something sacred about looking up. The sun that marks our days, the moon that waxes and wanes, the stars scattered like promises across the sky—all call us to remember our place in the vast rhythm of creation. Light is not only about sight; it is also about guidance, hope, and memory.
This week, let yourself gaze upward and inward. Let the heavens remind you that even when the night feels long, there are cycles at work, and light always returns. Like stars that seem still but are always burning, these questions are here to guide you—not toward certainty, but toward deeper connection.
We hope you enjoy this video of our cantorial team singing about counting the Omer.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו, וְצִוָּֽנוּ עַל סְפִירַת הָעֹֽמֶר
Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu Melekh ha’Olam asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tizivanu al sefirat ha’omer.
Blessed are you, Adonai our God, Sovereign of the Universe, who has sanctified us with your commandments and commanded us to count the omer.
Daily Quotes and Questions
Week 4: May 5 – 11
Day 22 – May 5
Daily Quote:
“Those are the same stars, and that is the same moon, that look down upon your brothers and sisters, and which they see as they look up to them, though they are ever so far away from us, and each other.”
– Sojourner Truth
Daily Question:
How does looking at the sky remind you of your connection to others?
Day 23 – May 6
Daily Quote:
“You find that if the moon does not appear in the sky at night, the world is so dark that a man cannot walk about even within the city, but as soon as the moon appears in the sky, all rejoice and walk about. So it was in the days of Ahasuerus who decreed that Israel should be destroyed, slain, and made to perish; but Esther came and brought light to Israel, for it says, “The Jews had light and gladness, and joy and honor” (Esther 8:16) Should you inquire why Esther is compared to the moon, the answer is that just as the moon renews itself every thirty days, so did Esther say, “But I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days” (Esther 4:11).”
– Exodus Rabbah
Daily Question:
What in your life follows cycles of darkness and light?
Day 24 – May 7
Daily Quote:
“I dreamed I saw eleven stars, the sun, the moon and sky
Bowing down before my star; It made me wonder why
Could it be that I was born for higher things?”
– Andrew Lloyd Weber
Daily Question:
What dreams do you hold about your place in the universe?
Day 25 – May 8
Daily Quote:
“Look up at the sky and not down at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see, and wonder what makes the universe exist. Be curious.”
– Dr. Stephen Hawking
Daily Question:
How does curiosity guide you?
What are you seeking to understand?
Day 26 – May 9
Daily Quote:
“No, the stars do not revolve around me. Neither do I revolve around them. Rather, we all revolve around the great scheme that is our universe. We are all part of this one grand play we have come to know as the cosmos. ”
– Moshe Levy
Daily Question:
How do you understand your place in the grand scheme of the universe?
Day 27 – May 10
Daily Quote:
“In the darkest dark, With a sky full of stars, As the Milky Way Arches across the heavens, My heart remembers The moment of Creation. Light cannot be concealed, Not even by God, Not even that special light, Reserved only for the righteous. It leaks out from the vaults of heaven, Into the words of Torah To Guide our way. The light is yours, When you seek it with your heart. The heart that’s inside your soul, The heart that’s inside your breathing, The heart that’s inside your being.“
– Alden Solovy
Daily Question:
How do you seek the light that is hidden within you?
Day 28 – May 11
Daily Quote:
“There are stars up above, so far away we only see their light long, long after the star itself is gone. And so it is with people we have loved – their memories keep shining ever brightly though their time with us is done. But the stars that light up the darkest night, these are the lights that guide us. As we live our lives, these are the ways we remember.”
– Hannah Senesh
Daily Question:
Who are the guiding lights in your life?
