The Omer
This week’s Torah portion, Acharei Mot, recalls the ancient rituals of Yom Kippur, which include sending a goat off into the wilderness for Azazel to expiate the community’s sins (this is the origin of the term “scapegoat”). Because of this content, we read excerpts from this parasha on Yom Kippur, just as this past week we interrupted the usual cycle of Torah readings to read special passages devoted to Passover. It got me thinking about the way that the holidays punctuate time for us, in a way that both complements but is different from the Torah reading cycle. In the holiday cycle, we are emerging from the story of the Exodus, the story of collective redemption. As Jews, this is arguably our central narrative. We recall it every Shabbat, during kiddush. It is the story that tells us about what it looks like to become a people living in relationship to God. Perhaps it is fitting, then, that immediately emerging from this collective narrative, we read a Torah portion that reminds us of our own personal responsibilities. If Passover is a national story of redemption, then Yom Kippur can be understood in many ways as a highly personal and individual story of redemption; if Passover initiates our path towards the covenant at Sinai and our collective relationship with God, Yom Kippur charts our way back from error to a personal relationship with God.
The ending of Passover is also intimately connected to another holiday, Shavuot. While Passover begins the story of redemption, Shavuot celebrates an aspect of its completion: the giving of the Torah. This is the moment when the people accept the covenant, the teachings and relationship that will become the beating heart of Jewish tradition. And so, while Acharei Mot pointed me towards the liturgical calendar, I found myself resting not on Yom Kippur, but on Shavuot, and on the practice of counting the Omer.
Counting the Omer is a traditional practice that involves counting the days between Passover and Shavuot, a total of 49 days (seven weeks of seven days), with Shavuot falling on the 50th day. This method of counting highlights its significance. Seven is an important number in Judaism, and its multiplication here emphasizes the importance of Shavuot. (We see a similar type of counting with the Jubilee year, with the Shmita year occurring every seven years and the Jubilee year occurring after seven Shmita cycles.) But with Yom Kippur hovering in the back of my mind, I was struck anew by the way that the period of the Omer mirrors the month of Elul. Elul is the month before the High Holidays, and it is often taken as a time for special reflection and prayer, to help prepare oneself for the new year; it is also a time to focus on repentance, in preparation for Yom Kippur as the day of atonement. So, too, the Omer is a period of preparation for Shavuot, for the giving of the Torah. To fully receive the Torah, to understand and accept this gift, requires forethought. And the Omer is a way of reminding ourselves to take the space that we need to be ready to receive the Torah anew.
The Omer is also a very kid-friendly ritual. While there are many mystical interpretations of the its significance, the basic practice of counting the days is a simple one that kids can easily participate in. I recommend making it more concrete for your children by using something to visually represent each day. For example, you could put a marble or bead in a jar on each day of the Omer, and watch them add up. Or you could take seven jars, and fill each one with seven marbles, day by day, to help visualize the cycle of the weeks leading up to Shavuot. This is a great way to help your kids think about the passage of time, to help get them excited about the next holiday, and also to help them build their budding math skills! My kids love counting, and they love having an important role in rituals. If you have multiple children, you might consider doing separate jars for each one, so they can both “do” the counting and keep track for themselves. Involving the kids in this way is not only fun, but it serves a practical purpose for me as an adult as well. I always have trouble remembering to count the Omer; building it into a concrete family ritual would help me keep track too.
As we transition out of Passover and prepare ourselves for what is to come, I also have a final Passover-themed recipe for you. I’m sure many of us will be delighting in chametz-filled meals this Shabbat, but for dessert, I highly recommend making this matzah crunch. Highly addictive, it will help you clear out those leftover pieces of matzah (and maybe even leave you wishing you had some more leftover to make another batch).
Matzah Crunch
This matzah treat has many names and recipes, but I first discovered it via Smitten Kitchen.
For some reason, I never make this on Passover. I languish through the holiday, wishing for better snacks, while boxes of matzah stare at me practically begging to be turned into this delicious dessert. But, for better or for worse, this is a post-Passover treat for me, a way of bidding goodbye to the holiday and using up those final pieces of matzah that absolutely no one wants to eat the second we can have bread again. It’s funny, though… cover that matzah with toffee and chocolate, and suddenly everyone loves matzah again! I hope you and your family enjoy this fun little treat as you transition back to normal time, and begin the journey towards Shavuot.
Ingredients
4 sheets of matzah, or whatever random pieces you still have lying around
1 cup (8 ounces) butter, cut into a few large pieces
1 cup packed light brown sugar
Sea salt, preferably flaky
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (I like mini ones, as they melt extra quickly)
Instructions
Heat the oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with foil. Note: Deb Perelman recommends also lining it with parchment paper to prevent sticking. I have done it without, and it does stick, but since you’ll be breaking this up into chunk at the end, it’s not the end of the world if it does.
To the best of your ability, line the bottom of the pan with matzah, covering it all in a single layer. Since matzah does not break neatly, just do your best here.
Make the toffee: In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar together, and whisk it over medium heat until it begins to boil. Boil for 3 minutes, whisking the whole time. Remove from the heat. If using, add the vanilla and a pinch or two of sea salt, whisk well, and then quickly pour the mixture over the matzah. Use a spatula to spread it quickly over all the matzah, as it will begin to set.
Bake the toffee-covered matzah for about 13 minutes, watching it carefully. If the corners start to darken or burn, reduce the heat.
Remove the tray from the oven and immediately cover with the chocolate chips. Let stand for a few minutes until the chips melt (this step is faster with the mini chocolate chops). Use a spatula to smooth the chocolate over the toffee layer. At this step, you can also add any toppings you desire: some flaky sea salt, coconut, chopped nuts etc.
Let the tray cool completely, and then break the matzah into bits. Enjoy!
Store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge.