The Laws of Counting the Omer

If one erred in the count: whether he blesses again
1. If one erred in the count and remembered within “toch kedei dibbur,” he corrects himself immediately and does not recite the blessing again, even if at the time of the blessing he intended to say the wrong count. If he remembered after that time, he goes back and recites the blessing. [1]

Forgot to count at night
2. One who forgot to count the Omer at night should count during the day without a blessing and continue on the remaining nights to count with a blessing. If he also forgot to count by day, he continues on the remaining nights without a blessing. [2]

Uncertain whether he counted
3. One who is uncertain whether he counted, or whether he counted correctly, even if it seems more likely that he did not count or did not count correctly, continues to count with a blessing, for this is a double doubt. The same applies if he is uncertain whether he may have missed several days: he may continue counting with a blessing. [3]

Counted after sunset of the following day
4. If he remembered to count only after sunset of the following day, provided he counted within 13 and a half minutes after sunset, he continues to count with a blessing. [4]

Women
5. Women who wish to count the Omer should preferably count without a blessing, unless she is certain she will not forget any day and will not err in her count. [5]

Children
6. A child who has reached the age of education should be trained to count each day with a blessing; if he missed one day, he should count from then on without a blessing. [6]

A minor who became bar mitzvah
7. If a minor became obligated during the days of counting: if he missed one day while still a minor, he counts without a blessing even after becoming obligated. If he counted all the days while a minor, the later authorities dispute the matter; practically, he counts with a blessing. [7]

Knowing the number of the days
8. Ideally, one should know the day’s number before reciting the blessing. Post facto, if after blessing he remained silent until he heard another person count and then counted like him, he has fulfilled his obligation. [8]

Eating before counting
9. After sunset it is forbidden to eat before counting the Omer unless one appoints a reminder. An alarm clock explicitly marked “Counting the Omer” may be relied upon as such a reminder. [9]

Counted days but not weeks
10. If he stated only the number of days and not the number of weeks, he must count again without a blessing. If he forgot to do so, he counts with a blessing on the following days. [10]

Counted weeks but not days
11. If he stated only the number of weeks and not the number of days, when it was a day completing a week, such as the seventh or fourteenth day, he must count again with a blessing; if he forgot, he counts on later days without a blessing. If it was in the middle of a week, such as the eighth day, and he said, “Today is one week and one day of the Omer,” ideally he should count again without a blessing; if he forgot, he has fulfilled his obligation post facto and counts with a blessing on later days. [11]

Erred in the number of weeks
12. If he stated the days correctly but erred in the weeks, ideally he counts again without a blessing; post facto he counts with a blessing on later days. [12]

His friend asked him the count
13. If his friend asked, “How many is it today?” and he answered, “Today is such-and-such,” before he himself counted with a blessing, he should count again that day without a blessing. [13] This applies only during the first week, when there is no count of weeks. After a full week has passed, since weeks are also counted, if he told his friend only the number of days and not the weeks, it is evident that he did not intend to fulfill the mitzvah, and he may count again with a blessing. If he did not recount, he may nevertheless continue on later days with a blessing, because in every case of doubt we rely on the majority of rishonim that each day is a separate mitzvah. [14]

Asked whether today is such-and-such
14. One who asks his friend, “Is today such-and-such days of the Omer?” and mentions the correct count, may count again with a blessing, because he said it as a question, which is not the manner of counting. Even if counting out of uncertainty could be considered counting, phrasing it as a question is not considered counting. [15] [16] If he did not count again, there is doubt whether he may count with a blessing on later days.

Said: today is Lag BaOmer
15. If he said, “Today is Lag BaOmer,” he counts again with a blessing. [17] Likewise, one who mentioned the day’s number in the course of learning has not lost the blessing. [18]

Wrote: today is such-and-such
16. If he wrote, “Today is such-and-such of the Omer,” he counts again with a blessing. If he did not count again, it is doubtful whether he may continue counting with a blessing. [19]

Counted properly and then retracted within toch kedei dibbur
17. If he counted properly and within toch kedei dibbur counted incorrectly, he continues to count with a blessing, because that interval helps to correct but not to spoil. [20]

Heard from the cantor
18. If he forgot to count but heard the counting of the Omer from the cantor, he continues to count with a blessing. [21]

In the Amidah and remembered near sunset
19. One who is standing in the Minchah Amidah near sunset and remembers that he did not count yesterday should not interrupt his prayer to count. But if he will finish within 13 and a half minutes after sunset, he should count without a blessing and may continue counting with a blessing on the following days. [22]

Afraid he will forget
20. One who fears he may forget one of the days, or who knows he will not be able to count the entire period consecutively, such as because of a long procedure under anesthesia, should begin counting with a blessing; this is not comparable to a woman, who is not essentially obligated. [23]

A prayer leader who forgot
21. A shaliach tzibbur who forgot to count the Omer should not ask another person not to bless so that the shaliach tzibbur can bless and discharge him. However, one who is lenient has authorities on whom to rely. [24]

Praying Ma’ariv early
22. Ideally one should not pray Ma’ariv during the days of counting before sunset, even on Friday night. If they prayed early, they should not count the Omer until nightfall, and they may not eat before counting. [25]

-- Haircuts during the Omer --

Prohibition of haircuts
23 . One does not take haircuts or shave during the Omer. A moustache that interferes with eating may be trimmed; if it does not interfere, it may not. [26]

Women
24. Married women and Sephardic girls in shidduchim may take haircuts. Ashkenazic women may rely on the lenient view when necessary. [27]

Children
25. The custom is to be stringent also with children and not cut their hair during the days of counting, but when necessary, for example if the hair bothers the child, it is permitted. A chalakah haircut is permitted during the Omer, though the custom is to wait until Lag BaOmer. [28] [29]

Participants in a brit
26. The father of the baby and the sandak may cut their hair from the day before the brit, close to evening, from minchah ketanah. If the brit is on Sunday, in pressing circumstances they may cut their hair already on Friday. According to the custom of the Arizal, one does not cut hair throughout the Omer even for a brit milah. [30]

On Lag BaOmer
27. Ideally one should not cut hair until the daytime of Lag BaOmer. In pressing circumstances Ashkenazim may cut hair already on the night of Lag BaOmer. Sephardim may, in pressing circumstances, cut hair on the night of the thirty-fourth day, but ideally only during the day of the thirty-fourth. [31]

After Lag BaOmer
28. The common custom is that Ashkenazim cut hair from Lag BaOmer onward and Sephardim from the thirty-fourth day onward. However, Luach Eretz Yisrael writes that the custom is to permit only from Rosh Chodesh Sivan, and some do so only from the three days of hagbalah.

The custom of the Arizal
29. Those who follow the Arizal do not cut hair until the night of the forty-ninth day of the Omer. When necessary, one may cut hair on the forty-eighth day and even on the night of the forty-eighth. [32]

-- Music and celebrations during the Omer --

Listening to music
30. A person healthy in body and soul may not listen to melodies and songs during the Omer. One whose emotional state is very low and music benefits him may listen. [33]

Vocal music
Even regarding emotional a cappella songs that do not sound like ordinary music, although one should not protest against those who are lenient, the custom is to refrain from this as well.

Children
31. Children below the age of education, age six, may listen, and even if adults hear the melody in the background there is no prohibition, since they do not intend to listen and enjoy it. [34]

At a mitzvah meal
32. One should refrain from songs and melodies even at a seudat mitzvah, such as a brit, pidyon haben, a bar mitzvah on its proper date, or a siyum. However, regarding recorded music there is room to be lenient if he regularly plays music at such celebrations during the rest of the year. After Lag BaOmer one may be lenient and bring an orchestra to these meals even according to those who observe mourning then. [35] [36]

Accompanying music
33. Accompanying music, such as background music to a story, playing for purposes of study if he began studying before the Omer, and music for medical purposes are permitted. [37]

Singing by mouth
34. Singing without instruments is permitted privately; in public, some refrain. [38]

The night of Lag BaOmer
35. Songs on the night of Lag BaOmer: one does not listen to music on the night of Lag BaOmer, but if they are in honor of the tanna Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, it is permitted. [39]

After Lag BaOmer
36. Music after Lag BaOmer: some have the custom to listen, but the Mishnah Berurah ruled not to be lenient except from Rosh Chodesh Sivan, and this is what should be done. [40]

-- Weddings during the Omer --

For Ashkenazim
37. Ashkenazim may initially make weddings on the day of Lag BaOmer, and Sephardim on the thirty-fourth day. In pressing circumstances, such as difficulty finding halls, Ashkenazim may marry on the night of Lag BaOmer. [41]

For Sephardim
38. Sephardim have the custom to permit weddings from the thirty-fourth day onward. Ashkenazim in Eretz Yisrael customarily do not make weddings until the month of Sivan; from Rosh Chodesh onward there are differing customs: some wait until the third of Sivan, some from the second, and some from Rosh Chodesh. [42]

At another’s celebration
39. One who observes a prohibition after Lag BaOmer and was invited to a friend’s celebration may attend; even if he enjoys the songs or dances, he has grounds on which to rely. [43]

Bringing in a Torah scroll
40. An orchestra at a hachnasat Sefer Torah: until Lag BaOmer one should be stringent, and after Lag BaOmer one may be lenient initially. Many customarily bring in a Sefer Torah after Rosh Chodesh Sivan. [44]

-- Purchases and the blessing of Shehecheyanu during the Omer --

Buying clothing
41. One may buy clothing over which Shehecheyanu is not recited. Expensive clothing over which Shehecheyanu is recited is something some refrain from buying, but according to the basic law it is permitted. [45]

Intending to wear it after the Omer
42. One who buys clothing intending to wear it for the first time after the days of counting may initially buy it even during the Omer. [46]

Buying a car and furniture
43. A married person may buy a car, furniture, and expensive electrical appliances for the home, since he recites Hatov Vehametiv over them and not Shehecheyanu, as his household shares in the benefit. For singles, who recite Shehecheyanu, some refrain. [47]

Buying a new fruit
44. Some refrain from buying and eating a new fruit; for Shabbat, it is permitted initially. [48]

A new fruit came his way
45. If a new fruit came before him during the week, he may eat it and recite Shehecheyanu. However, if the fruit will remain fresh until Shabbat, ideally he should wait and eat it on Shabbat. [49]

-- Various laws --

Painting and renovating the house
46. Painting the house and renovating it are permitted during the Omer. [50]

Moving home
47. It is permitted to move home during these days, though some refrain because these are days of judgment.

Going to the sea and pool
48. It is permitted to go to the sea and to a swimming pool during the Omer.