Here are some interesting videos discussing the period on the Jewish calendar we are in now, called 'Sefirat HaOmer' which means 'Counting the Omer'. It is the 49 days from the end of the 2nd seder of Pesach till the 50th day when we celebrate Shavuot (Weeks) when we stood at Mount SInai and received the Torah from Hashem.
As edu posted in a previous thread, the sages and the mekubbalim explain that these 49 days are a period we are supposed to go through middot tikkun (Character Trait Rectification). It is explained that the Children of Israel in Mitzrayim (Egypt) had become affected by the negative energy in the idolatrous land of Egypt. Even though these Israelites were the best of the lot, even they had fallen to the 49th level of impurity. This impurity prevented them from receiving the full light of the redemption and from receiving Hashems covenant with the Jewish people.
So these 49 days are used to elevate our traits, so that we are more perfect vessels for the light of Hashems revelation. The Jewish way of life is to always use this world to increase our awareness and love of our Father in Heaven, to elevate the world and thus elevate ourselves and those around us...
Let us start with the laws and customs of counting the days of the Omer...
