Can a boy who becomes Bar Mitzva<\/i> in the middle of Sefiras\u00a0HaOmer<\/i> continue counting the Omer<\/i> with a Beracha<\/i>?<\/p>\n
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Tosafos<\/b> in Menachos<\/i>\u00a066a quotes the Bahag<\/b> that if someone missed counting a day of Sefiras\u00a0HaOmer<\/i> altogether, he can no longer continue counting with a Beracha<\/i> because the counting must be \u201cTemimos<\/i>\u201d, complete.<\/p>\n
Tosafos<\/b> personally expresses skepticism at this ruling. The Rosh<\/b> in Pesachim<\/i> 10:41 elaborates that Tosafos<\/b> considers each individual day\u2019s count to be a separate and independent Mitzva<\/i>; consequently, omitting one has no impact on the others.<\/p>\n
It is not completely clear whether the Bahag<\/b> opines that counting all 49 days merely completes one single Mitzva<\/i>, or perhaps he agrees that each day is a separate Mitzva<\/i>, but \u201cTemimos<\/i>\u201d makes them interdependent.<\/p>\n
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The Shulchan\u00a0Aruch<\/b> OC 489:8 rules that we must be Machmir<\/i> for the Bahag\u2019s<\/b> position, and one who forgot to count one day should not continue with a Beracha<\/i>. However, he does not conclusively rule in accordance with the Bahag<\/b>; it is merely a doubtful situation where a Beracha<\/i> is not recited.<\/p>\n
Consequently, in the Beis\u00a0Yosef<\/b> he concurs with the Terumas\u00a0HaDeshen<\/b> 1:37 that if one is uncertain whether he remembered to count a certain day and is unsure if he omitted it, he may continue to count the following days with a Beracha<\/i>. Since there is doubt what occurred, and even if he forgot the ultimate Halacha<\/i> is questionable; the rule of Sfek\u00a0Sfeika<\/i> allows him to continue saying Sefiras\u00a0HaOmer<\/i> with a Beracha<\/i>.<\/p>\n
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The Sefer\u00a0HaChinuch<\/b> Mitzva<\/i> 306 explains the Bahag\u2019s<\/b> position as considering the counting of all 49 days as one single Mitzva<\/i>.<\/p>\n
In this context, the Minchas\u00a0Chinuch<\/b> there addresses our original question regarding the Bar Mitzva<\/i> Bachur<\/i> who is lacking in a portion of the Mitzva<\/i> since he only counted the earlier days as a non-obligated minor. He concludes that the Bachur<\/i> may continue to recite the Beracha<\/i> for a fascinating reason.<\/p>\n
The Magid Mishna<\/b> Shabbos<\/i> 29:11 writes that if one made early Shabbos<\/i> and said Kiddush<\/i> before sunset, he may continue eating after nightfall based upon that Kiddush<\/i>. The Mordechai<\/b> Megila<\/i> \u00a7798 adds that even according to the opinions that Tosefes\u00a0Shabbos<\/i> is exclusively of Rabbinic origin while Kiddush<\/i> on Shabbos<\/i> is a Biblical obligation, the Rabbinic Kiddush<\/i> he recited before sunset can be utilized to fulfill his Biblical requirement. The Magen Avraham<\/b> in Orach Chaim<\/i> 267\u00a71 quotes the Magid Mishna<\/b> and Mordechai<\/b>.<\/p>\n
Based upon this precept, the Minchas\u00a0Chinuch<\/b> suggests that in our case as well, we can apply a similar concept. Since a minor is required to perform all of the Mitzvos<\/i>, including Sefiras\u00a0HaOmer<\/i>, due to the Rabbinical obligation of Chinuch<\/i>; his counting prior to the Bar Mitzva<\/i>\u00a0can count towards his subsequent Biblical obligation. Consequently, though the status of his counting has changed mid-stream, his situation is vastly different than that of one who failed to count at all.<\/p>\n
The need to originate such a comparison is clearly predicated on his acceptance of the Sefer<\/b> HaChinuch\u2019s<\/b> understanding of the Bahag<\/b>. Only assuming that all 49 days are single Mitzva<\/i> makes it necessary to explain why a Rabbinic fulfillment can combine with a Biblical one to create a \u201ccomplete\u201d Mitzva<\/i>. However, if we interpret the Bahag\u2019s<\/b> requirement of \u201cTemimos<\/i>\u201d as merely conditioning his count on physically counting each and every day, it is irrelevant whether he fulfilled any obligation at all. In fact, there are Rishonim<\/b> who opine that one must count every day, but if one was omitted it is sufficient to recite the next day, \u201cYesterday was x and today is y\u201d. This clearly does not fulfill the missing Mitzva<\/i>, it merely rounds out a complete count.<\/p>\n
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The Maharam\u00a0Shick<\/b> on Mitzva<\/i> 307 challenges the Minchas Chinuch\u2019s<\/b> conclusion for a different reason. While it is true that the Magen Avraham<\/b> cited the Mordechai\u2019s<\/b> words, in fact his conclusion was to disagree. The Magen Avraham<\/b> disputed the Modechai\u2019s<\/b> ruling based upon the Halacha<\/i> that a minor cannot exempt an adult by reciting Birkas\u00a0HaMazon<\/i> for him. Clearly, it is not conclusive that a Rabbinic obligation can exempt a Biblical one.<\/p>\n
The Maharam\u00a0Shick<\/b> resolves the Magen Avraham\u2019s<\/b> question by differentiating between the types of Rabbinic precepts. While regarding Kiddush<\/i> the same individual who has the Rabbinic obligation before nightfall will have the Biblical one later, this is not straightforward regarding Chinuch<\/i>. In Berachos<\/i>\u00a048b Rashi<\/b> writes that the imperative of Chinuch<\/i> is incumbent upon the father and not the son. According to his opinion, a minor has no Rabbinic obligation to recite Birkas\u00a0HaMazon<\/i> or Sefiras\u00a0HaOmer<\/i> at all; rather, his father is commanded to educate and train him by doing so. While Tosafos<\/b> there disagrees, the matter is not resolved.<\/p>\n
Consequently, the Maharam\u00a0Shick<\/b> concludes that while the Magen Avraham\u2019s<\/b> challenge to the Mordechai<\/b> from Birkas\u00a0HaMazon<\/i> can be resolved by this distinction, the Minchas Chinuch\u2019s<\/b> comparison would not be valid as the Mitzva<\/i> of counting the first half of Sefira<\/i> was not fulfilled in any manner, even Rabbinic. Ultimately, while he disputes the Minchas Chinuch\u2019s<\/b> reasoning, in Teshuvos<\/b> Orach<\/i> Chaim<\/i> 2:269 he concurs with the Minchas Chinuch\u2019s<\/b> ruling permitting the continuation of Sefira<\/i> with a Bracha<\/i> for other reasons.<\/p>\n
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In conclusion, it would appear that the majority of Poskim<\/b> conclude that a Bar Mitzva\u00a0Bachur<\/i> who counted Sefiras\u00a0HaOmer<\/i> every day prior to his Bar Mitzva<\/i> should continue to do so with a Beracha<\/i>. Even if we would consider this ruling questionable, we mentioned previously that there is precedent to count with a Beracha<\/i> in the presence of multiple doubts, which certainly exist here. First of all, it is not certain that the Halacha<\/i> follows the Bahag<\/b> altogether. Secondly, the intent of the Bahag<\/b> may be merely to require counting 49 days, which was satisfied; but not necessarily fulfilling the Mitzva<\/i> 49 times. Even if it does, many of the Poskim<\/b> suggested various justifications to continue counting with a Beracha<\/i> regardless.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Can a boy who becomes Bar Mitzva in the middle of Sefiras\u00a0HaOmer continue counting the Omer with a Beracha? Tosafos in Menachos\u00a066a quotes the Bahag that if someone missed counting a day of Sefiras\u00a0HaOmer altogether, he can no longer … Continue reading