Torah Message from Rabbi Moldovan
The second day of Pesach is the beginning of Counting of the Omer. For a full seven weeks we count one day at a time from Pesach until we reach Shavuos. The commentaries ask what is the point of this counting? It is a Mitzvah of the Torah, that seems too simplistic. The Ramban explains that Shavuos, unlike Pesach and Sukkos, has no Chol Hamoed. Rather, the festival of Shavuos is really a continuation of Pesach with a gigantic Chol Hamoed of 49 days in between. On Pesach we celebrate our rescue from slavery as we left Egypt and became an independent nation. On Shavuos we celebrate receiving the Torah at Mount Sinai. The message of the Omer is that our freedom from slavery is not an end unto itself. The end is what comes 49 days later when we receive the Torah. Pesach begins our creation as a nation, but this is only completed when we receive the Torah. Have a chag kosher v'samayach.