Perhaps the most alarming question about sefiras ha'omer is the quite obvious contradiction in the actual numbers. The aish das says this is a huge wonder. The pasuk says (23:15) usfartem lachem ..... Sheva shabasos temimos. The next passuk says tispiru chamishim yom. You don't need to be an accountant to know that 7 full weeks are not 50 days!
Another question is what the word 'Lachem' is coming to teach. (Some poskim learn that one cannot count for another. Each person must make his own count.) It is is interesting to note that 'lachem' is only stated on the passuk of the 7 weeks, but not on the 50 days.
The Aish Das explains that the 50th day & level of purification for kabolas haTorah is entirely a different type of purity. I'd like to take his words further.
The 49 levels are 'lachem' - it is humanly possible & the duty of each individual to elevate himself to that level. The 50th level is written to the Rabim as whole - but no individual can reach that level. The Jews in their entirety can anticipate & count the 50th which will happen 'automatically', based on the previous efforts of the 49. Habah l'taher, m'sayin lo. Vhiskadashtem vhiyisem k'doshim. When one does what he can do in kedusha & taharah, Hashem provides the levels that were beyond the person's reach. Even more so, - since the rwsponse of Hashem is due to one's previous effort, the person can be creditted for the extra level as well!
(We find this when one is margil himself to a good trait, he continues to get credit even after it is 'automated'. The reverse is true regarding sin as well.)
Perhaps this is why the lachem is written on full weeks as opposed to saying count 49 days. As a whole there may be daily growth from day to day as klall Yisrael counts toward mattan Torah. However, it is very difficult for a person to see, note, and count his own growth on a daily basis. So the Torah says the lachem on the weeks. Count for yourself & note your achievement each complete week.
In short, the Torah is not telling us just to count the weeks. But count them for YOURSELF! MAKE THEM COUNT!!! Do something with them so that they are recognizably countable for YOU!
I'd like to add a sharp point to this. We always hear that these days should be used to grow to be mikabel the Torah anew on Shavuos. Its nice for a drasha but at least for myself, I think, 'who are we kidding?'. Its the same sefirah & the same shavuos each year & no growth or change is happening.
The Zohar writes in detail that the seven weeks are exact parallels to the 7 neki'im that a woman count until complete taharah. The count requires a serious 'bedikah'. Any kallah would say 'that's not my type' - but the severity is recognized & accepted that this is serious & must be done.
Women don't have our sefirah & we don't have theirs! Why should we take ours any less seriously than theirs!!!
Let's make the weeks count! Let's make a bedikah at the end of each week! Perhaps if we take this seriously we will notice a whole new Kabolas HaTorah!
