305. Fresh!: The prohibition against eating fresh grain of the new crop before the Omer

In the two previous mitzvos, we said that before the Omer offering is brought on the 16th day of the month of Nisan, we may not eat bread made from the new grain, nor may we eat it roasted. Here we are informed that we may not even it eat fresh.

The Talmud in Kerisos (5b) tells us that one is liable for each of these three forms of grain independently. Therefore, if he ate fresh grain, roasted grain and bread of the new harvest before the Omer offering was brought, he would have violated three distinct commandments.

As with the previous two mitzvos, the reason for this mitzvah is that grain is our main form of sustenance. We may not enjoy the new harvest of grain before we bring an offering from it in order to thank God for giving it to us.

This mitzvah applies to both men and women in all times and places. As with the preceding two mitzvosh, it is discussed in the last mishna in Orlah, in Talmud Kiddushin (39a) and Menachos (70b). It is codified in the Shulchan Aruch in Orach Chaim 489. This mitzvah is #191 of the 365 negative mitzvos in the Rambam’s Sefer HaMitzvos and #103 of the 194 negative mitzvos that can be observed today in the Chofetz Chaim’s Sefer HaMitzvos HaKatzar.