Missing a Day of Sefiras Haomer

Q. If someone forgets to count one day of sefiras haomer, are they allowed to continue counting other nights? What if they’re unsure whether a day has been missed?

A. If someone definitely forgot to count a day of sefiras haomer, they should not continue counting with a bracha. This is because there is an opinion that the 49 days of sefira counting is treated as one unit and missing one night invalidates the mitzvah. Nevertheless, since the majority of poskim are of the opinion that there is an independent mitzvah each day, one must continue counting without a bracha (or preferably listen to someone else’s bracha). However, if someone is unsure whether they missed a night, they can continue counting regularly with a bracha. This is because there is a sfek sfeika (double doubt): First, there is a possibility that all days have been counted. Second, even if a day was missed, there is still an opinion that each day is a separate mitzvah. This combination of considerations together allow one to continue counting with a bracha (Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 489:8 and Mishna Berura ibid., 37-38). 

To be continued...

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The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis is dedicated to the memory of Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt"l, who served as halachic consultant for OU Kosher for more than 28 years; many of the responses in Halacha Yomis are based on the rulings of Rabbi Belsky. Subscribe to the Halacha Yomis daily email here.