You Shall Count Seven Weeks

שִׁבְעָה שָׁבֻעֹת תִּסְפָּר לָךְ

D'varim-16.9- דברים

9.’Seven weeks shall you count for yourselves; from the time when the sickle is first put to the standing corn shall you shall begin counting seven weeks-שִׁבְעָה שָׁבֻעֹת תִּסְפָּר לָךְ מֵהָחֵל חֶרְמֵשׁ בַּקָּמָה תָּחֵל לִסְפֹּר שִׁבְעָה שָׁבֻעוֹת (4680=18).

The verse can be divided so:

·         Seven weeks- שִׁבְעָה שָׁבֻעֹת (1149+2 words=1151=8);

·         Shall you count for yourselves- תִּסְפָּר לָךְ(790+2 words=18);

·         From the time when the sickle is first put to the standing corn shall you begin counting seven weeks- מֵהָחֵל חֶרְמֵשׁ בַּקָּמָה תָּחֵל לִסְפֹּר שִׁבְעָה שָׁבֻעוֹת (2741=14=8).

Rashi comments here that this is the time of the reaping of the Omer Offering-the beginning of the harvest (Sifrei 136).

This comment of Rashi is proven by the following identical gematriot:

Shavuot

שָׁבֻעוֹת

778

From the time when the sickle is first put to the standing corn

מֵהָחֵל חֶרְמֵשׁ בַּקָּמָה

778

778+778=1556=18

Thus there is an inherent connection between the beginning of the harvest and the Festival of Shavuot.