Sefiras Ha'Omer

People frequently ask each other what day of the Omer it is and if one has not yet counted the Omer, it is possible, as we shall soon explain that one may not later count with a b'racha. This is based on the halachic concept that mitzvos einan tzrichos kavanah – one need not have specific intention to do a mitzvah, but it suffices that the mitzvah was done.  Therefore, in our case, since the person stated the day of the Omer – albeit not intending to specifically fulfill the mitzvah and count -  in effect the day was counted.

Whether one will be permitted to count that night with a b'racha will depend on the nature of the response, as follows.

If the response is -

~ "today is day six", one may not count that night with a b'racha, because it is considered as counting, even though one did not say la'omer or ba'omer. [1]

~ "today is day twelve", and he omitted, "which is one week and five days", in other words, the response included the days but not the weeks. The halacha is that one may count later with a b'racha. [2]

~ "five la'omer", and hayom was omitted, one may continue with a b'racha, because without the word hayom, it does not constitute as counting that day. [3]

~ a full response, but one had specific intention not to do the mitzvah, one may later count with a b'racha. Having specific intention not to be yotze is not considered counting. [4]

One is about to count 12 ba'omer or la'omer and hears the ba'al tefillah say 13 ba'omer. May he count 13 with a b'racha?

The basis of the question is that if he intended to count 12, it means that he thought the day before was 11, in which case he evidently missed a day and cannot continue counting with a b'racha since he missed a day.

If however, he is now uncertain, and it is possible that he counted the correct day yesterday, he may continue with a b'racha. [5] The reason is because we have a combination of two s'feikos. One safeik is whether he skipped a day or not, and another safeik is whether a b'racha is recited even though one has not counted each day. [6]

One recited the b'racha and is about to say day 14 and hears the tzibbur say 15, is the b'racha valid?

In this case he knows he counted the previous day correctly, yet his problem is that today he miscalculated and was about to recite the incorrect day. He does not recite a new b'racha and must immediately continue with the correct count.

If today is day 15 and one said

~ "today is day 14, which is two weeks ba'omer", one must repeat the b'racha because it is the incorrect count.

~ "today is day 14, which is two weeks ba'omer", and one corrected oneself within toch k'dei dibur (2-3 seconds) and recited the correct day, the count is valid and one need not repeat the b'racha. [7] This holds true even when one mistakenly thought that today is 14, not only if one's tongue slipped and recited 14.

May one recite a shehechiyanu during the Omer?

Although the Shulchan Aruch says to refrain from reciting shehechiyanu during the three weeks from 17^th of Tamuz till 9^th of Av, many poskim hold that during sefirah one may recite the shehechiyanu. [8] The Mishna Berura writes that even though sefirah is not a time for extraordinary simcha, if one happens upon a shehechiyanu, one may recite it. [9]

May one purchase new clothes during the Omer?

The Kaf HaChaim cites several poskim who say that one may recite shehechiyanu on fruit and clothing during sefirah, as it is not as severe as the mourning customs during the three weeks. Although he cites an opinion who holds that it is "a good custom" not to wear new clothing during sefirah, he says that one does not rule accordingly. [10]

It appears that if not for the issue of reciting shehechiyanu, there is no issue with purchasing and wearing new clothes during sefirah. And since most have the custom to recite shehechiyanu on special clothing and not on regular clothing, one is permitted to purchase and wear regular clothing during sefirah.

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