Five Ways NOT to Forget to Count the Omer

As we continue to practice social distancing, including not attending Shul, we are faced with the particular challenge of how not to forget to count the Omer every night.

By the way, tonight Motzei Shabbos is day three of the Omer.

I am aware there are Apps out there that can always remind you when to count, and you can and should take advantage of them.

However, if you are like myself, and you are not such an “app-man,” I have come up with my old fashioned list to remind you to count the Omer nightly.

Here goes- I have added the pros and cons of each.

1.      Place a “post-It’ in your Siddur near either at Maariv or at Krias Shema Al Ha Mitta.

a.      Advantages: Since most of us (at least the men) daven Maariv, and hopefully all of us (including the women) say Krias Shem Al Hamitah- this certainly will remind you before retiring for the evening to count.

b.     Disadvantages:

         i.     “Post It” tend to become ‘unposted’ and dropped from the Siddur, and therefore if it becomes “unposted,” you will lose your reminder.

         ii.     Once the “post-it” becomes a part of your Siddur, you can easily ignore it.

c.      Solution- Use a post-it, which is not quite the right size for the page you are looking to bookmark. This can assist in not losing and not ignoring it.

2.      Creat a Chavrusah system where you call one night your chavrusa to remind him/her to say the Omer, and they call you the next night.

a.      Advantages: Creates a shared responsibility to remind you to call as your friend is relying on you.

         i.     Creates bonding and friendship

         ii.     You can squeeze in a DvarTorah as well

b.     Disadvantages:

         i.     It does not work for Shabbos.

         ii.      If one person breaks the chain, the entire system can collapse.

         iii.     When the call goes to voice mail, you are never sure if the person received the message or not

c.      Solution-  Call the person, and hopefully, they will see your number on their “missed call” list and remember to count.

         i.     For Shabbos- call on Friday and then again right after Shabbos

3.      Please small note on your pillow to remind you to count before you go to sleep

a.      Advantages- Everyone goes to sleep, so you should see it before you hit your pillow

b.     Disadvantages- Sometimes you are so tired you may just collapse into bed without seeing it

c.      Solution- Use a rough and large enough piece of paper which will be uncomfortable to sleep on and large enough not to miss

4.      Penalize yourself $1 for every time you forget

a.      Advantage-  When you have to pay for something, you are less likely to forget it

b.     Disadvantage- You must remember that you forgot to count to penalize yourself.

c.      Solution- Set aside $1 near your Pushka daily. Place Puska and dollar near your Siddur. When you wake up in the morning, you will see the Siddur and the dollar and remember if you counted or not.

5.      Daven to Hashem to remind you to count

This one is the best!