The Omer and Yetziat Mitzrayim, Lessons of the Start

New Series: From Redemption to Consolation: Between Pesach and 9BeAv. Our Best Strategies for Bi'at Ha-Go'el, by Rabbi Gidon Rothstein We will progress from the heights of Pesach to the seeds of hurban, to the road to restoration, finding ways halakha guides us towards the key pieces of a life well lived. By spotting where our predecessors went wrong--from the start, in the middle, and to the end--we can hope to learn from their missteps, and stride more successfully to the redemption and rebuilding we all want. In this first installment, we will discuss the Beitusim, the date of Shavuot, and a fundamental weakness Jews have in engaging with God's commands. An alumnus of Har Etzion (1982), Rabbi Dr. Gidon Rothstein has served in the community rabbinate and in educational roles at the high school and adult level. He is an author of Jewish fiction and non-fiction, most recently "We're Missing the Point: What's Wrong with the Orthodox Jewish Community and How to Fix It."