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When people are counting down to an anticipated event, it is in the hope that the time in-between disappears; like an engaged couple who desperately look forward to their wedding day and wish the interim engagement period would disappear.
However, during the Omer we have a special opportunity to work on ourselves and fix those character traits that need it. These forty nine days give us the opportunity to grow spiritually day by day and prepare ourselves to receive the Torah on Shavuos. It is for this reason that we count up towards Shavuos, because every day is a new opportunity to attain a higher level in our connection with the Creator of the World. We do not wish the interim days to disappear at all, for we need this period to build ourselves to a level where we can fully appreciate the incredibly special day of Shavuos, where we are once again ready and willing to receive the Torah.
This is why we do not count down towards Shavuos, because each day is a precious gift, as Rav Pinkus explains in the following analogy:
If someone were to tell his friend that he will give him one million dollars after one-hundred days, his friend would be elated. During this waiting period he would surely become increasingly impatient and think only of the date where he will collect the money. If however the deal was that he would get thousand dollars each day for one hundred days until he accumulates the million dollars, then each day would be a day to look forward to. Each day he would be exhilarated as he adds up his earnings and gets closer to his final goal.
Rav Shimshon Dovid Pinkus ZT”L says something very similar.
We don’t count up, we don’t count down.
We say “Today is forty days in/to the Omer”.
Which makes no sense – we should say “fortieth day”.
Hmn?
We don’t count up, we don’t count down.
We say “Today is forty days in/to the Omer”.
Which makes no sense – we should say “fortieth day”.
Despite the fact that the days are part of a series, each day is a unique oppertunity.
Yes, but we don’t say that. We use a unique phrase – “Hayom arboyim yom”, Today IS forty days. Today could be the fortieth, it could be the cumlination of forty, but its just ONE day. The phrase needs much explanation.
WE don’t count down, because if we began from 49, the high #’s during the early part of the Omer would be too daunting, with too long a wait until Shovu’os.
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