In the Torah, Shavuot is purely an agricultural holiday. There is no mention of the giving of the Torah taking place on Shavuot. When our ancestors counted the days from Pesach to Shavuot, their minds were on the harvest and survival.
On Shavuot, when the first fruits were brought to the Temple, the people acknowledged that human existence depends on wonderous natural systems. How plants turn sunlight into food through photosynthesis is still not completely understood. Crops are nurtured by the right amount of rain at the right time, but the weather on any single day can make the difference between a good or bad crop.
Many things have changed since Jews began to count the Omer, but not the reality that life depends on a good harvest. Climate change is causing dangerous weather that makes farming more unpredictable. This year, severe floods devastated China’s wheat crop. Shortages are being compounded by war. The grain crop in Ukraine may be cut in half if farmers are unable to plant their fields.
Today, as we count the Omer as our ancestors did, let’s remember that we too depend on a good harvest, and commit to take action for a safe and reliable climate.
