| Dvar Halacha By: R' Chananya Berman Question: When is the best time to count Sefira? Discussion: לכתחילה one should wait until צאת הכובבים to count the Omer (תפ"ט ס"ב). Rav Moshe held that for the mitzvah of Sefira, צאת is 50 minutes after sunset (ח"ד ס"ב). Rav Aron Kotler zt"l is quoted as having been accustomed to waiting 72 minutes from sunset. However, one is allowed to count any time after sunset (סתפ"ט בבי"ה ד"ה מבעוד יום). One suggestion that is given is if a person is davening with a minyan that is not going to wait until nightfall, he should count without a bracha with the following condition in mind. If I remember to count later then I am not fulfilling my obligation now. But, if I don't remember to recount then I am doing the mitzvah now. This way he can recount when it is the proper time, but if he forgets he has still fulfilled the mitzvah. Even though we said that one should count as soon as possible, one may count with a bracha the entire night. If one forgot to count the entire night, he may count during the day without a bracha. At night he continues counting with a bracha. If one forgot for an entire 24 hour period, he still counts the omer. However, he may not make a bracha. One should ask someone else to make the bracha for him. If a person is unsure whether he counted or not he may continue to count with a bracha. Other Halachos of Sefiras Haomer: One may not begin anything which may cause him to forget to count the omer (i.e. eating a meal of taking a haircut or bathing) once it is within a half hour of the time to count. Since there is a dispute as to when the proper time to count is one should not start any of these activities within a half hour of sunset. However, if one began any activity before this time one need not stop to count (רמא סתפ"ט ס"ד). If one has a minyan that he regularly attends later then he need not follow these restrictions. Some people have the custom to refrain from doing any work once the time of counting begins. If a person already davened maariv or he accepted early shabbos, but it is still before sunset he may count (without a bracha) and can continue counting with a bracha on subsequent nights. If a person remembered that he did not yet count and it is after sunset but before nightfall a rav should be consulted. For all practical questions please ask your Rav. 
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