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49 Day Challenge
Counting the Omer and 49-Day Challenge
This year, during the counting of the Omer, you can join us on an 49-Day Fitness and Spiritual Discipline Challenge. Consider the 49-Day Challenge a chance to develop some good habits, get healthier, and prepare for Shavuot. No one is too old or too young to participate. Here’s the challenge for the 49 days of the Omer, beginning Wednesday, April 24. The challenge concludes on Erev Shavuot.
- 49 days counting the omer without missing a day.
- 49 days daily prayer
- 49 days daily study
- 49 days daily act of charity (tzedakah).
- 49 minutes (minimum) intentional physical exercise every day.
- 49 days on a specific diet (any diet) without exceptions or cheat meals.
- 49 days abstinence from junk food, sugar, and alcohol without exceptions or treats.
Success
In order to succeed, you will need to make these seven tasks your top priority. No matter what happens, or how badly your day goes, you cannot let sleep come to your eyes until you have finished all seven. If you succeed in all seven tasks for all forty-nine days of the omer, you complete the challenge and receive the reward of spiritual discipline. There might also be a t-shirt or a mug for the winners, so something like that to make a tangible trophy.
Failure
If you fail to complete just one of the seven tasks just one time during the forty-nine days of the omer, you fail. But don’t give up. Keep going with the challenge any way. There is no second place or consolation prize, but this is about developing self-discipline and self-accountability. You are competing against yourself. Make sure you win.
49 days of Counting the Omer without missing a day
Ideally, the omer should be counted in the evening, at Maariv, when the Jewish day begins. If you forget to count the omer at night, you can still do so until the subsequent day of the omer begins. Use the omer counting guide for further instructions on how to count the omer. But if a day goes by where you forgot to count the omer at all, you have failed.
49 Days of Daily Prayer
At a minimum, one time of intentional focused prayer is sufficient to meet the challenge. Ideally, pray three times a day—Evening, Afternoon, and Morning. It doesn’t need to be liturgical prayer. If it is, try to increase your kavanah and pray the words from your heart. Speak to God conversationally and share your burdens with him. But if a day goes by when you don't speak to God at all, you have failed.
49 Days of Daily Study
At a minimum, study three verses of the Bible. Ideally study the Beth Immanuel Daily Readings of Torah, Psalms, and Gospels according to our daily study schedule which you can find on the back of the weekly bulletin or online at bethimmanuel.org/daily. It's fine to do your daily study out of a book of Torah learning or other Holy Sefer. Do a deep dive on Pikei Avot during the Omer or read Moshe Chayim Luzzatto's Mesillat Yesharim (Path of the Upright). So long as you are spending time studying Torah every day, you can study what you like. But if a day goes by that you don't study Torah at all, you have failed.
49 Days Daily Act of Charity
At a minimum, drop a coin in a charity box once per day. Ideally, use the opportunity to give as much as possible and as often as possible every single day, looking for opportunities to give to work of Hashem like Beth Immanuel, the Mikvah Project, Acts for Messiah, or other worthy and godly causes, to the needs of the community, and especially to the poor among you. Try to give at least something to everyone who asks of you during these 49 days. But if a day goes by where you don't do a single act of charitable giving, you have failed.
49 minutes intentional physical exercise daily
At a minimum, 49 minutes of intentional physical exercise such as walking, running, biking, swimming, weightlifting, calisthenics, athletics, etc. Ideally, it should be single daily 49-minute session, not broken up into separate sessions, but so long as you clock 49 minutes of real and deliberate physical exertion, you have met the criteria of the challenge. Even on Shabbats and Yom Tov. Take a nice long walk on Shabbat. So what if it's raining? Hashem causes his rain to fall on the righteous and the wicked. But if a day goes by where you don't do your 49 minutes of exercise, you have failed.
49 days on a specific diet
Choose any healthy diet you want, so long as it excludes junk food, but you must stay on it without exceptions. I recommend a clean foods diet (meaning more whole foods and less processed foods). If your goal is weight loss, consider a diet that increases your protein but runs a caloric deficit. But you can do whatever diet you want so long as it excludes junk. The trick is that you don’t deviate by a single jot or tittle. No exceptions or treats. Not a single sip of Coca Cola, not a taste of that ice cream, not a crumb of birthday cake, not one little doughnut, not even on Shabbat. Shabbat and Yom Tov are not exceptions to the rule. If you deviate for a single M&M or Oreo Cookie, you fail.
49 days abstinence from junk food, sugar, and alcohol
No junk food, sugar, and alcohol for the duration of the 49 days, not even on Shabbat or Yom Tov. This is in addition to whatever diet you select to follow.
- Junk food is defined as food that is junk. Empty calories. Potato chips, veggie crisps, cookies, pretzels, pita chips, tortilla chips, treats, candies, pastries, fast food, French fries, soda pops, sweet drinks, etc. Avoid packaged processed foods and fast foods to avoid junk. You can make this easy by filling up on healthy whole foods. High protein foods like eggs and meat, and high density foods like potatoes will help. But remember, one single potato chip or French fry and you fail the challenge.
- Sugar is highly addictive. If you consume a lot of sugar, you might find this difficult for the first few weeks. Most people are surprised at how difficult it is to abstain from sugar and how difficult it is to avoid sugar. Check ingredients of packaged and processed foods to make sure there are no added sugars. In addition, I recommend avoiding dry fruits, raisins, and honey because your body will try to compensate with those to maintain a sugar addiction. Satisfy your sweet tooth with fresh fruits, berries, and sweet potatoes. But remember, one single M&M and you fail the challenge.
- Alcohol is off limits for the 49 days, even when used for ritual or liturgical purposes. It’s juice for kiddush and Havdalah as we prepare for the revelation of the Torah at Shavuot: “Instead, be filled with the Spirit.” If you drink regularly, you will find this difficult only for the first ten days. Just remember, a single shot for Le’Chaim, wine for kiddush, or beer after work and you fail the challenge.
What happens if I Fail?
Here's the main rule: NO EXCEPTIONS TO THE RULES. If you fail the challenge, your Yetzer Hara will be delighted. Don't give him (or her) the victory. Do not quit the program. Instead, start again immediately in competition with yourself. Don’t let the Yetzer Hara tell you, “There’s no point now that I have failed. I might as well forget the whole thing.” That’s not how this works. Instead, pick yourself up and start again immediately. Remember: STAY ON THE DEREK.
Check List
The easiest way to insure you don't fail is to use a daily check list. Create one on your phone, or use the attached PDF below.
Good Luck and Chag Sameach
The most important thing is to run the race with joy, keeping your eyes on the prize that is ahead. Strengthen yourself by listening to the teachings from our series: Train Yourself for Godliness. Hatzliach and Chag Sameach!