Misva #305: Eating Roasted Stalks of New Grain Before the 16th of Nissan

The Korban Ha’omer sacrifice consisted of an Omer of the new grain that grew in the early spring, and was offered on the second day of Pesach – the 16 th of Nissan. The Torah in Parashat Emor (Vayikra 23:14) forbids eating any of the new grain before the offering of this sacrifice. It forbids eating three types of products: “Lehem” – bread; “Kali” – roasted kernels, which had been removed from the stalks; and “Karmel” – stalks that were roasted whole. The Sefer Ha’hinuch, following the view of the Rambam, maintained that this verse introduces three separate Biblical prohibitions – one forbidding eating bread, another forbidding eating “Kali,” and a third forbidding eating “Karmel.” According to this view, one who eats all three kinds of products before the offering of the Omer sacrifice is liable to three separate sets of Malkut, because he has transgressed three separate Biblical commands. The Ramban disagrees with the Rambam’s listing, and maintains that “Lehem,” “Kali and “Karmel” comprise three aspects of a single Biblical prohibition. According to the Ramban, the Torah here issues just one command forbidding partaking of the new grain before the offering of the Omer sacrifice, and this single command includes all three types. In the Ramban’s view, then, one who eats all three is liable to just a single set of Malkut.