Bar Mitzva in the Omer
Question: My son turns Bar Mitzva during the omer. Can he continue counting each night with a beracha ? Answer: The Shulchan Aruch (OC 489:8) writes that if one forgets to count the omer one day, they should resume counting without a beracha . The Minchas Chinuch raises the question of whether a boy who becomes bar mitzva during the omer should continue counting with a beracha, ultimately concluding that he should. Bottom of Form While his counting before his bar mitzva was only miderabanan due to chinuch , it still contributes to his new mitzva mideroaisa . According to t he Ben Ish Chai (Rav Berachos 2:5; Bereishis 2:14 ) it is preferable for a boy turning bar mitzva on Friday night to delay reciting kiddush until nacht. R’ Ovadia Yosef (Yabia Omer OC 3:27; 28) extends this principle even to mitzvos derabannan such as kiddush levana. If a boy approaching bar mitzva can delay performing the mitzva until he has become bar mitzva , he should do so. Moreover, any count...