From Pesach to Shavuot

It was 50 days from when the Bnei Yisrael left Mitzrayim (יציאת מצרים) until they received the Torah (קבלת התורה) via Moshe Rabbeinu. The Mitzvah of counting the Omer is when we count the days between these two events. Then it would make sense that we should count the Omer downwards (the last day of the Omer being 1). Instead, our tradition is to count upwards (with the last day being 49). The Mitzvah of counting the Omer upwards indicates that we’re moving ourselves towards something of higher value. Thus, each day of the Omer is an increase in our level of holiness.

Prior to יציאת מצרים, the Hebrew people were on the lowest level of impurity before that level where we would have been swallowed up into the impure nation of מצרים. The majority of the Bnei Yisrael did not make it out of מצרים. The myriads of thousands of Hebrews, that merited to witness קבלת התורה, were of those who went through the purification process of disconnecting from מצרים and attaining a level of spiritual purity that allowed them to be worthy of the national experience – קבלת התורה.

The miraculous event of יציאת מצרים created the chain-reaction of events necessary to allow Hashem’s chosen people of being able to prepare themselves for their spiritual journey as the chosen people. These includes the splitting of the sea, the drowning of the Egyptian Army, and the war with Amalek. These events solidified the Hebrew people in their faith in Hashem.