Instructions for counting the omer are found on our Omer Overview Page. You can find the specific blessing for today at chabad.org.
We’re dedicating new Siddurim on the first day of Shavuot. In honor of this wonderful occasion, we’re using the counting of the Omer to learn about the siddur.
Enjoy today’s siddur related question and answer, which was provided by Philip A..
What is the history of the siddur?
Siddurim were handwritten until the invention of printing. This means that they were not commonly used by most people. The first printed siddur is Minhag Romo of Soncino (1486). Printed prayer books were used by Jews, probably more than by other religions, because of the high literacy of Jews.
A multitude of different versions of the siddurim exist, based on the varied minhagim (customs) of Jews. These include large divisions like Ashkenaz and Sephard as well as variations among different communities and languages. Over the years, careless printers introduced errors into their siddurim. It wasn’t until the late 17th and 18th centuries that several publishers introduced edited and corrected versions. Modern prayer books are based on these. The first English translation of the siddur was published in London in 1738 by Gamaliel ben Pedahzur.
Learn More
You can learn more at:
Siddur, in Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siddur Prayer-Books, in Jewish Encyclopedia, https://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/12332-prayer-books History of the Siddur, NSW Board of Jewish Education, https://bje.org.au/course/studies-of-religion/texts/siddur/history/