The day after the Shabbat, pt ii

See previous part.

Another way of explaining the pesukim about מִמָּחֳרַת הַשַּׁבָּת is that it never means "after the day of rest," that is, either after Saturday or after the first day of Yom Tov. That is, neither Chazal or the Karaites win this one. Rather, Shabbat always means "week". Let us examine the relevant psukim once again:

ד אֵלֶּה מוֹעֲדֵי יְהוָה, מִקְרָאֵי קֹדֶשׁ, אֲשֶׁר-תִּקְרְאוּ אֹתָם, בְּמוֹעֲדָם.	4 These are the appointed seasons of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their appointed season.
ה בַּחֹדֶשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן, בְּאַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר לַחֹדֶשׁ--בֵּין הָעַרְבָּיִם: פֶּסַח, לַיהוָה.	5 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at dusk, is the LORD'S passover.
ו וּבַחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר יוֹם לַחֹדֶשׁ הַזֶּה, חַג הַמַּצּוֹת לַיהוָה: שִׁבְעַת יָמִים, מַצּוֹת תֹּאכֵלוּ.	6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD; seven days ye shall eat unleavened bread.
ז בַּיּוֹם, הָרִאשׁוֹן, מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ, יִהְיֶה לָכֶם; כָּל-מְלֶאכֶת עֲבֹדָה, לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ.	7 In the first day ye shall have a holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of servile work.
ח וְהִקְרַבְתֶּם אִשֶּׁה לַיהוָה, שִׁבְעַת יָמִים; בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ, כָּל-מְלֶאכֶת עֲבֹדָה לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ. {פ}	8 And ye shall bring an offering made by fire unto the LORD seven days; in the seventh day is a holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of servile work. {P}

So the first and seventh days are holy convocations, in which one should do no manner of servile work, though there is a chol haMoed in between. How many days is that again? It is seven! And seven days make up a week!

If so, the day after the Shabbat is not the day after the first Yom Tov of Pesach (the first day), nor the day after the last day of Pesach (the seventh day). Rather, it is the day after the week of Pesach festival. This would be the eighth day. And it does not matter which day of the week it falls out on. Then, in the subsequent pasuk, when it says:

יא וְהֵנִיף אֶת-הָעֹמֶר לִפְנֵי יְהוָה, לִרְצֹנְכֶם; מִמָּחֳרַת, הַשַּׁבָּת, יְנִיפֶנּוּ, הַכֹּהֵן.

11 And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you; on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.

It refers to the day after this week of holy convocation. And then, it is not surprising at all when we encounter:

טו וּסְפַרְתֶּם לָכֶם, מִמָּחֳרַת הַשַּׁבָּת, מִיּוֹם הֲבִיאֲכֶם, אֶת-עֹמֶר הַתְּנוּפָה: שֶׁבַע שַׁבָּתוֹת, תְּמִימֹת תִּהְיֶינָה.	15 And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the day of rest, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the waving; seven weeks shall there be complete;
טז עַד מִמָּחֳרַת הַשַּׁבָּת הַשְּׁבִיעִת, תִּסְפְּרוּ חֲמִשִּׁים יוֹם; וְהִקְרַבְתֶּם מִנְחָה חֲדָשָׁה, לַיהוָה.	16 even unto the morrow after the seventh week shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall present a new meal-offering unto the LORD.

The Shabattot being complete must refer to weeks, not to Saturdays. And so it means weeks. Do we shift the meaning? Not according to the explanation I have suggested. This is another set of full weeks.