Maghen Abraham - Thoughts From Mayer Sasson

"And you shall count unto you- לכם ….seven complete sabbaths shall it be." (Vayikra 23, 15)

To purify us from our impurity

We are now amidst the days of counting the Omer which, as we know, are days of preparation for receiving the Torah. We should therefore understand the holy obligation that rests upon us during these days.

We know that the purpose of the exodus from Egypt was for the Jews to receive the Torah on Mount Sinai, as G-d said to Moshe: "When you take out the nation from Egypt they shall serve "תעבדון" G-d on …. Mountain." The letters of "תעבדון" are "תעבדו" " ן". In the merit of the Torah that Bnei Yisrael are destined to accept on the 50^th day -  " ן" – you will leave Egypt. From here our Sages have learned that the Creator gave the Nation of Israel seven weeks to prepare and purify themselves during the days of the counting of the Omer before the receipt of the Torah.

We learn from here that every year the days of Sfirat Ha'Omer are days of preparation and purification before our receiving the Torah on Shavuot.

We must therefore know that in these seven weeks we are obligated to mend these seven traits within us: Kindness, Strength, Glory, Endurance, Splendor, Foundation and Majesty in order to reach Shavuot in a good state to receive the holy Torah with cleanliness and purity. We are to be a complete vessel, pure and clean so that G-d will bring us His holy Torah. And certainly, the cleaner the "vessel" – the person- is, the more he will be able to receive G-d's wisdom.

We should note that G-d commanded that the day after Pesach we should bring the Omer sacrifice that is made from barley that is food for animals, while on Shavuot He commanded that we bring the sacrifice of two breads that are made of wheat which is food for people. We must understand why.

We know that the purpose of the exile in Egypt was to purify Israel in the "Iron Furnace" of suffering to make them worthy to receive the holy Torah.

But we know that G-d created opposing forces. Therefore there is always impurity that opposes holiness. Since the Egyptian exile was a preparation and refinement for receiving the Oral Law, the forces of impurity opposed it with all their might.

Now we can understand why G-d had commanded that they bring the Omer offering from barley, which is animals' food.

When the Nation of Israel left Egypt they had not yet received the Torah. They were therefore commanded to bring the barley offering to show that without one's involvement in Torah a person is like an animal and it is better for him to sit by quietly.

However, after fifty days, on the Holiday of Shavuot, when Bnei Yisrael received the Torah, G-d commanded them to bring the sacrifice of two breads from wheat – food for people– to teach us that by our accepting upon ourselves the Torah we are now "people" and we have the right to use our power of speech to deal in Torah and Service of G-d.

SHABBAT SHALOM!!