This week’s Parshah, Parshat Bamidbar, begins the fourth of the five Chumashim that comprise the Torah, and is the last of the Chumashim, according to many commentaries, to be spoken with the highest prophetic abilities. (Sefer Devarim was said at Moshe’s own prophetic initiative, not as the mouthpiece for Hashem; from the human perspective, Sefer Devarim represents the highest levels of connection that a mortal can achieve with G-d.)
Additionally, Parshat Bamidbar is always read the Shabbat before Shavuot, the holiday in which we commemorate the giving of the Torah to our ancestors 3500 years ago. Interestingly, last week’s parshah, Parshat Bechukotai contains 45 exceptionally harsh curses that will fall upon the Jews if certain aveirot are committed - and custom dictates that those curses should not immediately precede the holiday of Shavuot [see Tosfot in Megillah 31B]. Hence, Parshat Bamidbar is read as the buffer between those terrible travails and the holiday of Shavuot. It would seem therefore, that Parshat Bamidbar should allude to, in some capacity, messages of comfort that can assuage some of the harshness of those 45 curses.
Interestingly, the very first pesukim in this week’s parshah state [Bamidbar 1’ 1’-2’]: “On the first day of the second month, in the second year following the exodus from the land of Egypt, Hashem spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the Tent of Meeting, saying: Take a census of the whole Israelite company by the clans of their father’s houses, listing the names, every male, head by head.” Rashi explains that the purpose of this counting was, “...Because they were dear to him, Hashem counts the Jews constantly: when they went forth from Egypt He counted them (Exodus 12:37), when many of them fell in consequence of their having worshipped the golden calf He counted them…”. Thus, immediately, we find words of soothing praise and comfort for the Jews that negate the punishing words of Parshat Bechukotai.
It should be stressed, that even Parshat Bechukotai itself contains assurances of G-d’s eternal covenant with the Jewish people; the possuk states [Vayikra 26’ 42’], “Then will I remember My covenant with Jacob; I will remember also My covenant with Isaac, and also My covenant with Abraham; and I will remember the land.”
This possuk, however, requires some explanation: What does it mean that G-d will remember “The Land”? Ha'emek Davar, in his commentary on Shemot 34’ 10’, explains, that typically, when a land is destroyed, and a nation is annihilated, the natural order of worldly events does not allow for the land to be rebuilt and the nation to ever recover. Eretz Yisrael, and the Jewish people, are different - for despite being brought to the cusp of extinction several times throughout our history, and despite the land of Israel being laid barren and turned into a virtual wasteland for almost 2000 years, both our people and homeland have, and always will, bounce back. Thus, the possuk is stating that G-d will recall the children of the forefathers - the Jews - and the land, promising that ultimately, we will return to Israel and it will bloom for us. May we take these messages of comfort and merit to see the full actualization of these ideals speedily in our days!
DEVAR TORAH ON SHAVUOT
The holiday of Shavuot, in its simplest sense, reflects the ending of the counting of the 49 days of the Omer; upon the completion of this mitzvah, the 50th day is marked by the celebration of the chag [see Parshat Emor]. It would appear that almost coincidentally, day 50 [which is the 6th day of the Hebrew calendar month of Sivan] is also the anniversary of the giving of the Torah; ironically, this “detail” is not mentioned in the Torah at all. Much ink has been spilled to try and comprehend why the Torah does NOT refer to this most significant of historical events at all - the choosing of the Jewish People through the giving of the Torah would seem to deserve mention, especially because the day is being celebrated regardless because of the completion of the mitzvah of Sefirat Ha'omer!
The Torah commentator Kli Yakar [Vayikra 23’ 16’] raises this very issue, and offers a powerful answer: He explains that had the Torah described the day of Shavuot as a holiday primarily commemorating the giving of the Torah, one could mistakenly feel that there is elevated significance given to Torah learnt on Shavuot, above the other days of the year. Therefore, the Torah does not refer at all to this aspect of the holiday, for the reality is that Torah learning is an expectation, not limited to certain times and days; every day one should nourish their soul with the spiritual benefits of Torah study. Hence, the Torah describes the holiday of Shavuot simply in reference to its role as the culmination of the Omer process.
On a deeper level, the Rokeach [Vayikra ad. loc.] answers this question in a poignant and meaningful fashion. The reality is that Shavuot itself, as the anniversary of the giving of the Torah, is shrouded and hidden in the Torah because the day of the giving of the Torah was marred by the fact that the Jews would go on to make the golden calf 40 days afterwards. The true days of the giving of the Torah would turn out to be the somber day of Yom Kippur, when Moshe would bring down the second set of Luchot, and, many centuries later, the festive holiday of Purim, when the Jews would reaccept the Torah in a pure and unbidden capacity [see Shabbat 88A]. Therefore, in order to allude to this, the Torah does not describe Shavuot at all as the day of the giving of the Torah.
However, the Torah does describe the offering that was brought on Shavuot as “Mincha Chadashah,” which translates as a “new offering.” The Kli Yakar explains that this offering was designed to allude to the Torah, for in actuality, every time one learns Torah, new insights and depths are revealed. Hence, although the Torah does not ever refer to the holiday of Shavuot as the day of the giving of the Torah, we can glean from the sacrifice of the day a poignant perspective as to how to relate to the learning of the Torah.
Dedicated in memory of all those who have perished and sacrificed for Am Yisrael.
