Parashat Emor

Parasha Thoughts

By Rabbi Shemuel Akhamzadeh

עַ֣ד מִֽמָּחֳרַ֤ת הַשַּׁ-בָּת֙ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔ת תִּסְפְּר֖וּ חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים י֑וֹם וְהִקְרַבְתֶּ֛ם מִנְחָ֥ה חֲדָשָׁ֖ה לַה׃

You must count until the day after the seventh week—fifty days; then you shall bring an offering of new grain to the LORD. ( Vayikra 23:16)

We are merely a couple of weeks away from Shavuot, and as Harav Eliya Lapian explains, we are in the midst of the preparatory stages of Kabalat Hatorah. The name Shavuot – literally meaning weeks – is a hint to the seven weeks of Sefirat Ha’omer, a prerequisite of receiving the Torah.

In this week’s portion, the Torah enumerates all the Jewish holidays, however when it comes to “Shavuot,” no name or exact date is mentioned. But it does mention that after counting seven weeks you shall bring a NEW ( grain ) Offering.

There is also no mention of receiving the Torah on this day. Kli Yakar explains that the “New Offering” which is mentioned on Shavuot is hinting to the idea of keeping the Torah fresh in our minds every day. No mention of receiving the Torah on this day is to not limit the Torah only to this one day of the year. The common denominator of all these ideas is that we are required to be alert in every stage, through counting up to receiving the Torah and keeping the Torah fresh by having it in mind every day. Then we will be able to receive the Torah the way it was meant to be. May we merit a true Kabalat Hatorah this coming Shavuot.

 

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