Editor’s Note: The following is based upon a shiur given by Rebbe u’Mori, zt”l hk”m, prior to Shavuos in 5752 which in turn was based upon the teachings of his rebbe, Rabbeinu u’Moreinu HaGaon HaRav Yosef Dov HaLevi Soloveitchik, zt”l.

The Torah speaks of three festivals: Pesach, Shavuos and Sukkos. Interestingly Shavous is the only one of the three for which the Torah does not give us a precise date. Rather, Chag HaShavuos, liturgically referred to as Z’man Matan Toraseinu, is determined only in regards to Chag HaPesach, being 50 days afterwards. HaRav Drillman pointed out that the Sefer HaChinuch was the first to underscore this relationship by including it as a fundamental part of his discussion of the Mitzvah of Sefiras HaOmer. According to the Chinuch Kabbolas HaTorah, our acceptance of the Ol Malchus Shomayim was the inherent goal of Yetzias Mitzrayim thereby making Chag HaShavuos the climax of Chag HaPesach. To prove this approach the Chinuch quotes the passuk from Sefer Shemos (3:12) “And this shall be your sign that I have sent you, that you shall worship Hashem on this mountain after the exodus from Egypt”.

In a further examination of this connection HaRav Drillman pointed to Moshe Rabbeinu’s appointment as the redeemer and leader of Klal Yisroel at the incident of the Burning Bush which took place on Har Sinai.

When HKB”H outlined His plans for Moshe, the latter offered two reasons as to why he was not the appropriate man for the job [Note: it should be understood that Moshe gave several reasons why he should not be the one to go to Paroh. Here, however, we are focusing on his reasons that he was not the appropriate candidate for the job of Manhig Shel Yisroel]: First, Moshe states that he is not “a man of words” (Shemos 4:10). In essence, Moshe was stating that he did not possess the skills necessary to be a political leader or representative. In response to this concern, HKB”H tells Moshe no to fear as He will give him whatever aid needed to complete his task.

Moshe’s second concern was that he lacked the personal stature to be the redeemer of the people and to be the leader of Klal Yisroel. This notion is rejected outright by the Ribbono Shel Olam who states that He will aid Moshe in his task and then Klal Yisroel will come to Har Sinai to worship Him. How does receiving the assistance of HKB”H alleviate Moshe Rabbeinu’s concern that he lacks the personal stature to be the leader of a nation?

In essence, HKB”H explained to Moshe that were His goal merely the creating of a political entity, Moshe might not have been the right choice to lead the people. However, the purpose in taking Klal Yisroel from Eretz Mitzrayim was to create a Mameleches Kohanim and a Goy Kadosh, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. To achieve this goal Bnei Yisroel did not need a politician to lead them, but rather they need a teacher and Rebbe. For this Moshe was spectacularly qualified. In other words, Yetzias Mitzrayim was merely a prerequisite to Ma’amad Har Sinai, and for that Moshe was indispensable. Therefore, according to the Chinuch the counting of the Omer is meant to connect the events of Yetzias Mitzrayim with those at Har Sinai.

HaRav Drillman cited The Rav as elaborating on the connection between Sefiras HaOmer and Chag HaShavuos. In Parshas V’eira the torah gives us four terms of redemption which Chazal explain as representing four distinct levels of redemption which can be likened to the rungs of a ladder where though each one is higher than the next one can not reach the higher steps without passing the lower ones. Of these levels of redemption, three were accomplished on the night and day of the 15th of Nissan. The levels of v’hotzeisi (and I will take them out), v’hitzalti (and I will save them) and v’ga’alti (and I will redeem them) were fulfilled almost immediately. Yet the fourth level, represented through the language of “v’lakachti” (and I will take you) could not be fulfilled for fifty more days, until Ma’amad Har Sinai, which is commemorated by Chag HaShavuos. We see from this that Chag HaPesach and Chag HaShavuos are both integral components of the redemption process.

HaRav Drillman further explained in the name of The Rav that Pesach and Shavous are representative of two different types of redemption. As The Rav frequently taught, there is very often a duality of nature, representative of the duality of the nature of Man, to be found within elements of Yehadus. [Editor’s Note: At this point Rebbe u’Mori told over a beautiful piece from The Rav regarding Sheva Brochos.] This same duality can be found in the case of Chag HaPesach and Chag HaShavuos. Pesach, characterized by the physical redemption of the people from slavery, is expressed through the first three expressions of redemption. As it is written in the Torah, HKB”H will take the people out from oppression, rescue them from their labor, and redeem them. Chag HaShavuos is the spiritual redemption of the people.

The Geulas Mitzrayim was accomplished by the Ribbono Shel Olam in an unequivocal way that He Himself was responsible for the events. As it is written “Ani v’lo malach”, I and not a messenger. This is somewhat difficult as Moshe Rabbeinu played a central role in the dramatic unfolding of the Exodus. And yet, upon closer examination, we find that Moshe acted not as a agent with only the end goal in mind, but more as an automaton, acting each step precisely as HKB”H instructed. It is for this reason that Moshe is not mentioned in the Haggadah as a part of Sippur Yetzias Mitzrayim, to highlight that it was HKB”H alone who took us from Mitzrayim, and with such speed that the people were forced to leave without even preparing provisions for their journey. Matzah is symbolic of the speed with which the redemption took place.

V’lakachti, the fourth level of redemption, however, required preparation. Here we find that Moshe’s role becomes much more important. We see this in the fact that as the people camped around Har Sinai and Moshe Rabbeinu went up to the top of the Mountain, to HKB”H, k’vayochal. From here we see that spiritual redemption, the ridding oneself of a slave mentality and personality and to elevate oneself to the level of being worthy of receiving the Torah, requires the individual to make the effort to draw close to HKB”H. In contrast, physical redemption is based on time and place.

As proof of this we find that the passukim in Shemos regarding the prayers of the people being elevated to HKB”H and that arrival of the time for the redemption are immediately followed by the selection of Moshe to lead the people.

In order to redeem himself, Man must strive to reach the pinnacles of Kedusha. Only after these efforts are made will Man be rewarded the final spiritual redemption, Kabbolas HaTorah. And, in order to attain this goal, HKB”H provided man with a blueprint - the six days of creation, a prerequisite for achieving the spiritual height of the Shabbos. Similarly, when Man attempts to achieve Kedusha on his own he must prepare himself for seven weeks before he can be deemed worthy of the highest spiritual status, Kabbolas HaTorah. Then, and only then, can the final redemptive phase of v’lakachti be attained.

The term “Shabbos” is used when describing the start and end points of Sefiras HaOmer in order to connect the creation of the world with the ultimate goal of Kedushas Shabbos to the effort of the Jew to recreate his world is seven weeks in an attempt to achieve spiritual redemption and the ultimate goal of Kabbolas HaTorah. HaRav Drillman commented that it is no surprise that Man requires a longer period of time to rebuild his world than the Ribbono Shel Olam needed to create His world.

HaRav Drillman stated that The Rav noted that this idea of Sefiras Haomer as a preparatory period for achieving the final level of redemption is found in the prayer recited after the counting in the words “l’tahareinu m’klipaseinu”. We were commanded to count the Omer in order to purify ourselves. We were commanded to use the period of Sefira to recreate our world and our lives through Kedusha so that we may achieve the heights of “v’lakachti eschem Li l’am” through Kabbolas HaTorah.