Bostoner Torah Insights Bostoner ‘Chassidus’ in Hebrew and English: Parshas Bamidbar (Shavuos) – 2-6 Sivan 5784
Bostoner Torah Insights - Yerushalayim
Bostoner Torah Insights
Bostoner ‘Chassidus’ in English
Parshas Bamidbar (Shavuos) – 2-6 Sivan 5784
Bostoner Rebbe shlit”a – Yerushalayim
Secretariat Email: bosto...@gmail.com
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The Shem M'Shmuel asks why the one-day Yom Tov of Shavuos has seven days of Tashlumim, giving one additional time to bring a Korban R'eeyah in case one was unable to bring it on Yom Tov. We know that, "In the third month from the Exodus of Bnei Yisroel from Egypt, on this day, they arrived at Midbar Sinai" (Shemos 19:1). Rashi points out, based on the Gemara (Shabbos 86b) that this was Rosh Chodesh Sivan. If Bnei Yisroel made 'an arousal below in this world' by preparing seven days to receive the Torah, therefore it would make sense that Hashem would make 'an arousal above in Heaven' that Shavuos should have a seven day period of Tashlumim.
Before Klal Yisroel received the Torah on Har Sinai, the Gemara (Shabbos 88a) explains that on the day the Torah was given, Hashem lifted the mountain over their heads with an ultimatum. If they would accept the Torah, they could continue, but if they did not accept the Torah they would all be buried underneath the mountain. Tosfos on the Gemara raises the questions: Why was this necessary if the nation already declared נעשה ונשמע, "we will do and we will listen" (Shemos 24:7) on the 4th of Sivan (see Rashi to Shemos 24:1). Tosfos answers that there was a possibility at a later point that Klal Yisroel might voluntarily change their minds and renege on their unsolicited affirmation of 'we will do and we will listen'. Thus, it was necessary for Hashem to have them enter into a binding agreement to accept the Torah against their will.
Another answer can be found in the Tanchuma (Noach 3), which suggests that "we will do and we will listen" was only an acceptance of the Written Torah, whereas the mountain held above their heads was the forced acceptance of the Oral Torah.
R' Yoshiahu Pinto, in his Sefer Ma'or Aynayim which explains the Aggadah sections of the Talmud, explains that 'we will do and we will listen' can be compared to the engagement of Klal Yisroel to Hashem, whereas the lifting of the mountain over their heads is comparable to the wedding canopy.
The Gemara (Shabbos 88a) continues that when Bnei Yisroel said, 'we will do and we will listen' that 600,000 angels descended from Heaven, and each one fastened two crowns on their heads. One crown for 'we will do' and one crown for 'we will listen'. Rebbe Yehoshua of Belz, wondered why they did not receive an additional crown as a reward for placing 'we will do' before 'we will listen'. He answers that we received a different reward for this measure for measure. Since we told Hashem that we will perform the Mitzvos before even hearing about the Mitzvos, Hashem rewarded us by answering our prayers before we even ask them, as it says, "It will be that before they will call I will answer; while they yet speak I will hear" (Yeshayahu 65:24)
In Parshas Bamidbar, the Shabbos that generally precedes Shavuos, we have the census of Bnei Yisroel taken on Rosh Chodesh Iyar, in the second year after they came out of Mitzrayim. The Sfas Emes suggests that the three festivals in which one must journey to the Mikdash, known as the Shlosh Regalim, coincide with the three times that Hashem counted Bnei Yisroel. Pesach corresponds with the first time Bnei Yisroel were counted when they left Mitzrayim, based on the Pasuk, "Bnei Yisroel journeyed from Ramsais to Sukkot, about six hundred thousand men on foot, aside from the children (Shemos 12:37). The second count of 603,550 men age 20 and up that is described both after Chet HaEgel, when the half-shekel silver coins for the sockets of the Mishkan were tallied (Shemos 38:26), as well as in our Parsha, corresponds to Shavuos. The final counting of 601,730 men before they entered Eretz Yisroel (Bamidbar 26:51) corresponds to the festival of Succos.
In the Mussaf Shemoneh Esrei on these three festivals we say, "Restore the Kohanim to their service, and the Leviim to their singing and music, and restore Yisroel to their dwellings, and there we will ascend, appear, and prostrate ourselves before You, during our three pilgrimage seasons…" Notice the three separate terms of 'ascend', 'appear' and 'prostrate'. The term 'ascend' corresponds to Pesach when Bnei Yisroel ascended from the 49th level of Tumah to the 49th level of Kedusha. Shavuos corresponds to 'appear', when Hashem appeared to Bnei Yisroel at Har Sinai during Matan Torah. The term 'prostrate', when one completely subjugates himself by bowing and extending oneself flat on the floor, correlates to the festival of Succos, when we leave our comfortable homes and expose ourselves to the elements under the direct protection of Hashem in the frail and vulnerable Sukkah.
May it be His will that we should fulfill the Mitzvah of Aliyah L'Regel, with the coming of the Go'el Tzedek, speedily in our days.
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