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In this week’s parshah, chapter 23 discusses most of the details pertaining to all the Jewish holidays. Relating to the holiday of Shavuot and the weeks leading up to it (which we are currently experiencing), we may find an interesting idea that sheds light onto this period of the year.

After the first day of Pesach (Passover), the Torah commanded us to bring a barley offering to Hashem (God) in the temple; this was called the “Omer” offering. At the same time, the Torah commands us: “You shall count for yourselves…seven weeks…” [Leviticus: 23: 15]. Every day for a period of 49 days we are commanded to count how many days it has been since the Omer offering. The counting concludes with the holiday of Shavuot, which commemorates the event of receiving the Torah at Mount Sinai. At this time, on the 50^th day, the Torah commanded us to bring a bread offering to Hashem in the temple.

One may notice that the 49-day period starts off with an offering made up of animal food (barley) and finishes with an offering of human food (bread). The reason for this is because it represents the transition the Jewish nation underwent between coming out of Egypt and receiving the Torah at Mount Sinai. The Rabbis tell us that upon leaving Egypt we were steeped in the 49^th level of immorality, and all our actions were based on our animalistic tendencies; therefore the offering at this time was that of animal food (barley). However, we experienced a purification process in the desert that lasted 49 days, and by then we had completely removed ourselves from our corrupted ways and became closer to Hashem, and were on the level of “men” and were ready to receive the Torah; therefore the offering we gave at the end of this period was human food (bread).

When examining the details of the bread and barley offerings, a question may arise. By both offerings the Torah commands us to perform a waving ceremony, which basically consists of the Kohen Gadol (high priest) holding the offering and waving it around in all directions. Regarding the barley offering, the Torah commands (Leviticus: 23: 11) that it should be waved alone, with nothing else. But regarding the bread offering, the Torah writes:

“You shall make…two sheep…as peace-offerings. The Kohen shall wave them (the two sheep) upon the first-offering breads…” [Leviticus: 23: 19-20].

Why isn’t the bread waved on its own like the barley? Why is it accompanied by these two sheep?

As the verse describes, these sheep acted as “Peace-offerings”. A “Peace” offering is a voluntary offering, brought by an individual or group of individuals to express their love of God. The reason it was called a “Peace” offering is because it was distributed to everyone: to God (the altar), to the Kohen, and to the owners. This distribution of the offering represents an aspect of peace between all three parties. With this said, there seems to be a special link between the bread offering and the “Peace” offering.

We already mentioned that the bread offering symbolizes spiritual growth by removing ones self far away from his animalistic desires. But how is this accomplished? One path of achieving this transformation is through intense self-thought and contemplation of one’s previous actions and a powerful resolve to change for the better. However, self-thought is not sufficient. We need other people in our lives in order to inspire us and help us learn how we should behave, how we should change. By connecting ourselves to others around us who have a positive influence upon us, we have a better chance at working on those traits that need fixing.

During these 49 days we are not merely changing as individuals, but rather as a nation. It is a time that we should connect to everyone around us not only to help ourselves, but to help eachother. Therefore the bread, which marks our meaningful transformation from animal to man, is necessary to be waved with the “Peace” offering, which represents the unity and harmony we must create among ourselves to achieve that transformation.

This ultimate unity was a necessary element for the Jews in the desert to receive the Torah at Mount Sinai as the Torah says: “…And He (the children of Israel) encamped there, by the mountain” [Exodus: 19: 2] Clearly, the verse should have used the plural and said that “they” encamped by the mountain. Our Rabbis tell us that the singular tense was used because the Jewish nation had gathered “as one man with one heart” in order to receive the Torah. It is this same unity that we must all aspire to achieve during these 49 days.

May we be blessed to only have good relationships with as many fellow Jews as possible.

Good Shabbos,

NZL