The Torah prohibits her nation from lifting the sickle to harvest the new barley crop that ripens in the Spring season. We must wait till after the nation celebrates the first day of Pesach. We must wait until after every Jewish family sat down to the seder table and shared with their family how our peoplehood began as slaves in Egypt and only through HaShem’s Grace we became His people. Once that is accomplished we are allowed to harvest our first crop. It is no wonder why that first day of Pesach is called a ‘Shabbos’ because it prohibits us from engaging in the harvest.

Even when that Shabbos, that first day of Pesach has passed and we begin to reap the new harvest HaShem instructs us on that very first day of the harvest that every person of our nation must count for themselves seven complete weeks after which we bring the national offering on the holiday of Shavous. The entire nation must focus their vision upon the holiday which celebrates our receiving our ultimate national treasure – the Torah. Why are we so differ-
ent from other nations?

To appreciate the distinction between our people and all the other nations of the world we could use the distinction between Man and the animals. On the surface, Man is just another animal.

Man has a scientific name just like all the animals. However, we know that Man is not an animal – he is an absolutely different creature. What is his distinction?

The activities of all animals is to eat, procreate and care for their next generation so that their offspring will continue doing the same. It is a circular existence that continues along with no destination. The entire ecosystem as well is circular – going in circles with no destination. Man, on the other hand, is able to identify destinations and take himself along with his entire world to that destination.

This is the distinction between the nation of HaShem and the others. History is the story of nations rising and falling and being replaced by other nations. Similar to the forest that is filled with trees that sprout and grow and fall and decay and are replaced by new ones in their place. There is no destination. The Jewish people, on the other hand, have a destination. With our exodus from Egypt we became a people and with the receiving of the Torah we received our destination. We are destined to change this material world which has no direction and bring it heavenward. We were charged with the mission to elevate the physical world to become capable of housing the very Presence of HaShem.

Perhaps the reason HaShem designed nature that we harvest barley, which is used as animal feed before we arrive at Shavuous is because until we receive the Torah we have no destination. Only after Shavous do we begin harvesting the wheat, the grain used in Man’s food.

Have a wonderful Shabbos.

Paysach Diskind