BAMIDBAR

A reason that G-d commanded to count the omer is that after Pesach all the Jews were occupied with harvesting their grains. They were dispersed, each one in his grainery. He commanded a mitzvah in order that they will not forget when they have to ascend to Yerushalyim for the festival. By counting they knew exactly when Shevuot would be.

Another reason is that during the period from Pesach to Shevuot the world is worrying about the productivity of their grain harvests and their fruit trees. Therefore, G-d commanded to count these days in order that we will remember the world's trouble, and repent and return to Him with a whole heart, to plead before Him to have mercy upon the world's produce.

(Abudraham)

Furthermore, there is an intimation here to the seventh millenium whose entirety is comparable to the Shabbat. Therefore, the seventh day of Pesach is a special holiday, and the festival of Shevuot falls after the passage of seven weeks from that day.

The festival of Shevuot following the completion of the seven weeks and the eigth day of Succot intimate the world to come and the great Jubilee year. (The number seven indicates the completed cycle of this world, whereas eight inidicates the world to come. The great Jubilee year was the fiftieth year after seven cycles of seven years.)

(Rabbenu Yerucham)

Another reason is that the cosmology of the ancients was based on seven planets, and their paganistic conceptions transformed these planets into gods. That is why Bila'am built seven altars. They believed that each god-planet had seven jurisdictions under his control. All together these were fourty nine.

Therefore, the Torah commanded us not to serve them, but to count, and the Torah was given on the fiftieth. Therefore, when the Torah was given, G-d tore open the "seven heavens" and opened the seven continents in order that it should be known that there is no other G-d except Him.

(Tzaidah Laderech, and see Eliahu Rabbah #489, in the beginning) (Siddur Otzar Tefillot)

All things of kedushah and serving G-d require orderliness. At this conclusion Rabbi Aharon Kotler z"l arrived in his sefer Mishnah Rebbe Aharon (p. 193) from the study of this week's parsha. This week's reading contains detailed and extended instructions given to Israel concerning their camping and journeying, each tribe with their flags and in their fixed places under their insignia, how they camped and how they journeyed, the detailed laws of the service in the Mishkan and how its vessels were to be carried while journeying. All this detail shows how imperative and important orderliness is.

In Tenuat Hamussar (Pt.1, p.132), in the chapter describing the educational practices of Rav Zundel z"l of Salant, it is written that among his educational principles were the traits of moderation, mental tranquility, polite behavior and orderliness. He saw these as prerequisites for a stable and consistent life and well-considered opinions. He was accustomed to say that lack of orderliness is the cause of confused opinions, and one who is confused in his ways and disorderly in his worldly conduct is also confused in his worship of G-d.

Rav Zundel was accustomed to say that disorderliness and confusion do not necessarily begin with big things. They start with small things such as slovenly standing, disjointed walking, untied shoelaces or a feather stuck on a person's garment.

He was accustomed to write down every day everything that he had to do that day. Once it was seen that on his list of things to do for the eve of a holiday he had written, "to clean the stain off the coat."

Here are some examples.

What do you take to heart more -- a child whose nice clothes are dirtied when he comes back from prayers on Shabbat, or one who more than occasionally forgets to make a bracha before and after eating?

What "makes you crazy" more easily -- a child who is insolent or who lies to you, or a child who dirties the house or leaves after himself disorderliness?

Undoubtedly, all these things need to be improved and corrected. However, let us admit the truth. It is rare that we come across a Jewish mother who gives all her time to attending, truly, to what her children are doing, and who knows how to view their deeds in the proper proportions.

Here is another example. Which of these troubles you more? Your failure to exploit fully the abilities of a talented child whose success in school and in life will likely provide you with much satisfaction, benefit and honor. Or, are you more troubled when you do not extract the maximum from a child who is average or weak. In this case you will have to invest a tremendous amount of time and energy even though the results will be much less beneficial and honorable.

Which troubles you more?

You understand that as a mother the point of truth here does not begin or end with how much honor you will get as a result of your children, or their social or financial achievements. Your job begins and ends with the honor of Heaven. How much honor of Heaven will your child increase in the world? It is for this that you, and they, were created.

Have we learned to be happy with the results of a child who has weak abilities, who must work hard to squeeze out of himself the maximum, and for whom that terrible struggle will not be recognizable because of its minimal results...?

Our job is to accompany them on the pathways of education until they become full Jews, each one according to his own fullness....

(An excerpt from an essay printed in the sefer, Amud Ha'emet, p.215)