By Rabbi Dovid Markel
The verse (Vayikra, 23:15) states: “And you shall count for yourselves, from the morrow of the rest day from the day you bring the omer as a wave offering seven weeks; they shall be complete.” In this verse is the commandment that the Jewish people count the days in between Pesach and the holiday of Shavous.
On the verse’s statement that they “shall be complete,” the Medrash (Vayikra Rabba, 28:3) states: “When are they complete? When Israel does the will of G-d.”
In Chassidus (Likutei Torah, Shelach 42c) it is explained, that the meaning of “doing the will of G-d” does not merely mean to adhere to His commandments, but to actually create a new will.
Chassidus explains that the manner to create this will is through reaching the level of our souls where are service of G-d knows no bounds and is completely limitless. When we reach this unbounded level we are able to create a new will of G-d,-so to speak.
The meaning then, of the Medrash’s statement, is that the spiritual refinement demanded during the time of the omer is only complete when we serve G-d in a way that breaks all boundaries.
In 5751 (1991), the 28th of Nissan fell out just as it does this year, on a Thursday night. That night the Lubavitcher Rebbe gave a talk that shook his chassidim and its reverberations were felt throughout the world.
In his speech, the Rebbe said that his life’s work had been for naught, as he had failed to bring Moshiach. He exclaimed, that he was now giving over the endeavor to the Jewish people, and explained that the way to bring Moshiach is through “limitless lights in broad vessels.”
If we are to bring Moshiach, the Rebbe demanded that we do our part to the utmost, in a way that we use boundless energies.
Interestingly, the same year the Rebbe explained (B’sha’a Sh’ala 5751) the connection between the above statement of the Medrash regarding “complete weeks” with the statement of another Medrash (P’sikta Rabbasi Ch. 18) that says “that the seven weeks are complete when they start on a Sundayand conclude on a Shabbos.”
The Rebbe elucidated, that when the week’s fall out in such a way, there is a special ability to reach a level of a boundless connection to G-d. The year 5751 was such a year and this year is as well. Essentially then, in this year we have a unique capability to serve G-d with unbounded love.
May we indeed serve G-d with this unbounded love and bringMoshiach this year, using the unique proclivity with which we are granted now!
