Parashas Bamidbar - Live up to the expectations!

This week's Dvar Torah has been sponsored for:
Hatzlacha: Yaacov ben Loura u'mishpachto
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This week we start a new sefer (volume) called Bamidbar. It opens up with, "And Hashem spoke to Moshe in the desert of Sinai, in the Mishkan, on the first day of the second month (Iyar)"

We always see Hashem speaking to Moshe or Aharon without recording the date in the Torah. What was so special about this day?

People always joke around, "There are several rules when you get married: always remember your wife's birthday, and NEVER forget your anniversary." The truth is, that isn't a joke. If there's something important to us, we make sure to remember it. Some people remember a baseball player's first home-run, some remember the first time their child said 'mama or dada', and others remember the day they got married (hopefully!)

Hashem went to every nation and asked them if they wanted the Torah. Everyone refused because it was too hard to handle. There was at least one thing the Torah prohibited them to do that they couldn't accept. We were the one nation who responded, "We will do and we will listen." We were the only ones who accepted the Torah not knowing exactly what was in store for us.

Midrash Rabba (1:5) explains that Hashem viewed us as being His loyal followers (Patriarchs) children; He won't get disappointed by us. He therefore told Moshe, "Record the exact date," like a groom who writes the date on his marriage contract.

This Midrash is one of the reasons why the Torah mentioned the date. It was a special time, almost a year after we had received the Torah. Hashem was showing us how special and beloved we were in His eyes.

It says by Aharon, that if he saw someone who sinned, he would go and compliment him; making believe he didn't know anything about what he had done wrong. The person would think to himself, "I can't believe Aharon thinks this of me! I need to fulfill these expectations he has of me. I can not continue sinning, what if he finds out?!"

I think this can be applied to us as well. Hashem showed us how precious we are to Him. In this week's parasha, Hashem takes a census of Klal Yisroel, showing the love He has for us. It is up to us now to think to ourselves, "Hashem thinks highly of us. We must reach the expectations He has of us in performing His mitzvos and learning His Torah.

We should all be zocheh to continue making our Father proud. We should use the gift (the Torah) He has given to us, and to fulfill the mitzvos.

Have a wonderful Shabbos,
Nisso