Fumbling Towards Perfection: Tikkun Olam, Tikkun Atzmi, and Tikkun Leil Shavuot

(1) On the first day of the second month, in the second year following the exodus from the land of Egypt, the LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the Tent of Meeting, saying: (2) Take a census of the whole Israelite community by the clans of its ancestral houses, listing the names, every male, head by head.

"The Holy One spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai..." etcetera...

This verse hints at a deep truth.

All the secrets of the Torah were given at Mt. Sinai. Despite being revealed, they were instantly spirited away and hidden from every living being until righteous ones will come and serve the Holy One with truth and full heart.

Once they will have corrected their actions (tikkun atzmi) in every way, then all of the secrets of the world will be revealed to them just as it had been on Mt. Sinai to Moses, our teacher, may his memory be a blessing.

This is the mean ing of the verse: "The Holy One spoke to Moses in the Sinai Desert, saying..."..."Saying" means in the manner in which it was said on Sinai. And what is this manner?

It is the way of the Tzadik--one committed to righteous living. As the verse continues "in the Tent of Meeting," which hints at the quality of awe.

Just as everything needs a vessel, in this way awe is the vessel that can carry everything you need in it. Therefore, all the Torah and every mitzvah needs to be placed inside the vessel of awe.

"Meeting" hints at love since it is also the name for every holy day. That is to say, after you have taking up the vessel of awe then you will merit the day that is all good which represents love.

"On the first day of the second month" this hints at the unity which is the 3rd level that you merit, recognizing the unity of of your soul and the Holy One. This is the completed world (tikkun olam).