Parshat Hashavuah: Emor

Here's my new feature. Every week, I will post a little thought on the weekly Torah portion- the Parashat Hashavuah. This week's Parsha is Emor:
This week's parsha contains the commandment of counting the Omer- 50 days between Passover, the Exodus, and Shavuot, when the Jews received the Torah on Mount Sinai. What is the point of this counting? It teaches us that physical freedom is meaningless unless when use it for a constructive purpose, to serve Hashem. Pirkei Avot, the Ethics of the Fathers, says: "The tablets were the work of G-d and the writing was the writing of G-d, 'charus' (engraved) on the tablets." Do not read "charus" but "cherus," (freedom) for there is no free man except one who occupies himself with the study of Torah." We are all enslaved by something in life whether it is our job, an addiction, a hobby. The only person who is truly free is the one who serves his Creator because for this very purpose he was created.