Regardless of how the calendar falls out, the shortest weekly keriyas HaTorah of the entire year always coincides with Shabbos Shuva, the Shabbos in between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. If there is a Shabbos in between Yom Kippur and Sukkos, then Parshas Vayeilech, the shortest single parsha consisting of thirty pesukim, is read on Shabbos Shuva. If there isn’t a Shabbos in between Yom Kippur and Sukkos, then Parshas Vayeilech is combined with Parshas Nitzavim, totaling seventy pesukim, and Parshas Haazinu, which contains fifty-two pesukim is read on Shabbos Shuva. (Only Parshas Vezos Habracha, which is read on Simchas Torah, and not on a Shabbos, has less pesukim). Rav Avraham Pam suggests that this phenomenon is deliberate, timely, and instructive. Even on Shabbos Shuva, while in the throes of cheshbon hanefesh and sincere teshuvah, it is critical to maintain modest aspirations and sensible expectations. Lasting and comprehensive change happens not in giant leaps or large and impressive undertakings but gradually, small parsha by small parsha, week after week, year after year, as the Talmudic saying goes “if you grasped too much, you did not grasp anything; if you grasped a bit, you grasped something” (Kiddushin 17a). To demonstrate the accumulated value of incremental accomplishments even the haftorah for Shabbos Shuva is taken from the Twelve Minor Prophets, a collection of the shortest seforim in Tanach.
Conversely, Parshas Naso, the longest single parsha in the Torah, is always read on the Shabbos following Shavuos, which the Chiddushei Harim suggests is also calculated. After the day of kabbalas HaTorah on Shavuos it is critical to set out with big plans and ambitious goals. In the realm of physical bounty and monetary possessions, the Gemara (Berachos 50a) cautions the supplicant to be humble and restrained in his requests before Hashem. However, as it relates to Torah learning it is advisable to be bold and assertive, as the pasuk states “Open your mouth wide and I will fill it” (Tehillim 81:11). Rav Ahron Kotler (Mishnas Rebbi Ahron, Volume 1) derives from here that even audacious and implausible aspirations in Torah will be rewarded with access to unrealized powers and potential that pull the desired objective within reach. Similarly, Rav Moshe Feinstein (Iggros Moshe, Volume 8 Introduction) writes, “a person is forbidden to aspire to greatness in any matter beyond what his rank and capabilities allow, except for greatness in Torah, for which the aspiration should be limitless”.
There are one hundred and seventy-six pesukim in Parshas Naso, the longest parsha in the Torah; one hundred and seventy-six pesukim in Tehillim Chapter 119, the longest chapter in Tanach; and one hundred and seventy-six dapim in Bava Basra, the longest masechta in the Talmud Bavli. Rav Moshe Wolfson (Emunas Itacha) deconstructs the significance of the number one hundred and seventy-six. Chazal in numerous places (Sanhedrin 104a, Medrash Tehillim 7, 4) emphasize the role of the twenty-two letters of the aleph beis in the creation of the world and their central role as the building blocks of Talmud Torah. Hence, the census of Shevet Levi in Parshas Bamidbar equaled 22,000, for their primary task was to learn and teach Torah which is comprised of twenty-two letters. According to the Maharal (Ner Mitzvah Chapter 2) the number seven represents the natural world, which was created in the seventh month over the course of seven days, and wherein there are seven continents, seven seas, and seventy nations, while the number eight corresponds to that which supersedes nature. For this reason, Chanukkah, which commemorates the miracle of a small flask of oil burning beyond its natural limits, lasts for eight days. Perhaps it is not coincidental either that the lemniscate (∞), or lazy eight, is the universal symbol for infinity since it too defies comprehension and definition. One hundred and seventy-six is the product of eight times twenty-two and signifies the maximum threshold of Torah learning, pushing the boundaries of possibility into new and uncharted territory.
On the heels of Shavuos, the custom is to read Parshas Naso and its one hundred and seventy-six pesukim as an expression of the insatiable drive to learn Torah, even to a degree that seems unattainable and grandiose, which must invigorate us at this time. Devising and embarking upon new Torah projects, even when they appear fantastic and beyond our capabilities, is a fundamentally healthy and productive endeavor. When the potential gerim approached Hillel the Elder (Shabbos 31a) and conveyed a desire to become the kohel gadol or to learn all of Torah in one sitting and on one foot, Hillel indulged them. Hillel was confident that over time they would normalize, and he didn’t feel obliged to temper their expectations, burst their bubble, or provide a cold dose of reality. He let them dream, because maybe just maybe they would exceed all expectations, and even if not, he knew that this was all part of the process. “Do not touch My anointed ones” (Divrei Hayamim 1:16:22), warns against interfering with the study of literal schoolchildren whose learning is precious and essential to the functioning of the world (Shabbos 119b), but it also applies to the immature unrealistic side in every growing person. As we leave the time of kabbalas HaTorah, the reading of Parshas Naso should inspire us to maintain idealistic, lofty, nay unrealistic goals for ourselves, for however wide we open our mouths in Torah, Hashem assures us “I will fill it.”