In our Tradition, it has been determined that the Torah portion read on the shabbat before the falling of the holiday of Shavuot is B'midbar (“In the desert”). The Sefat Emet points out that the Torah was given in the desert for the specific purpose of eliminating all distraction from the moment. The desert is viewed as the absence of human control and manipulation of environment. The desert is an annulment of human power and human domination. Within the borders of human civilization, observance of shabbat plays a similar role; that is, shabbat removes human mastery over our surroundings. The observance of shabbat returns us to a place of vulnerability and trust in Gd. The reading of the weekly portion B'midbar and the observance of that week's shabbat is intended to prepare us psychologically and emotionally for the marking of our receipt of the Torah which occurred – and occurs – on the Festival of Shavuot.