Indeed, in the blessing over the Torah, we say: "Who chose us from all the nations and gave us His Torah," which implies that our selection as a people was primarily for the giving of the Torah to us. The Sefer HaChinuch (Commandment 306) elaborates on the matter of the mitzvah of counting the Omer, stating: "According to the plain meaning, because the essence of Israel is none other than the Torah, and for the sake of the Torah the heavens, the earth, and Israel were created, as it is written (Jeremiah 33:25), 'If My covenant with day and night did not exist, etc.' And it is the primary reason and cause for their redemption and exodus from Egypt, so that they would receive the Torah at Sinai and observe it, as Hashem said to Moshe (Exodus 3:12), 'And this shall be the sign for you that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.' The interpretation of the verse is, meaning, bringing them out of Egypt will be a sign that you shall serve God on this mountain, meaning, you will receive the Torah, which is the great purpose for which they were redeemed, and it is the ultimate good for them. This matter is greater for them than freedom from slavery. Therefore, Hashem made for Moshe a sign of their exodus from slavery to the receiving of the Torah, because the secondary is always made a sign for the primary."