Leviticus 25:1–26:2
Parshat Behar–Bechukotai
At Mount Sinai G-d commands the Sabbatical year, when the land rests, and the Jubilee every fiftieth year, when land returns to its original owners and servants go free. It also teaches honesty in business and support for a brother who falls on hard times. Bechukotai, usually read together with it, promises blessing for following G-d's laws and warns of the consequences of rejecting them.
Essays
Parsha Behar-Bechukosai – A Wall of Fire Humans are in need of walls that protect and preserve their spiritual integrity. The only solid wall is the invisible one; Torah study and the G-d given commandments. BECHUKOSAI BECHUKOSAI Parsha Behar-Bechukosai – Above and Within To live life to the fullest one must first rise above the limits of life and instill that heightened view into life itself. BECHUKOSAI BECHUKOSAI Parsha Behar-Bechukosai – Eating Your Fathers and Sons What makes us fundamentally human is not our intelligence and feelings. Rather it is the interplay between them. BECHUKOSAI BECHUKOSAI Parsha Behar-Bechukosai – Etched in Stone Torah study is the preeminent influence in our lives. Mitzvos are external; Torah is internal. While Mitzvos make us holy, Torah study defines us. BECHUKOSAI BECHUKOSAI Parsha Behar-Bechukosai – Ex/introverted Judaism Judaism is all-encompassing. Judaism demands that we have both a public and private involvement with Torah and Mitzvos. BECHUKOSAI BECHUKOSAI Parsha Behar-Bechukosai – Fair Fear BECHUKOSAI BECHUKOSAI Parsha Behar-Bechukosai – Insulation Torah, among all of its other qualities, is also the best insulation from all the negative forces in the world. BECHUKOSAI BECHUKOSAI Parsha Behar-Bechukosai – From Confession to Unmitigated Praise and Gratitude Confession of sins is a surgical process. It cannot be accompanied by excuses, even legitimate ones. One must be brutally honest in excising every trace of evil. BECHUKOSAI BECHUKOSAI Parsha Behar-Bechukosai – Ironclad There are two visions for the Third Beis Hamikdash. The first is that it will be man-made. This symbolizes how all our efforts now are the building blocks of the Temple. The second scenario is for it to descend from Heaven. This symbolizes how G-d will crown our efforts with His unparalleled holines Parsha Behar-Bechukosai – It’s Our Land! Our claim to the Land of Israel is not political, International law or even historical. It was given to us by G-d. Observing the agricultural Mitzvos regarding the Land is our way of highlighting and maintaining our connection to the land. BECHUKOSAI BECHUKOSAI Parsha Behar-Bechukosai – Let Freedom Ring! (2) Freedom is not defined by the license to do anything we want. Rather, it is the ability to live in accordance with our core beliefs of our soul. BECHUKOSAI BECHUKOSAI Parsha Behar-Bechukosai – Let Freedom Ring! True freedom is when no barriers remain; whether they are internal or external. BECHUKOSAI BECHUKOSAI Parsha Behar-Bechukosai – Light, Life and Holiness Judaism focuses on generating light, preserving life and sanctifying the world. These three objectives are fulfilled by women observing three special Mitzvos of lighting Shabbos and Yom Tov candles, family-purity and the separation of Challah. BECHUKOSAI BECHUKOSAI Parsha Behar-Bechukosai – No More Victims Torah helps us look for the good in everyone and everything. Even adversity is seen as hidden good. The Messianic Age will change our focus to see all the hidden good fully revealed. BECHUKOSAI BECHUKOSAI Parsha Behar-Bechukosai – Proud Humility Humility is a virtue. Pride is a vice. Proud humility is perfection. BECHUKOSAI BECHUKOSAI Parsha Behar-Bechukosai – Reverse Order Judaism is two pronged: Torah and Mitzvos. While Mitzvos liberate our bodies; Torah liberates our mind. BECHUKOSAI BECHUKOSAI Parsha Behar-Bechukosai – The Double Return of the Land There is only one land and one people who enjoy a symbiotic relationship. That is the people and the Land of Israel. BECHUKOSAI BECHUKOSAI Parsha Behar-Bechukosai – The Gift of Life Helping the needy is only a complete Mitzvah when you also remove the stigma of poverty from the recipient. BECHUKOSAI BECHUKOSAI Parsha Behar-Bechukosai – The Master Plan Contemporary society’s pendulum is swinging from one extreme to the other: On extreme tells us that the Earth is ours to plunder. It deifies man. The other extreme deifies the Earth. Torah insists that we glorify only the one G-d who is the Master of all. BECHUKOSAI BECHUKOSAI Parsha Behar-Bechukosai – The Price of Fish and Mount Sinai Whatever it is we do, there is one question we should be asking: “What is the connection of anything and everything we do with Mount Sinai?” Everything we do should be evaluated in terms of its relationship to the ideal of Mount Sinai. The value of each and every experience should be measured by its Parsha Behar-Bechukosai – The Ultimate Paradox The ultimate challenge is to fuse heightened spirituality with everyday life. BECHUKOSAI BECHUKOSAI Parsha Behar-Bechukosai – Trees of the Future Moshiach will enable us to change the subtext of our lives by revealing the inner core of our souls. Moshiach will empower us to change the context of life by opening our eyes to see the whole picture. Moshiach will also change the nature of the text of our lives itself by instilling more soul and v Parsha Behar-Bechukosai – Two Tiered Evaluation Self-Discovery is an exciting experience because it reveals a surprising subterranean dimension of our personality. However, the ideal is that we don’t give up our familiar, conscious, and external identities. BECHUKOSAI BECHUKOSAI Parsha Behar-Bechukosai – Unveil Your Eyes! Vanquishing evil takes four forms: First, doing Teshuvah with passion and love. Second, resisting evil. Third, study the teachings of Torah that deal with evil. The fourth level is to study the inner dimension of Torah which transcends evil. BECHUKOSAI BECHUKOSAI Parsha Behar-Bechukosai – What Is the Question? Judaism loves the right questions. Questions that demoralize are to be rejected. Questions that inspire us to actin are commendable. Questions that get us excited and generate joy and enthusiasm are the most desirable. BECHUKOSAI BECHUKOSAI Parsha Behar-Bechukosai – Whose Life Is It? Never before have we witnessed the incredible miracles of medicine to preserve and prolong life. Yet, never before have we seen such erosion of life’s intrinsic value. Our challenge today is to allow light and life to prevail over darkness. BECHUKOSAI BECHUKOSAI