Weekly Reading Insights:
Behar 5779

Overview of the Weekly Reading

To be read on Shabbat Behar - 13 Iyar 5779 / May 18 (Outside of Israel the Weekly Reading is Emor)

Torah: Leviticus 25:1-26:2 ; Haftorah: Jeremiah 32:6-27 (redemption of hereditary land by relatives, as in 25:25)

Pirkei Avot: Chapter Three

Behar is the 8th Reading out of 10 in Leviticus and it contains 2817 letters, in 737 words, in 57 verses

Behar (Leviticus 25:1-26:2) begins with laws concerning the sabbatical and jubilee years. These include the laws concerning the redemption of fields and houses. These are followed by the laws enjoining us to help fellow Jews and forbidding us to charge interest. Behar concludes with the mitzvot regarding Jewish and non-Jewish servants.


An essay from
Rabbi Shaul Yosef Leiter, director of Ascent

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This week's Torah portion contains three different sections: Shmita and Yovel (Sabbatical and Jubilee years for the land of Israel), freeing slaves during the Jubilee year, and the prohibition of taking interest on a loan from a Jew.

The Izbitza Rebbe connects these three subjects to the mystical concept of "ASHaN" from the Kabbalistic book, Sefer Yetzira. The word ASHaN means smoke and, in this case, describes how Mt. Sinai was full of smoke (19/18).

It is also an acronym of three words: olam-world or space, shana-time, and nefesh-soul or spirit. Just as a soul is a divine creation, so too are space and time. Everything in the creation has these three components. Seeing the world from this perspective is a way of sensitizing ourselves to how G-d interacts with the world.

He continues that Behar is all about faith in G-d, and that G-d is warning us against relying on any apparently trustworthy worldly factors, and count on Him alone. The above mentioned three Torah topics correspond to the three mystical concepts.

Buying property is connected to the spiritual state of world or space. The commandments of Shmita teaches us not to put our faith in land because, as we learn from the laws of the sabbatical year, possession is not necessarily permanent or fruitful. Whenever we rely on real estate, we risk disappointment.

Taking interest is connected to the spiritual state of time because interest accumulates over time. For this reason the Torah forbids taking interest to remind us that just a interest is forbidden, so we are warned not to put our faith in time.

We also may put our faith in people, which relates to the concept of souls. Servants are the ultimate example of a human being on whom we come to rely, and for this reason we are commanded to free all of our slaves in the Jubilee year to remind us not to rely on people either.

Wednesday (10 Iyar) is the Yahrzeit of the Rabbi Dovid of Tolna from the line of Chernobyl Rebbes. He and each of his brothers were chassidic leaders of importance. He once met with one of his brothers, Rabbi Yitzchok, the Rebbe of Rachmistrevka. Rabbi Yitzchok was a very humble person and sincerely asked Reb Dovidel why by him there were always many miraculous events, but by Rabbi Yitzchok none!

Reb Dovidel answered him as follows: 'People come to me for blessings and have to wait a very long time to get an audience. And once they get in, even before they have a chance to pour out their hearts, my assistant is already pulling them out. Since the chassid sees that he did not get what he needed from the Rebbe, out of desperation he begins to pray from the depth of his heart in the realization that he must put his faith entirely in G-d. And because of this G-d answers him!

But by you, when anyone comes to see you, you immediately close the text you are studying, ready to hear all of the things that trouble that person, and he relies on your help. Could it be that sometimes, just possibly, that person forgets about G-d? And if he forgets about G-d, from where will his salvation rise?'

In connection with the portion's emphasis on faith in G-d, the commentaries explain that the Jewish people may worry how they will survive if they can not farm during the Sabbatical year and will have to wait until well into the 8th year before there will be any crops (25/20-1). 'What will we eat in the seventh year?' The Torah answers for G-d, 'I will command my blessings in the 6th year, and it will yield a crop enough for three years!'

The Lubavitcher Rebbe writes that the verses about the 6th and 7th years are a hint to the era before Moshiach's arrival during the end of the 6th millennium, which is now. The question is, how will we succeed spiritually to bring the redemption, when we are such a clueless and orphaned generation? G-d answers, 'I will command my blessings in the 6th year.' If we fully invest ourselves in the work of the '6th year'-the physical and spiritual efforts required of us during the last moments of exile-G-d will bless our plantings from the 6th year that they will last us for 3 years: from the arrival of Moshiach through the revival of the dead, and to the time of the full redemption, the 7th millennium that is solely Shabbat!

Shabbat Shalom, Shaul


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For last year's essay by Rabbi Leiter on this week's Reading, see the archive.


FROM THE SAGES OF KABBALAH ON KabbalaOnline.org

Specifically, for an overview of the recommended articles in the columns:
Holy Zohar, Holy Ari, Mystic Classics, Chasidic Masters, Contemporary Kabbalists, and more,
click to Behar

one sample:

Contemporary Kabbalists
Three Levels of Shabbat

By Rabbi Avraham Brandwein

There are three levels of this ascent of the worlds. First is the Shabbat after six weekdays, when every person receives an additional soul. Second is the Shabbat of the Seventh Year, where the land, corresponding to the sefira of malchut, ascends a level. Third is the Shabbat of Yovel; the worlds from the sefira of malchut ascend to the sefira of bina, also called the World of Freedom.


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