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Behar/Bechukotai
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Behar/Bechukotai
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A Student Publication of the Torah Academy of Bergen
County
Parshat Behar-Bechukotai 14
Iyar 5764
May 15,
2004
Vol.13 No.32
In This Issue:
Rabbi Ezra
Weiner
Mrs. Rochi
Lerner
Avi Wollman
Halacha of the Week
Rabbi Chaim
Jachter
Unseen Comfort
by Rabbi
Ezra Weiner
As Hashem is about to
conclude the Tochacha in Parshat Bechukotai, He assures us that He will Remember
the covenant that He made with the Avot: "Vezacharti Et Beriti Yaakov Ve'af Et
Beriti Yitzchak Ve'af Et Beriti Avraham Ezkor, Vehaaretz Ezkor" (26:42). The
obvious difficulty with this Pasuk is that Yaakov is mentioned first, followed
by Yitzchak and Avraham. What does Hashem wish to convey by promising that He
will first remember Yaakov's covenant, only afterward remembering the covenants
made with Yitzchak and Avraham?
Rav Hirsch suggests that
the order of the Avot in this Pasuk is most appropriate, for after all, the
purpose of this Pasuk is to offer a glimmer of hope for the Jewish people, which
has just heard that its future will at times be filled with suffering. It does
so by reminding us of how God's presence works. It is not difficult to see that
God's presence is with us when we are respected and admired by the nations of
the world. Avraham was afforded the dignified title of Nesi Elokim (Bereshit
23:6) by the Bnei Chet. This brought honor to Hashem and spread the spirit of
monotheism.
God's hand in the events that surrounded
Yitzchak's life was not as apparent. Yitzchak was not respected by the
Pelishtim, with whom he came in contact quite frequently. There was a sense of
jealousy and hatred that quite obviously did not bring honor to God and His
newly founded people. Nevertheless, Yitzchak was wealthy and did not experience
persecution. Yaakov, on the other hand, actually entered Galut on two occasions
(Mitzrayim and the house of Lavan) and lived a life of bitterness, persecution
and misfortune. Although Yaakov had plenty to complain about, he remained
steadfast in his faith, and God protected him and his family.
At the end of the lengthy rebuke and list of calamities
that may (Rachamana Litzlan) befall our people, Hashem first and foremost
promises that he will remember Yaakov. Yaakov experienced a life of hardships,
yet he was guarded and cared for by the Divine Presence (as removed as it may
have seemed). Similarly, we should find comfort and hope in God's commitment to
remember His covenant with us even when He seems so far removed from us.
The Lessons of
Nature
by Mrs.
Rochi Lerner
Parshat Behar, discussing
the laws of Shemittah, states that land may be worked for six years, and the
seventh year is a Sabbatical year for the land. A super-Shemittah, the Yovel
year, is mentioned in the latter half of the Parsha. It resembles the Shemittah
year very closely.
What is the relevance of these
agricultural laws to Sefer Vayikra, the book that defines our worldly tasks and
obligations? Furthermore, Shabbat and Shemittah are both referred to as "Shabbat
to Hashem," highlighting an inner connection. What is the meaning of Shabbat,
Shemittah, and Yovel, and how are they linked? Rav Kook addresses these
questions as follows:
Shabbat illustrates a fundamental
principle of Judaism. Judaism is not just a religion, but a way of life. As
such, work, which is fundamental to man's identity, falls within the rubric of
spiritual practice. Rather than being viewed as an end onto itself, work becomes
service to Hashem by being limited to six days. On Shabbat, one is obligated to
refrain from working and instead focus on the spiritual. Hashem recognized the
addictive power of work and its all-consuming nature. Consequently, Hashem
required us to limit work, and step out of the rat race. In keeping Shabbat, we
are involved in developing Kedushah, our God-given task. On Shabbat, we
reconnect to our spiritual centers, and our lives are given purpose and meaning.
Shabbat then carries us through the rest of the week until we are spiritually
recharged on the following Shabbat.
But Shabbat is an
individual experience. Shemittah performs the same function for the nation as
Shabbat does for the individual. During Shemittah, the land returns to its
natural state, agricultural work ceases, and debts are cancelled. Am Yisrael is
given an opportunity to focus its efforts on Kedushah, not as individuals but as
a nation. Not preoccupied by the day-to-day demands of the land and commerce, we
are liberated to redirect our attention toward our spiritual development.
The Yovel represents the highest level in the hierarchy. It
affords us the opportunity to restore the Kedushah of an entire generation.
During the Yovel, all reverts to its original state. The land returns to its
original owners, even if they have forgotten their inheritance. Servants go back
to their families, and begin anew. Everyone is given a new beginning. The Yovel
offers a second chance.
The Yovel begins on Yom Kippur,
the day when our past sins are judged and evaluated. At the close of the day, we
are given a clean slate, and the opportunity to start fresh. On Yom Kippur, we
fast, both to afflict ourselves and to resemble the angels. In so doing, we
attempt to reveal the hidden Kedushah in all of us. Yovel is much the same. It
provides us with the opportunity to link ourselves with past generations, and
imbues us with the Kedushah to carry us into the future.
To return to the original question, Sefer Vayikra concerns
itself with detailing the task of Am Yisrael. Our task is to reveal Kedushah as
individuals, as a nation, and finally, as a generation. Shabbat, Shemittah, and
Yovel are the tools to assist us in performing this task. Therefore, it is
completely logical that Shemittah and Yovel should be contained within Sefer
Vayikra. They are the means by which we are to accomplish our task of revealing
our innate Kedushah.
Guarding the
Mitzvot
by Avi
Wollman
In this week's Parsha the Torah says, "And you will do
(Vaasitem) my 'Chukim' and my 'Mishpatim' you will guard (Tishmeru), and you
will dwell securely on the Land" (Vayikra 25:18). When talking about Chukim,
laws whose meaning we do not understand, the Pasuk it uses the word "do." When
talking about Mishpatim, however, it uses the word "guard." What is the reason
for this? Why must the Torah use these two different verbs to describe Chukim
and Mishpatim?
Rabbi Frand provides an ingenious answer
to this puzzling change of verbs. He states that the answer can be found by
analyzing the different tests inherent in Chukim and Mishpatim. In Chukim, laws
which we do not understand, the challenge is that without understanding the
reason for these seemingly illogical Mitzvot, one might say that is not
important to observe them. Since it is already very challenging to observe
Chukim, the Torah uses the word "do." However, what could be the challenge for
Mishpatim when their reasons are known? Rabbi Frand answers that with Mishpatim,
one must be careful not to make certain assumptions about Mitzvot based on their
explanations. The Pasuk is teaching us that even if we would think a Mitzvah
would not apply in a certain instance because its reason would not apply, we
must observe the Mitzvah nevertheless. Therefore, the Torah uses the word
"guard" to teach us that Mishpatim cannot be meddled with and must be
guarded.
This teaches us an important lesson regarding
personal daily lives. We often find ourselves in a situation in which a Mitzvah
that we would rather avoid comes up, and we make excuses to exempt ourselves
from fulfilling it. The word "guard" comes to teach us that we cannot do this,
and even when it may be a strain, we are obligated to perform every mitzvah and
to serve Hashem with all our hearts.
Halacha of the Week
One should try to
give business to one's fellow Yehudi whenever possible (Rashi to Vayikra 25:14).
The Chafetz Chaim (Ahavat Chesed 5:7) codifies the Rama's ruling that one should
give business to the Yehudi even if the Jew's product is slightly more
expensive. Rav Hershel Schachter rules that this does not apply to an item that
one buys often throughout the year, because over the course of a year the
Yehudi's product will be much more expensive. For example, one is not required
to buy milk at a Yehudi's store even if it only slightly more expensive than at
a Nochri's store. Rav Schachter further rules that there is no distinction
between an observant and non-observant Yehudi in the context of this Halacha.
However, if the observant individual is sending his children to Yeshivot and the
non-observant person is not, then one is indirectly supporting Yeshivot by
patronizing the observant Jew's store. Your business helps the storeowner pay
his children's Yeshiva tuitions.
Staff at time of publication:
Editors-in-Chief: Ely Winkler, Willie Roth
Executive Editor: Jerry M. Karp
Publication Editor: Jesse Dunietz
Publishing Manager: Andy Feuerstein-Rudin
Publication Managers: Orin Ben-Jacob, Moshe Zharnest
Business Manager: Etan Bluman
Webmaster: Ariel Caplan
Staff:
Duvie Barth, Uri
Carl, Mitch Levine, Josh Markovic, Moshe Schaffer, Chaim Strauss, Avi
Wollman
Faculty Advisor: Rabbi Chaim Jachter
This
publication contains Torah matter and should be treated accordingly.