B’HAR-B’CHUKOTAI LEV.25:1-27:34 [END VAYIKRA]

May this week find each of you safe and sound during these days of uncertainty
and concern. You and yours are included in our good thoughts and prayers for healing
and well-being.

PARSHA

The Torah portion for this Shabbat is a combination of B’har (בְּהַר – “on the mount”) and B’chukotai (בְּחֻקֹּתַי – “by my decrees”), Leviticus 25:1-27:34. They are the final readings of Vayikra (the Book of Leviticus).

From ReformJudaism.org:
The Eternal One spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai: “Speak to the Israelite people and say to them: When you enter the land that I assign to you, the land shall observe a sabbath of the Eternal.” – Leviticus 25:1-2

​If you follow My laws and faithfully observe My commandments, I will grant your rains in
their season, so that the earth shall yield its produce and the trees of the field their fruit.
– Leviticus 26:3-4

SUMMARY:

• God instructs Moses to tell the Israelites that in every seventh year, the land shall observe a Sabbath of complete rest: Fields should not be sown and vines should not be pruned. (25:1-7)
• After forty-nine years, a jubilee year is to be celebrated when all the land that had been sold during that time should be returned to its original owners and slaves are to be freed. (25:8-55)
• God instructs Moses to tell the Israelites not to make idols, to keep the sabbath, and to venerate the sanctuary of the Eternal. (26:1-2)
• God promises blessings to the Children of Israel if they follow the law and warns about the curses that will befall the people if they do not observe God’s commandments. (26:1-46)
• Gifts made to the Sanctuary whether by conditional vows or by unconditional acts of pious gratitude are discussed. (27:1-34)

Upon completing a book of Torah Ashkenazi Jews shout “Chazak! Chazak! Venit-chazëk” which is translated as “Be strong! Be strong! And may we be strengthened!” The Sephardic custom is to say “Chazak U’baruch” (“strength and blessing”) at the end of every single individual Torah reading; the response is “Chazak Ve’ematz” (“be strong and have courage” from Deut. 31:23) or “Baruch Tihiye” (“may you be blessed.”)

From Wikipedia.com:
The Haftarah for the parashah is Jeremiah 16:19–17:14. The blessings and curses in Leviticus 26 are matched by a curse on “the man that trusts in man” in Jeremiah 17:5 and a blessing on “the man that trusts in the Lord” in Jeremiah 17:7.

PIRKËI AVOT
It is traditional to study a chapter per week of this section of the Mishnah for the six weeks between Pesach and Shavuot:

SAYINGS (Sefaria.org translation)
From Chapter 4 [22 aphorisms]:
“Ben Zoma said: Who is he that is honored? He who honors his fellow human beings as it is said: ‘For I honor those that honor Me, but those who spurn Me shall be dishonored’ (I Samuel 2:30).” [4/1]

“Rabbi Yochanan the shoemaker said: Every gathering that is for the sake of Heaven will endure. And every gathering that isn’t for the sake of Heaven will not endure, in the end.” [4/11]

From Chapter 5 [23 aphorisms]:
“With ten utterances the world was created. And what does this teach, for surely
it could have been created with one utterance? But this was so in order to punish the
wicked who destroy the world that was created with ten utterances, And to give a good
reward to the righteous who maintain the world that was created with ten utterances.”
[This is interpreted to refer both to Genesis and the Ten Commandments – 5/1]
“(There are) seven things (characteristic) in a clod [boor/yokel], and seven in a
wise man: A wise man does not speak before one who is greater than he in wisdom,
And does not break into his fellow’s speech; And is not hasty to answer; He asks what
is relevant, and he answers to the point; And he speaks of the first (point) first, and of
the last (point) last; And concerning that which he has not heard, he says: I have not
heard; And he acknowledges the truth. And the reverse of these (are characteristic) in a
clod.” [5/7]
“There are four types of character in human beings: One that says: ‘mine is mine,
and yours is yours’: this is a commonplace type; and some say this is a sodom-type of
character. (One that says:) ‘mine is yours and yours is mine’: is an unlearned person
{am Haaretz [yokel]}; (One that says:) ‘mine is yours and yours is yours’ is a pious
person. (One that says:) ‘mine is mine, and yours is mine’ is a wicked person.” [5/10]
“All love that depends on a something, (when the) thing ceases, (the) love
ceases; and (all love) that does not depend on anything, will never cease. What is an
example of love that depended on a something? Such was the love of Amnon for
Tamar. And what is an example of love that did not depend on anything? Such was the
love of David and Jonathan.” [5/16]
“He [Judah ben Tema] used to say: At five years of age the study of Scripture; At
ten the study of Mishnah; At thirteen subject to the commandments; At fifteen the study
of Talmud; At eighteen the bridal canopy; At twenty for pursuit [of livelihood]; At thirty
the peak of strength; At forty wisdom; At fifty able to give counsel; At sixty old age; At
seventy fullness of years; At eighty the age of ‘strength’; At ninety a bent body; At one
hundred, as good as dead and gone completely out of the world.” [5/21]

B’HAR-B’CHUKOTAI LEV.25:1-27:34 [END VAYIKRA]

COUNTING THE ‘ÕMER – preparing for Shavuot
Today is 36 Days in the ‘Õmer, which is five weeks and one day of the ‘Õmer. Day 37
begins Friday evening at sundown. There are two weeks to go to Shavuot.

SHAVUOT CUSTOMS
Shavuot (שָׁבוּעוֹת, lit. “Weeks”) is the second of the Shalosh Regalim (שָׁלשׁ רְגָלִים), three Pilgrimage Festivals. Pesach is the first and Sukkot is the third. Among Ashkenazim it is traditional to eat dairy products on Shavuot because the words of Torah are likened to “milk and honey”.

Other Shavuot traditions include the reading of the Book of Ruth, decorating homes and
synagogues with greenery, and reciting special prayers and piyyutim (liturgical poems).
Shavuot is celebrated for one day in Israel and two days in the Diaspora, beginning this
year the evening of Thursday, May 28. Reform Judaism celebrates one day as in Israel.

SOMETHING TO CONSIDER

From Torahfax.net:
One of the many mitzvot in [B’har] is to help another person in need. “And if your
brother becomes poor and his strength fails him, you shall support him, whether a
stranger or a sojourner, so that he may live with you…”

PRAYERS

We recite MI SHEBËRACH for the victims of abuse, fear, natural disasters, pandemics,
violence, and war; for all those in need of physical, emotional and mental healing.
“R’fuah sh’lëmah” – a complete recovery!
We say KADDISH YATOM for those of our friends and families who have died and been buried this last week; those in the period of Sh’loshim; those who have died in the last year; and those whose Yahrzeits/Anyos occur at this time; as well as the victims of disease, natural disasters, war, violence; and of the Holocaust, who died at this time of year and have us to say “Kaddish” for them. “Zichronam liv’rachah” – May their memories be for blessing.
Shabbat Shalom – Buen Shabbat,
-Ruben