LEVITICUS 25:1-27:34, BEHAR-BECHUKOSAI, COUNTING THE OMER, JERUSALEM DAY AND MORE

 LEVITICUS 25:1-27:34, 

BEHAR-BECHUKOSAI, COUNTING THE OMER, JERUSALEM DAY AND MORE

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Behar-Bechukosai is a double portion.  In it we read about proper conduct to a fellow Jew:  

At 25:17 -

“And you shall not wrong, one man his fellow Jew, and you shall fear your God, for I am the Lord, your God”.

At 25:25 -

“If your brother becomes destitute and sells some of his inherited property, his redeemer who is related to him shall come forth and redeem his brother's sale”.

At 25:35 -

“If your brother becomes destitute and his hand falters beside you, you shall support him [whether] a convert or a resident, so that he can live with you”.

At 25:36 –

“You shall not take from him interest or increase, and you shall fear your God, and let your brother live with you”.

At 25:37 -

“You shall not give him your money with interest, nor shall you give your food with increase”.

At 25:39 -

“And if your brother becomes destitute with you, and is sold to you, do not work him with slave labor”.

At 25:43 -

“You shall not work him with rigor, and you shall fear your God”.

At 25:47-48 -

“If a resident non Jew gains wealth with you, and your brother becomes destitute with him and is sold to a resident non Jew among you or to an idol of the family of a non Jew.

After he is sold, he shall have redemption; one of his brothers shall redeem him”.

Being a Member of the Tribe is not a bad deal.😃

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GETTING UP IN THE MORNING

When we first wake up in the morning the following prayer is recited:

מודה אני לפניך מלך חי וקיים שהחזרת בי נשמתי בחמלה

 רבה אמונתך

“I thank you, living and ever living king, for You have returned my soul within me with pity. Great is your faithfulness”.

Is חמלה compassion, mercy or pity? I think “pity”.

This conclusion is based on Tractate Menuchot 53b, where חמלה is found:

“I have heard your voice, and I will take pity”.

This is what Rabbi Seltzer has to say: If pity means that Hashem puts his faith in me even though I may not deserve it than I agree.  We thank Hashem for the great gift of life and understand that He is displaying faith in us by doing so even though we may not feel like we are worthy of His faith.  That sounds more like "pity" then compassion or mercy.

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MORE GRATITUDE - JERUSALEM DAY

This Sunday evening marks the beginning of Jerusalem Day.  It commemorates that in 1967 Israel gained control over the entire city as part of the Six-Day War.

Jerusalem Day a religious holiday as is Yom Hashoah, Yom Haikoron, and Yom Hatzmaut. The day is very much celebrated by Israel's Religious Zionist community with parades and additional prayers in many synagogues.

The military victory over the surrounding Arab armies is regarded as a bona-fide miracle worthy of thanksgiving.

This victory clearly affects the entire Jewish people. Israel is a place of refuge for all Jews , and serves as a source of deep Jewish pride throughout the world.

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A DAY IN THE LIFE...

You've got 30 seconds...

OK, the sirens go off. You have 30 seconds to get to the bomb shelter which is just outside the apartment building, and you are on the 7th floor.

What to do? Ring for the elevator? No way; even if you are the only tenant with this in mind, it isn’t likely that you’ll make it in time.

Take the stairs? Maybe: it’s only 7 flights to the Ground floor, and at 4 seconds per flight, you might make it without stroking out or not.

Better to relax, go into your safest room, the one facing south; uncork a beer and settle in. It’s been a good ride (B”H).

Exercise is overrated...😃Beer is not.

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COUNTING THE OMER

Between the holidays of Passover and Shavuot, the Omer is counted each evening for a total of seven weeks or 49 days.

The counting is a method for preparing oneself for receiving the Torah on the holiday of Shavuot. This preparation in a certain sense is a purification process, making one ready for the revelation of God at Mt. Sinai where the Torah was received. The purification process involves a detailed emotional refinement that is undertaken at each of the day’s counting.

 Its roots are in Jewish mysticism that is called Kabbalah. The counting is based on a rationale that we have been created in the image of God, and then sets out, if you will,  to clothe God in seven Divine Attributes. 

The seven Divine Attributes whose focus changes week by week and within a particular week day by day are:

Chesed - Loving-kindness

Week 1 of the Omer

Gevurah — Justice and discipline

Week 2 of the Omer

Tiferet - Harmony, compassion

Week 3 of the Omer

Netzach - Endurance

Week 4 of the Omer

Hod - Humility

Week 5 of the Omer

Yesod - Bonding

Week 6 of the Omer

Malchut - Sovereignty, leadership

Week 7 of the Omer

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In the Leviticus at 23:15-16 we are commanded to count the Omer.

"And you shall count for yourselves from the morrow of the Shabbat, from the day that you bring the omer that is raised, seven complete weeks there shall be until the morrow of the seventh week you shall count fifty days".

The Omer is a quantity of ripened barley, about 9 pounds, that the Kohanim harvested on the 2nd day of Passover when we entered into the Land of Israel. After 50 days the wheat is ready to be harvested, and we usher in the Festival of Shavuot

 

Here are some thoughts on the 4th, 5th and 6th weeks of the Omer count:

In the 4^th week of  Omer counting we come to Sefirat Netzach (נצח) whose meaning is Endurance.  This is some of what Rabbi Shimon Jacobson has to say about Endurance.  It is applicable to many of us.

Endurance… is a combination of determination and tenacity. It is a balance of patience, persistence and guts. Endurance is also being reliable and accountable, which establishes security and commitment. Without endurance, any good endeavor or intention has no chance of success.

Runners, particularly long distance understand the meaning of Netzach.  It is true grit.

Healthy endurance, directed to develop good qualities and modifying bad ones, will always be compassionate. The compassion of endurance reflects a most beautiful quality of endurance: an enduring commitment to help another grow. Endurance without compassion is misguided and selfish. Endurance needs to be not just loving to those who deserve love, but also compassionate to the less fortunate. Does my determination compromise my compassion for others? Am I able to rise above my ego and empathize with my competitors? Am I gracious in victory?

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In the 5^th week of the Omer counting the focus of is the sefirah Hod (הוד)…and according to Rabbi Simon Jacobson, Hod is Humility.  Here are some of his thoughts on Hod:

Hod (Humility) is the silent partner of the previous sefirah, Netzach (Endurance).   Hod’s strength is in its silence. Its splendor in its repose. Humility leads to yielding, which is an essential element of Humility - and the resulting yielding - should not be confused with weakness and lack of self-esteem. 

Humility is modesty; it is acknowledgement (from the root "hoda'ah"). It is saying "thank you" to G‑d. It is clearly recognizing your qualities and strengths and acknowledging that they are not your own; they were given to you by G‑d for a higher purpose than just satisfying your own needs.

Humility is modesty; it is recognizing how small you are which allows you to realize how large you can become. And that makes humility so formidable.

Acknowledging that your strengths come from a higher place gives you the power to endure far beyond your own perceived capacity. It gives you part of G‑d's enduring strength.

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We have begun the 6^th week of the Omer counting. The focus is the sefirah YESOD (יסוד)…and according to Rabbi Simon Jacobson, YESOD  is Bonding.  Here are some of his thoughts on YESOD:

Bonding is a complete fusion between a lover and the beloved.  Without bonding no feeling can be truly realized. Bonding means connecting; not only feeling for another, but being attached to him. Not just a token commitment, but total devotion. It creates a channel between giver and receiver. Bonding is eternal.

Every person needs bonding to flourish and grow. The bonding between mother and child; between husband and wife; between brothers and sisters; between close friends. 

Bonding is affirmation; it gives one the sense of belonging; that "I matter", "I am significant and important". It establishes trust - trust in yourself and trust in others. It instills confidence. Without bonding and nurturing we cannot realize and be ourselves.

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We conclude the Book of Leviticus:

BE STRONG, BE STRONG, AND WE WILL BE STRENGTHENED

חזק חזק ונחזק