B’Har (On the Mountain) Vayikra/Leviticus 25:1-26:2

B’Har(On the Mountain)Vayikra/Leviticus 25:1-26:2

Haftorah Reading: Jeremiah 32:6-27

Tonight I want to begin our time together by looking at a set of holidays that we seldom take time to study indepth.  These include Shabbat, the Shmitah year and Jubilee year. What do these three teach us and why are they important to remember?

Behar (On the Mountain) Leviticus/Vayikra 25:1-26:2

Torah Portion: Behar (On the Mountain) Leviticus/Vayikra 25:1-26:2 Haftorah Reading Jeremiah 32:6-27  Tonight, we read a Torah portion almost completely about the Sh’mitah, or 7th year and the Yovel, that occurred every 50 years, or after the 7th Sh’mitah celebration.  Before we go any further let’s look at this Torah portion in light of my question I sent […]

Faith vs. Trust – B’Har (On the Mount) Lev. 25-26

Torah Portion:  B’Har (On the Mount) (Leviticus) Vayikra 25-26:2

Haftorah Reading: Jeremiah 32:6-27

This week we read the shortest portion of the Year being only one chapter and two verses of the next chapter. Here we read a description of the Shmitah year or a year of solemn rest for the land. In this year the agricultural land lays fallow. No work on the land is permitted. This year happens every 7th year.  We can see some similarities between the Shmitah Year and the Sabbath but also some differences.

B’Har (On Mount) B’chukkotai (By My Regulations) Lev 25-27

Torah Portion:  B’Har (On Mount) B’chukkotai (By My Regulations)  Leviticus 25-27

HafTorah: Jeremiah 32:6-27

Tonight we finish Vayikra (Leviticus) by looking at these last two Torah portions. In our first portion we read, “And the L-rd spoke to Moshe on Mt Sinai.” In these few words are conveyed a foundational difference between Hebrew and Greek thought. As Western people we have been shaped by Greek logic and thought. When we look at scripture, especially in the Torah, we often come across the underlying Hebrew logic and thought. How do we see this Hebrew thought process here in these first few words? Chronologically where are we in the story of Israel’s exodus from Egypt? The Temple or Mishkan has been constructed, priests have been installed, and time has passed. Yet, here our opening words are B’Har or On Mount Sinai. Moshe was on the mountain back in Sh’mot (Exodus). So why here at the end of this third book of Torah do we read the words B’Har? I think from G-d’s perspective time is not the point. Chronological order is never the issue with G-d. To the Father time or its passage is somewhat irrelevant.  What really matters is the point G-d is making. We almost exclusively think of order of time. A+B=C. Yet, to the Hebrew mind maybe it does and maybe it doesn’t. What is important is that we grasp the spiritual idea G-d is getting across.

Do You Trust G-d? – Behar (On the Mountain)Leviticus 25

 

Torah Portion: Behar (On the Mountain) Leviticus 25:1-26:2

HafTorah: Jeremiah 32:6-27

Let us start with a question. What do the concepts of Shabbat, Shmitah and Jubilee have in common? What do they teach us spiritually? Two of the three have the same root in Hebrew. Shabbat and Sabbatical or Shmitah come from the word to rest. The Shabbat comes once each week and the other once every seventh year. Even Jubilee teaches us the same principle. G-d is our provider. All things belong to Him. He expects us to live in a way that reflects Him in society. We tend to compartmentalize life and in doing that relegate G-d to certain places and time. We may only relate to Him in this meeting or one like it. Some of us may allow Him into our personal lives. We don’t hurt people, we try to live upright lives but fewer are those who let Him into our business or pocketbooks. We may say, “I’ll pray, I’ll study scripture but really business is business. I can’t take off a day or a week much less a year. I can’t tithe. That’s a lot of money. What would I do without it? Everybody cheats a little especially with Uncle Sam. I need it more than they do.”