Behar - Bechukosai %! %%% % diritto d'autore 20Ϯϭ di Mechon Beer Emunah [email protected] Traduzione a cura del team VedibartaBam " $$ %#% Table of Contents Torah Wellsprings - Behar - Bechukosai Shemitah: Belief in Creation ..........................................................................................4 Hefker ..................................................................................................................................5 "What Will We Eat" ..........................................................................................................7 The Prohibition of Cheating in Business ......................................................7 – לא תונו Emunah: A Segulah for Success .....................................................................................8 Tragedy in Miron .............................................................................................................9 Turn to Hashem ..............................................................................................................15 Honor the Poor................................................................................................................17 Torah Wellsprings - Behar - Bechukosai Shemitah: Belief in Creation Moshe…" it means Hashem spoke with Moshe on Har Sinai. That's when the entire Next year is shemitah, which is the topic Torah was given. of this week's parashah. However, in this week's parashah, when The Chinuch (mitzvah 84) writes, "This the Torah discusses shemitah, the pasuk tells mitzvah plants in our hearts and clarifies in us that the mitzvah was given on Har Sinai. our minds that Hashem created the world. ,וידבר ה' אל משה בהר סיני ,(As it states (25:1 Because Hashem created the world in six "Hashem spoke with Moshe at Har Sinai…" days and rested on the seventh day [so we also work six years and rest on the sabbatical Why are these words necessary? year]. We must uproot the thoughts of the Why" ,מה ענין שמיטה אצל הר סיני ,apikorsim, those who deny the Torah, and As Rashi asks say the world always existed…" does the Torah associate shemitah with Har And weren't all ,והלא כל המצות נאמרו מסיני ?Sinai The punishment for transgressing of the mitzvos said at Sinai!" shemitah is galus.1 The Sfas Emes answers that it is to tell us Why is transgressing shemitah punished that by keeping shemitah we become pure so severely? and holy, just as when we stood at Har Sinai. Reb Henoch of Alexander zt'l (Chashvah We will explain: explains that this is because for (ד"ה אז l'Tovah a whole year shemitah reminds us that When the Jewish nation stood at Har Hashem created the world. Chalilah, if we Sinai to receive the Torah, they became like אני אמרתי ,(don't keep shemitah, we need another malachim. As it states (Tehillim 82:6 I said you are angels…" But then" ,אלקים אתם .reminder that Hashem created the world Therefore, Hashem sends us to galus and they worshiped the egel and fell from that reveals to us that the world is indeed His. high level. Since then, we are no longer like He created it, and He can take it away from the malachim. Nevertheless, there are times us. when we become like malachim. Such a time is Shabbos when we are like the malachim Hashem taught Moshe the entire Torah, who don't need to work. with all its details on Har Sinai (see Rashi beginning of parashah). When the Torah states, Additionally, during the shemitah year, Hashem spoke with we also resemble malachim. We don't work" ,וידבר ה' אל משה לאמר Exile“ ,גלות באה לעולם על עובדי עבודה זרה, ועל גלוי עריות, ועל שפיכות דמים, ועל השמטת הארץ ,The Mishnah (Avos 5:9) states .1 comes for the aveiros of avodah zarah, adultery, murder, and for not keeping shemitah." The seventy years of galus in" ,שבעים שנה של גלות בבל הן היו כנגד ע' שנות השמטה ויובל ,Similarly, Rashi (26:35) writes Bavel correspond to seventy years of shemitah and yovel" that the Yidden didn’t keep. ואתכם אזרה בגוים... והיתה ארצכם שממה... כל ימי השמה תשבת את אשר לא שבתה ,(And it states in the tochachah (Bechukosai 26:33-35 I will disperse you among the goyim… Your land will be barren… The number of" ,בשבתתיכם בשבתכם עליה days that the land will be desolate corresponds the number of shemitos you didn’t keep." These sources prove that galus comes for not keeping shemitah. Torah Wellsprings - Behar - Bechukosai 5 the land, and we aren't worried about our return to the control and power that he once parnassah, thereby not involving ourselves had. Because now he humbly recognizes in the gashmiyos of this world. that everything is from Hashem. The Sfas Emes explains that the Torah associates shemitah with Har Sinai because, Heϔker with the mitzvah of shemitah, we are like the והיתה שבת הארץ לכם ,malachim, just as we were when we stood at The Torah (25:6) says ,לאכלה, לך ולעבדך ולאמתך ולשכירך ולתושבים הגרים עמך .Har Sinai "You may eat from the produce that grows We can also explain that the Torah in the seventh year; also, your slaves, associates shemitah with Har Sinai because, maidservants, workers, and the people who just like then, our observance of shemitah live with you in your land" [even non-Jews]. everyone is“ ,הכל יהיה שוין בה ,proves the completeness of our emunah. Rashi explains Chazal tell us that when Hashem gave the equal.” This means no one can act like he is Torah to the Jewish nation, He opened up the owner of the crops. They are hefker. Whoever wants can come into the field and אין עוד all seven heavens and the Yidden saw .that there is only Hashem. Similarly, pick some fruit ,מלבדו as we explained, the purpose of shemitah is to teach us that Hashem created the world What does this aspect of shemitah teach there is none other than us? We discussed above that keeping the ,אין עוד מלבדו and Hashem. field fallow teaches us that Hashem created the world. But this halachah teaches us Shemitah is every seven years. After seven another lesson. It tells us that fruit can't shemitos pass (which is forty-nine years) comes grow if Hashem doesn't say it should. As the fiftieth year of yovel. The halachos of the Chinuch writes, "Hashem commanded yovel are similar to shemitah. We don't work us to be mafkir whatever grows that year… the land in yovel, as we don't work in so a person will remember that when the shemitah. And once again, a primary purpose field yields produce…it isn't that the earth of yovel is to remind us that Hashem created has the power or the segulah to give forth the world. fruit. Rather, there is a Master over the earth and over people. And when He wants, He One of the unique halachos of yovel is commands us to be mafkir the field hefker." that all fields sold during the forty-nine- year period are returned to their original Most people think the earth has the power to bring forth produce. The Chinuch ,ושבתם איש אל אחוזתו ,(owners. As it states (25:10 "Each man will return to his property." clarifies that without Hashem's help and Hashem's decree, nothing would grow. The אל אחזותו הוא שב ואיו ,Chazal (Toras Kohanim) teach .He returns to his portion of earth cannot produce anything on its own" ,שב לשררה שבידו land, but he doesn't return to his power and The mitzvah to be mafkir the produce helps control that he used to have." us remember that. The Daas Sofer explains, after keeping And the truth is, scientifically, there isn't shemitah and yovel, one becomes aware that any rational explanation to explain how the Hashem is the creator and the ruler of the earth can grow food. Think about it: A land. Perhaps previously, he considered wheat kernel rots in the ground, and then, himself wealthy and powerful, but now he without adding any other ingredients other humbly realizes that everything he owns than rain and sunlight, the seed grows and comes from Hashem. This is the meaning of develops. It becomes a tall wheat stalk, carrying many wheat kernels, each with the ,אל אחוזתו הוא שב ואין שב לשררה שבידו ,the Chazal he returns to his property, but he doesn't potential to grow more wheat stalks. Isn't 6 Torah Wellsprings - Behar - Bechukosai this wondrous? How do water, sun, and creation and writes, "Although you see these soil achieve that?2 wonders all the time…and you know what to expect, don't let this take away from the Scientists can explain several aspects of immense wonderment you should have how things grow, but most of the process when you see them… People are amazed remains a mystery. And even if scientists when they see new wonders that they aren't knew a hundred times more than they know accustomed to but aren't stunned when they today, they still wouldn't understand how see the sun and the moon, rain falling and things grow because, ultimately, it is a winds blowing, and other matters that they miracle. As the Chinuch writes, "It isn't that are accustomed to seeing. They recognize the earth has the strength or the segulah to the wonders of creation when they see the give forth fruit. Rather, there is a Master sea with its waves, storms, and the many over the earth…" fish [because they aren't accustomed to these Therefore, when you grab a fruit, and miracles]. But they aren't shocked when they you are about to mumble a borei pri ha'eitz, see rivers and brooks flowing without stop. or when a dish of good food is placed before There are many other examples. Therefore, you, realize you are looking at a miracle. my brother, think about everything Hashem The rules of nature couldn't create this created. Think about the aspects of creation without Hashem. that are new to you and think about those matters you are accustomed to seeing. Don't But we don't recognize the miracle be foolish and ignore the wonders that you because we are so accustomed to seeing it.