>> Torah portion
ISRAEL BONDS
Maimonides Tribute Dinner
HONORING
Parshat Behar-Bechukotai,: Leviticus
25:1-27:34; Jeremiah 16:19-17:14
I
n the first of this week's double
Torah portion Behar-Bechukotai,
we are presented with the regula-
tions of the Sabbatical-Shemitah year,
every seventh year in the Land of Israel,
and the 50th Jubilee —
Yovail — year. In addition,
Behar contains rules of land
ownership, slavery and con-
cern for the poor.
The laws of Shemitah
and Yovail, restricting land
use and regulating the con-
sumption of the produce,
are much more than mere
ritual; they establish the
context and unify the entire
Torah portion. On Shemitah,
the owner of the land must
essentially relinquish all proprietary
rights to his land and its produce. It is
a demonstration that the land is God's
and we all are but "guests" on His land
(Leviticus 25:23).
In addition, on Yovail, the agricul-
tural land reverts to the family of the
original owner, and all who were forced
by poverty to become slaves become
free to return to their land and start
anew.
Thus, these two institutions, Shemitah
and Yovail, emphasize the unity of the
nation, regardless of one's economic
condition; our individual and communal
dependence on God for His blessings;
and a reverence for the land that bestows
its bounty on its inhabitants.
Exploitation of the land and of our
fellow man are revealed to be the evils
of human arrogance.
In addition, through the Torah por-
tion, we are taught our responsibility to
ensure the livelihood of all. The verses
discuss the various stages of impover-
ishment: First, (Leviticus 25:25) one
who must sell the land of his patri-
mony; then, (25:29-34) his house in a
walled city; then, (25:35-38) one who
must borrow to make ends meet; then,
(25:39-46) one so poor he must sell
himself into bondage; and ultimately,
(25:47-55) one who must become a
slave to non-Jews.
And, in each case, the Torah man-
dates our obligations and responsi-
bilities. Throughout the Torah portion
(Chap. 25 verses 6, 14, 17, 35, 36, 39
and 42), the verses remind us that the
poor are our brothers and that we are
all equal before God. We cannot sell
"God's land:' We cannot charge interest
when lending to a fellow Jew. Loans are
canceled at Shemitah. We
cannot cheat or mislead. We
are commanded to treat all
in a respectful, responsible
and concerned manner.
In short, the Torah advo-
cates a capitalistic communi-
ty where wealth and private
property are not only per-
missible but prized, but with
the recognition that God
enabled our achievements
— which produces a sense of
humility and gratitude that
engender the awesome responsibility to
care for the less fortunate.
The Torah portion begins with the
introductory verse (25:1): And the Lord
spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai:' While
it seems that the rest of the Book of
Leviticus was communicated to Moses
from "the Tent of Meeting" (Leviticus
1:1), this particular portion (Behar and
Bechukotai) was from Mount Sinai.
The early medieval commentator
Abraham Ibn Ezra (1089-1164) says it
was part of the "Book of the Covenant"
(Exodus 24:7) — the fundamentals of the
Torah — that the nation accepted at Sinai.
Certainly, it is clear that we are bidden
to create such a just society by the Torah.
Further, this is the ultimate "sanctity —
kedushah" that is mandated by the Book
of Leviticus, and, in fact, the fundamen-
tal goal and ideal of the entire Torah,
which we accepted at Sinai.
❑
Eliezer Cohen is rabbi of Congregation Or
Chadash in Oak Park/Huntington Woods
and teaches at Yeshivat Akiva in Southfield.
Conversations
• In what way does our own eco-
nomic system compare and con-
trast to that of the Torah?
• Imagine what it was like to give
up all ownership rights to our food
source every seven years. How
would our relationship with the
land, with our fellow man and with
God be different than it is?
Dr. Brent N. Davidson
Dr. Gary B. Langnas
Dr. Harvey
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Dr. Matthew Levitt
Director, Stein Program on Counterterrorism and Intelligence
Senior Fellow
Washington Institute for Near East Policy
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Registration 5:45pm • Dinner 6:00pm
Adat Shalom Synagogue
29901 Middlebelt Road • Farmington Hills, MI 48334
PROFESSIONAL HEALTH SERVICES
DIVISION CO-CHAIRS
METRO DETROIT EXECUTIVE
BOARD CO-CHAIRS
Dr. William M. Leuchter
Dr. Arthur S. Lieberman
Dr. Harris W. Mainster
Doreen N. Hermelin
Gary A. Shiffman
Lawrence A. Wolfe
COUVERT $80*
RSVP by May 23, 2013
Supervised by the Orthodox Counsel
of Rabbis of Greater Detroit
RSVP & CONTACT INFORMATION:
Paula A. Lebowitz, Registered Representative
paula.lebowitz@israelbonds.com • 248.661.3500
DIETARY LAWS OBSERVED
Not tax deductible
INVEST IN ISRAEL BONDS • ISRAELBONDS.COM
Development Corporation for Israel/Israel Bonds
6600 West Maple Road • West Bloomfield, MI 48322
I S RAE MI BONDS
This is a representative sampling of the securities offered. This is not an offering, which can
be made only by prospectus. Read the prospectus carefully before investing to fully evaluate
the risks associated with investing in Israel bonds. Member FINRA.
May 2 •
2013
41