{"id":7265,"date":"2018-05-08T20:52:58","date_gmt":"2018-05-08T20:52:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/?p=7265"},"modified":"2018-07-26T00:17:26","modified_gmt":"2018-07-26T00:17:26","slug":"bits-of-torah-truths-parshiyot-behar-bechukotai-the-shemitah-and-having-mercy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/bits-of-torah-truths-parshiyot-behar-bechukotai-the-shemitah-and-having-mercy\/","title":{"rendered":"Bits of Torah Truths, \u05e4\u05e8\u05e9\u05ea \u05d1\u05d4\u05e8 \u05d5\u05d1\u05d7\u05e7\u05ea\u05d9, Parshiyot Behar-Bechukotai, The Shemitah and having Mercy"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"youtube-embed\" data-video_id=\"PhEiHn6EAUM\"><iframe title=\"Bits of Torah Truths, \u05e4\u05e8\u05e9\u05ea \u05d1\u05d4\u05e8 \u05d5\u05d1\u05d7\u05e7\u05ea\u05d9, Parshiyot Behar-Bechukotai, The Shemitah and having Mercy\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/PhEiHn6EAUM?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>This week\u2019s Torah portion states the following in <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Vayikra \/ Leviticus 25:17-19<\/span><\/em> saying, <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u05d5\u05dc\u05d0 \u05ea\u05d5\u05e0\u05d5 \u05d0\u05d9\u05e9 \u05d0\u05ea\u05be\u05e2\u05de\u05d9\u05ea\u05d5 \u05d5\u05d9\u05e8\u05d0\u05ea \u05de\u05d0\u05dc\u05d4\u05d9\u05da \u05db\u05d9 \u05d0\u05e0\u05d9 \u05d9\u05d4\u05d5\u05d4 \u05d0\u05dc\u05d4\u05d9\u05db\u05dd 25:17 Do not wrong one another, but fear your God; for I the LORD am your God. \u05d5\u05e2\u05e9\u05d9\u05ea\u05dd \u05d0\u05ea\u05be\u05d7\u05e7\u05ea\u05d9 \u05d5\u05d0\u05ea\u05be\u05de\u05e9\u05e4\u05d8\u05d9 \u05ea\u05e9\u05de\u05e8\u05d5 \u05d5\u05e2\u05e9\u05d9\u05ea\u05dd \u05d0\u05ea\u05dd \u05d5\u05d9\u05e9\u05d1\u05ea\u05dd \u05e2\u05dc\u05be\u05d4\u05d0\u05e8\u05e5 \u05dc\u05d1\u05d8\u05d7 25:18 You shall observe My laws and faithfully keep My rules, that you may live upon the land in security; \u05d5\u05e0\u05ea\u05e0\u05d4 \u05d4\u05d0\u05e8\u05e5 \u05e4\u05e8\u05d9\u05d4 \u05d5\u05d0\u05db\u05dc\u05ea\u05dd \u05dc\u05e9\u05d1\u05e2 \u05d5\u05d9\u05e9\u05d1\u05ea\u05dd \u05dc\u05d1\u05d8\u05d7 \u05e2\u05dc\u05d9\u05d4 25:19 the land shall yield its fruit and you shall eat your fill, and you shall live upon it in security.<\/span><\/em> In the context of the Shemittah we read the Lord saying obedience to His Mitzvot (commandments) leads to living in safety in the land in which we dwell. The Shemittah is the sabbatical year (\u05e9\u05de\u05d9\u05d8\u05d4 which literally means \u201crelease\u201d and is the 7 X 7th year of the agricultural cycle mandated by the Torah for the Land of Israel to remain at rest for one year and to release all debts. In the commentary <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Chizkuni on Vayikra \/ Leviticus 25:18 Part 1<\/span><\/em> we read the following, <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201c\u05d5\u05e2\u05e9\u05d9\u05ea\u05dd \u05d0\u05ea \u05d7\u05e7\u05d5\u05ea\u05d9, \u201cYou will keep My laws;\u201d this is a reference to all laws pertaining to land in the Holy Land and any laws subject to being performed only in the Holy Land as much as they apply during the sh\u2019mittah and Yovel years.\u201d<\/span><\/em> Chizkuni states in Part 3 of his commentary saying, <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cif you do this you will live in this and securely, where your security will be bound up with your loyalty to God\u2019s Torah. (\u05d5\u05d9\u05e9\u05d1\u05ea\u05dd \u05e2\u05dc \u05d4\u05d0\u05e8\u05e5 \u05dc\u05d1\u05d8\u05d7)\u201d<\/span> <\/em>Note how Chizkuni concludes our faithfulness (loyalty) to the commandments will lead to a blessing upon our lives and the lives of our children. The Shemitah and Yovel laws belong to the commandments categorized as <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cdecrees.\u201d<\/span><\/em> The Scriptures say \u05d5\u05b0\u05d0\u05b6\u05ea-\u05de\u05b4\u05e9\u05c1\u05b0\u05e4\u05bc\u05b8\u05d8\u05b7\u05d9 \u05ea\u05bc\u05b4\u05e9\u05c1\u05b0\u05de\u05b0\u05e8\u05d5\u05bc, <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cand My social laws you shall keep\/observe,\u201d<\/span><\/em> which follow immediately refer to the rules about reversing the sales into service, or the sale of property due to duress which when the party making the sale became more affluent can be reversed, as well as to all the laws involving wrongdoing. Rashi on Leviticus 25:18 Part 1 states saying, <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201c\u05d5\u05d9\u05e9\u05d1\u05ea\u05dd \u05e2\u05dc \u05d4\u05d0\u05e8\u05e5 \u05dc\u05d1\u05d8\u05d7 [WHEREFORE YE SHALL DO MY ORDINANCES] AND YE SHALL ABIDE IN THE LAND IN SAFETY \u2014 It states this because as a punishment for the sin of neglecting the laws of \u201dShemittah\u201d Israel becomes exiled, as it is said (Leviticus 26:33, 34) \u201c(And I will disperse you among the nations\u2026] Then shall the land makeup for the Sabbatical years\u2026 even then make up for her Sabbatical years that she has not observed\u201d<\/span><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"> (Talmud Bavli Shabbat 33a). The seventy years of the Babylonian exile were indeed a punishment corresponding to the seventy Sabbatical years which they had neglected (cf. Rashi on Leviticus 26:35).\u201d<\/span> <\/em>Notice how Rashi concludes the seventy years of Babylonian exile were in direct relation to the neglect of seventy occurrences of the command on the Shemitah. The reason is we do not read of Israel obeying this command on the Shemitah in the Tanach following their entry into the Promised Land. Take note how mercy is connected to the Shemitah release. If we consider all of these things in context, the Lord says \u05d5\u05b7\u05e2\u05b2\u05e9\u05b4\u05b9\u05d9\u05ea\u05b6\u05dd \u05d0\u05b6\u05ea-\u05d7\u05bb\u05e7\u05bc\u05b9\u05ea\u05b7\u05d9<em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cyou shall carry out My decrees, etc.\u201d<\/span><\/em> these words not only refer back to the Shemitah but also to the commands on social behavior (\u05d5\u05b0\u05d0\u05b6\u05ea-\u05de\u05b4\u05e9\u05c1\u05b0\u05e4\u05bc\u05b8\u05d8\u05b7\u05d9 \u05ea\u05bc\u05b4\u05e9\u05c1\u05b0\u05de\u05b0\u05e8\u05d5\u05bc,<em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"> \u201cand you are to observe My social laws\u201d<\/span><\/em>). This is interpreted from the Hebrew words \u05d7\u05e7\u05d9\u05dd and \u05de\u05e9\u05e4\u05d8\u05d9\u05dd making two categories, the \u05d7\u05e7\u05d9\u05dd (statutes) such as the Shemitah, and cheating (not having mercy to release debt or being dishonest) belongs to the category of \u05de\u05e9\u05e4\u05d8\u05d9\u05dd. These two categories juxtaposed together suggest the freeing of slaves and the social laws, illustrate how we are to be merciful towards others. As a result of such behavior, fairness, mercy, justice, and truth lead to dwelling in the land securely. This is the point of God\u2019s Torah, His Commands are holy, righteous, and good! (Romans 7:12) Israel went into exile as a result of her failure to heed these warnings. These things summarize for us not just the importance of the Shemitah but also the importance of all of Torah as the instruction book for our lives. The Lord calls us to holiness, to apply all of His words to our lives. This week\u2019s Torah portion illustrates for us the reasons why it is so important to study, apply, and to teach others to apply God\u2019s Word as the Children of God. This is what is meant when Yeshua said, <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cGo ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.\u201d<\/span><\/em> (<em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Mark 16:15, Luke 14:23, Matthew 28:19-20, Acts 1:7-8<\/span><\/em>) Note how in Matthew 28:19 Yeshua says <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cTherefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.\u201d<\/span><\/em> The gospel message is found in God\u2019s helping us to obey his commands, and baptism is found in the mikvah and repentance (turning from sin), and devoting our lives to the Lord determining our hearts to serve Him all the days of our lives!<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/BTT_Parashat-Behar-Bechukotai-2018.pdf\">BTT_Parashat Behar-Bechukotai-2018<\/a>  <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This week\u2019s Torah portion states the following in Vayikra \/ Leviticus 25:17-19 saying, \u05d5\u05dc\u05d0 \u05ea\u05d5\u05e0\u05d5 \u05d0\u05d9\u05e9 \u05d0\u05ea\u05be\u05e2\u05de\u05d9\u05ea\u05d5 \u05d5\u05d9\u05e8\u05d0\u05ea \u05de\u05d0\u05dc\u05d4\u05d9\u05da \u05db\u05d9 \u05d0\u05e0\u05d9 \u05d9\u05d4\u05d5\u05d4 \u05d0\u05dc\u05d4\u05d9\u05db\u05dd 25:17 Do not wrong one another, but fear your God; for I the LORD am your God. \u05d5\u05e2\u05e9\u05d9\u05ea\u05dd \u05d0\u05ea\u05be\u05d7\u05e7\u05ea\u05d9 \u05d5\u05d0\u05ea\u05be\u05de\u05e9\u05e4\u05d8\u05d9 \u05ea\u05e9\u05de\u05e8\u05d5 \u05d5\u05e2\u05e9\u05d9\u05ea\u05dd \u05d0\u05ea\u05dd \u05d5\u05d9\u05e9\u05d1\u05ea\u05dd \u05e2\u05dc\u05be\u05d4\u05d0\u05e8\u05e5 \u05dc\u05d1\u05d8\u05d7 25:18 You shall observe My laws [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":7268,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-7265","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-bits-of-torah-truth"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7265","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7265"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7265\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7268"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7265"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7265"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7265"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}