Behar Bechukotai (2025)

Shabbat Parshat Behar-Bechukotai (Chazak)

Dvar Torah
Behar starts with the laws of the Shemitta (Sabbatical) year in which once every seven years the land lays fallow and all loans are forgiven. Furthermore, after a 7 cycles of Sabbatical there is the Yovel (Jubilee) in the 50th year in which all
agricultural lands return to their ancestral owners.
Much like the weekly cycle of seven days capped by Shabbat, the Shemitta and Yovel cycles remind of the transient nature of our material life and nudge us to focus on spiritual pursuits.
Indeed, in modern Israel I have a farmer friend who takes the Shemitta year off to study Torah!

Wishing everyone good tidings and a Shabbat Shalom!

Comments

Chayei Sarah (2025)

Shabbat Chayei-Sarah Dvar Torah – The Legacy of Lech-L’cha Abraham — like any Jewish father — is worried. Sarah has passed away, Isaac has come of age, and he needs to find his son a wife. What follows is the legendary narrative of Eliezer, Abraham’s trusted servant, journeying to Aram-Naharayim — Abraham’s homeland — where he miraculously encounters Rebecca. Her kindness and generosity shine through immediately, and she unhesitatingly says “yes.” But why did Isaac need a wife from abroad? The same question arises with Jacob — why were the women of Canaan unsuitable for the patriarchs? I once heard a beautiful insight from my sister (whose given name, incidentally, is Rebecca). The defining trait of our patriarchs was their willingness to venture into the unknown in response to God’s call. Abraham heard the command of “Lech Lecha” — to leave behind everything familiar — and he went on to the Promised Land. To join this family and become the mothers of the Jewish people, the mat...

Ki-Tavoh (2025)

Shabbat Parshat Ki-Tavoh Dvar Torah – Judaism’s Day 1 Culture As Moshe concludes his review of the commandments on the banks of the Jordan, he tells the people: “On this day Hashem your G-d commands you to observe these laws.” The wording is striking— why “on this day”? Wasn’t this already commanded at Sinai? The classic commentator Rashi explains that the Torah is reminding us to approach it as if every day were “Day 1” —fresh, new, and full of energy. That’s not easy. But the way we can keep Torah alive is by making it personal. When we learn, reflect, and discover new insights, we’re not just repeating old lessons—we’re expanding them, renewing them, and incorporating them in our own lives today. At this point when Moshe concludes his own masterclass (see Ramban), he hands us the baton to keep learning, discovering, and letting that continual renewal be the source of ongoing excitement and purpose in Jewish life. Trivia Following Shabbat, Ashkenazim will ...

Vayeira (2025)

Shabbat Vayeira Dvar Torah The portion of Vayeira opens with the famous scene of the ninety-nine-year-old Abraham standing at the crossroads on a sweltering summer day. Though still recovering from his circumcision just three days earlier, he eagerly awaits passing travelers so that he might invite them into his home. Soon, three angels appear on the horizon, disguised as men, and Abraham and Sarah rush to host them with enthusiasm, grace, and kindness. As they sit down to eat, the angels deliver the astonishing news that Sarah, in her old age, will bear a son — Isaac. The Ramban notes that although Abraham had many servants at his disposal, he nonetheless chose to personally attend to the mitzvah of hachnasat orchim rather than delegate it to others. More than that, he performed it with zeal and wholehearted devotion. We may extend the Ramban’s insight to a broader principle: when it comes to chesed — acts of kindness — personal involvement is paramount. Organization, ...

Corporate Torah

Search This Blog