בּ״ה
Parshas Behar
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‘And Hashem spoke to Moshe on Mount Sinai, saying: Speak to the Bnei Yisroel, and you shall say to them; ‘When you will come to the Land that I give to you, and the land shall rest a Shabbos to Hashem.’ (Vayikra 25:1-2)
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Here the Torah tells us about the Shemittah (Sabbatical year). But asks Rashi from Toras Kohanim: Why is the matter of the Shemittah year coupled with Mount Sinai?
And the answer he brings is that it teaches us that just as the Shemittah was told over to us at Har Sinai with all its generalities, specifics, and fine points, so too with all the other Mitzvos.
But still, the question asked by many is; why specifically is this lesson taught with the Shemittah? Why here?
Explains the Chasam Sofer {HaRav Moshe Sofer zt”l}; it is because the Shemittah is a proof to the fact that the Torah is from Hashem. The Torah promises us that there will be a great blessing in the sixth year, and the produce of that year will last until into the year after the Shemittah even. Meaning that we will have plenty enough to eat during the Shemittah year, even though we are not allowed to sow, work the field, or do a harvest during it.
Thus, says the Chasam Sofer, the Shemittah proves that the Torah was given to us at Har Sinai by Hashem Himself. Because no human being would be able to make the promise mentioned above, as obviously, they couldn’t fulfill it. Only Hashem can.
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‘And a man shall not wrong his fellow, and you shall fear from your G-d. . .’ (Vayikra 25:17)
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The Torah is talking here about about wronging someone with words.
Rabbi Yochanan said in the name Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai: Wronging someone with words is worse than wronging someone in money matters, because regarding wronging someone with words it says ‘and you shall fear from your G-d’, and concerning wronging someone in money matters, it doesn’t.
And Rabbi Elazar says: Hurting someone with words is worse because it affects the person themselves, whereas wronging in money matters affects their money.*
(Gemara Bava Metzia 58b)
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* Of course, this is in no way be taken to downplay the badness of wronging someone in monetary matters.
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‘And if you will say, “What will we eat in the seventh year? -- Behold we will not plant and we will not gather in our produce!” And I [Hashem] will command My blessing for you in the sixth year, and it will make produce for three years.’ (Vayikra 25:20-21)
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Here the Torah reveals to us the wonderful truth and realization that when we keep Hashem’s Commandments, we will never lose out, no matter how things seem.
Naturally, a person would think that if they don’t plant or harvest for a full year, things would get very serious in regards to food shortage. But Hashem tells us otherwise: If we keep the laws of the Shemittah year, we will be taken care of completely and actually get more (see Ramban and Sforno to 25:3) -- and further yet, as is known, we will also earn great eternal reward for it! Such is the case as well for the other Laws of the Torah. . .
(Tal U’Matar)
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‘And My Sanctuary you shall revere’ (Vayikra 26:2)
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Says the Sforno zt”l: This also applies to the sanctified places in our Exile -- the Shuls and Houses of Study, even though the Beis HaMikdash is destroyed.
We must be careful to behave in a dignified and respectful manner in Shul. The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 151:1) rules that we are not supposed to act frivolously in it, such as joking around, or engaging in idle speech.
Regarding such, HaRav Shimon Schwab zt”l writes: “For Hashem’s sake, let us be quiet in our Beis HaKnesses. Our reverent silence [from any other speech] during the Tefillah will speak very loudly to Him Who holds our fate in His hands. Communicating with Hashem is our only recourse in this era of trial and tribulations. There is too much ugly noise in our world today. Let us find peace and tranquility while standing before Hashem in prayer.” (Selected Writings).
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|~Maaseh~| One night, the Alter of Novhardok {HaRav Yosef Yozel Hurwitz zt”l} was sitting in his house of solitude in the forest, when his candle burned out. This wouldn’t have been a problem -- except that he didn’t have any other candles there at the time. He was very distressed about the fact that now he didn’t have the light to be able to learn Torah! But he had very strong Bitochon (trust in Hashem) that he would be helped.
The Alter opened the door of the little house, and went outside. And at that very moment, someone -- most likely an Angel or Eliyahu HaNavi -- approached him, presented him a candle, and disappeared! Hashem had truly justified his trust in Him, and now, the Alter was able to go back to his learning.
(HaMeoros HaGedolim)
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Gut and meaningful Shabbos to all!
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