May 19, 2012
B’har/B’chukotai, Leviticus 25:1–27:34
Welcome to the concise, relevant Lelamed Weekly Dvar. Enjoy...
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One of this week's Parshiot, Behar, relates that G-d spoke to Moshe
(Moses) on Mount Sinai, saying that for six years you may plant your
fields, but the seventh year is a Sabbath for the land. Why does the
Torah specify that G-d is speaking on "Mount Sinai?"
The answer is because the Sabbatical year is one mitzvah which proves
that only G-d could be the Author who gave the Torah on Mount Sinai,
because it is there that He promises that the year before the
Sabbatical will provide enough crops for the next three years
(25:20-21). No human being would ever write this law because it would
be disproved within six years. The fact that G-d chose to display his
control using this commandment also teaches us a lesson about our
accomplishments. If G-d chooses to give us more (crops, money or
otherwise), He can do so by having us win the lottery where it's
obvious that He intervened, or he can make our companies and crops
suddenly produce better where we can be tempted to take the credit for
the increase. It's up to us to see the bigger picture, and recognize
the value of G-d's commitment to those that appreciate Him.
Shlomo Ressler