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<DIV><FONT face=Arial
size=2>*************************************************************<BR>
THE TANACH STUDY CENTER
[http://www.tanach.org]<BR>
In Memory of Rabbi Abraham Leibtag<BR> Shiurim in
Chumash & Navi by Menachem
Leibtag<BR>*************************************************************</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> PARSHAT BEHAR
- SIGNIFICANT SUMMARIES</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> In Parshat Behar we find
three 'summary psukim' that may<BR>appear to be superfluous. In the following
'mini-shiur' we<BR>attempt to explain their importance.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>AN OVERVIEW OF PARSHAT
BEHAR<BR> Let's begin with short outline of Parshat
Behar, in order<BR>to identify where these three summary psukim are located,
and<BR>their significance.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I. The LAWS SHMITA &
YOVEL<BR> A. The "shmita" cycle
(25:1-7)<BR> B. The "yovel" cycle & guidelines
(25:8-22)<BR> * SUMMARY PASUK - reason for shmita & yovel
(25:23-24)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>II. LAWS RELATING TO THE YOVEL
CYCLE<BR> A. Helping your neighbor who had to sell his
field<BR> 1. one who sold
his field to a jew
(25:25-28)<BR> 2. one who
sold his house
(25:29-34)<BR> 3. one who
sold his field to a non-jew (25:35-38)<BR>
*SUMMARY PASUK - the reason (25:39)<BR> B. Helping our
neighbor who had to sell
himself<BR> 1. as an
"eved" [servant] to a jew
(25:39-46)<BR> 2. as an
"eved" [servant] to a non-jew (25:47-54)<BR>
*SUMMARY PASUK - the reason (25:55)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> This outline clarifies the
progression of topics in the<BR>entire Parsha, showing how the laws of shmita
& yovel are<BR>followed by several applications of these laws. Even
though<BR>the economic system created by the laws of "yove" is designed<BR>to
protect the poor (from the rich), the Torah also commands<BR>that society must
provide additional financial assistance for<BR>a neighbor in
distress.<BR> Pay attention as well to summary psukim
that delimit each<BR>unit. In our shiur, we will discuss their
significance.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>THIS LAND IS 'HIS' LAND<BR>
Let's begin with the first summary pausk, which concludes<BR>the laws of yovel
and explains their underlying reason:<BR> "And the land shall not be sold
[to anyone] forever, for<BR> the Land is Mine, for you are like GEYRIM
v'TOSHAVIM<BR> [strangers and residents] with Me. Throughout -
ERETZ<BR> ACHUZATCHEM - the land or your inheritance, you shall
give<BR> the land redemption" (25:23-24)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> Even though God has
'given' the land to Bnei Yisrael for<BR>their inheritance, this statement
highlights how the true<BR>ownership remains His. In other words, God
remains sovereign,<BR>while He allows Bnei Yisrael the right to work the land
as<BR>though it was theirs. To emphasize this 'arrangement', once<BR>every
fifty years the land must return to God. [Sort of like<BR>a 'fifty year
lease'.]<BR> To appreciate the wording of this pasuk,
let's compare it<BR>to a similar statement made by Avraham Avinu when
he<BR>approached Bnei Chet to buy a burial plot. Note the
textual<BR>parallels:<BR> "And he spoke ot Bnei Chet saying, I am a GEYR
v'TOSHAV<BR> among you, please allow me to buy an ACHUZAT KEVER
[burial<BR> plot] from you" (Breishit 23:3-4)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> Even though Avraham was a
resident in the land, he was<BR>not the sovereign power; rather Bnei Chet
were. As the land<BR>was not yet his, Avraham must purchase from them an
ACHUZAH<BR>(note again parallel with "eretz achuzatchem" in 25:24), a<BR>'hold'
in the land, even though Bnei Chet control it.<BR> <BR> Therefore,
when Bnei Yisrael receive the Torah at Har<BR>Sinai, as they prepare to conquer
"eretz canaan", these laws<BR>of "yovel" will help them appreciate the dialectic
nature of<BR>their forthcoming sovereignty over the land. In relation
to<BR>the surrounding nations, once Bnei Yisrael achieve conquest -<BR>they will
become the sovereign power. However, in relation to<BR>God, they must constantly
remember that the land still belongs<BR>to God. He has granted to them
only towards the purpose that<BR>they become His nation. The laws of "yovel",
which affect the<BR>very nature of property transactions during the entire
fifty<BR>year shemita and yovel cycle, will serve as a constant<BR>reminder that
God has given them this land for a reason (and<BR>purpose).<BR>
<BR> This background can also help us understand what
may be<BR>the underlying reason for the laws of "Terumah" - the small<BR>tithe
that must be taken from the produce of land, and given<BR>to the
"kohen".<BR> Just as the resident of any land must pay a property tax
to<BR>the country's sovereign power, so too Bnei Yisrael must pay a<BR>'tax' -
i.e. TERUMAH - to God, in recognition of His<BR>sovereignty over the land.
Ultimately God gives this TERUMAH<BR>to the kohanim (His servants), but note how
the Torah<BR>emphasizes how there are two stages in this process. First,<BR>the
"terumah" is given to God:<BR> "And when you eat from the bread of the
land, you shall<BR> lift up a TERUMAH for GOD..."(see Bamidbar
15:17-21)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> Then (and only afterward) God awards this
"teruma" to the<BR>"kohanim":<BR> "And God told Aharon, behold I am giving
you My TERUMAH<BR> that I am keeping that Bnei Yisrael have set
aside..."<BR> (see Bamidbar 18:8)<BR> <BR> [This also explains
why terumah must be eaten "b'tahara",<BR> for the kohen is eating food
given to him by God. In<BR> contrast, "maser rishon" the ten percent
tithe given by the<BR> Yisrael to the Levite has not "kedusha" - for it
serves as<BR> a direct payment for the services that shevet Levi
renders<BR> to the nation.]</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>RELATED LAWS<BR> After
explaining the reason for yovel, the Torah<BR>continues with several related
laws. As we noted in our<BR>outline, these laws divide into two distinct
sections, each<BR>containing examples of when one is forced to sell
either:<BR> 1) His field, or<BR> 2)
Himself.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> Each set of examples
focuses on the need to lend<BR>assistance for those in financial distress, and
is concluded<BR>with a special summary pasuk.<BR> Let's see how each pasuk
is special.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>ERETZ CANAAN IS NOT FOR
SALE<BR> After the laws relating to how we must help
someone who<BR>was forced to sell his own field, the Torah reminds us:<BR>
"I am the Lord your God who took you out of the land of<BR> Egypt to give
you the LAND OF CANAAN, L'HIYOT LACHEM<BR> L'ELOKIM - to be your God" (see
25:38)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> To appreciate this pasuk,
we must return to our study of<BR>"brit Milah" (see Breishit 17:7-8), and the
key phrase of that<BR>covenant: L'HIYOT LACHEM L'ELOKIM (see 17:7 &
17:8).<BR>Furthermore, it was specifically in that covenant that God<BR>promised
ERETZ CANAAN to Avraham Avinu, and in that very same<BR>pasuk, the Torah refers
to the land as an ACHUZA (see 17:8).<BR> Based on these
parallels (compare them once again to<BR>Vayikra 25:38 & the word "achuza"
in 25:25), we can conclude<BR>that this summary pasuk relates to "brit milah".
Let's explain<BR>why.<BR> Recall how "brit milah" focused on the special
close<BR>relationship between God and His nation, and how Eretz Canaan<BR>was to
become the land where that relationship would achieve<BR>its highest potential.
[The mitzvah of "brit milah" serves as<BR>an "ot" [a sign] to remind us of this
covenant.]<BR> As Eretz Canaan serves as a vehicle
through which Bnei<BR>Yisrael can better develop this relationship, it is
important<BR>that each person receives his 'fare share' of this
land.<BR>Certainly, we would not want the ownership of the land to fall<BR>into
the hands of a wealthy elite. The laws of "yovel" in<BR>chapter 25 help assure
that every individual keeps his share<BR>of the
land.<BR> It also becomes everyone's responsibility to
make sure<BR>that anyone who becomes less fortunate remains able to keep<BR>his
portion in Eretz Canaan.<BR> This explains the cases where one was forced
to sell his<BR>land, and its summary pasuk. Now we must proceed to the
next<BR>section, which discusses cases where one was forced to
sell<BR>himself.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>WE ARE SERVANTS OF GOD, NOT
MAN<BR> Bamidbar 25:39-54 describes cases when someone
becomes so<BR>poor that he must sell himself (not just his land) to
his<BR>creditor; and how we are obligated to help him buy back his<BR>freedom.
These psukim conclude with the following pasuk:<BR> "For Bnei Yisrael are
servants to Me, they are My servants<BR> whom I have taken them out of the
land of Egypt, I am the<BR> Lord your God." (25:55)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> Now, it becomes obvious
why this summary pasuk focuses on<BR>servitude, rather than land. Servitude to a
fellow man would<BR>take away from man's ability to be a servant of
God.<BR>Therefore, the summary pasuk of this section relates directly<BR>back to
the events of Yetziat Mitzraim. [From a this<BR>perspective, this summary
pasuk can be understood as a<BR>'flashback' to "brit bein ha'btarim", for in
that covenant,<BR>God had already foreseen the events of Yetziat Mitzraim
(see<BR>Breishit 15:13-18).]</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> Even though man is free
and enjoys the right to own land<BR>and determine his own destiny; he must
remember that his<BR>freedom is a gift from God, and hence it should be utilized
to<BR>serve Him. But even those who have achieved freedom share
the<BR>responsibility to assist those in financial crisis, in order<BR>they too
can remain 'free' to serve God.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial
size=2>
shabbat
shalom<BR>
menachem</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
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