Resources: • Adventist Mission Website: http://wjafc.globalmissioncenters.org/
This website is the new resource provided by the Office of Adventist Mission of the General Conference of the Seventh-day
• Website: www.jewishadventist.org
We pray every week for the leaders of the Jewish Ministry,
Shabbat Shalom Newsletter 39th day of the Homer — Behar-Bechukotai
731
yAtO;qUjV;b-rAhV;b
20 May 2017 24 Iyar 5777
This issue
A must website. To subscribe to our newsletter. To download some resources (Hebrew Sabbath School, and other documents). To order the book “Comfort, Comfort my people…” and many other things. •
Professional Urban Development: The WJAFC provides:
Shalom Adventure Magazine online: www.ShalomAdventure.com
If you would like to read articles, watch videos, learn things about Judaism and Israel, this website is just for you.
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WJAFC: If you would like to share with people, this forum on facebook is a good place for that.
• Photos: https://get.google.com/albumarchive/1131446298409925652
- Professional Urban training for Jewish Ministry
91?source=pwa We have posted a lot of pictures on Internet during the last years. Don’t hesitate
- Teaching for theological students
• Russian Website: http://www.boruh.info/ This website is in Russian, many articles
- Help to plant new congregations. - Support for AdventistJewish dialogue with scholars and rabbis
to look at them.
and the parasha are posted on it every week.
WJAFC Paris
A weekly Journal of information and training published by the World Jewish Adventist Friendship Center Under the umbrella of the General Conference —Office of Adventist Mission
Journal of Information and Training — Issue 731— 20 May 2017 / 24 Iyar 5777
Carlos Muniz English Edition: Richard-Amram Elofer
Richard Amram Elofer
Russian Edition: Alexandra Obrevko French Edition: Sabine Baris Spanish Edition: Jael Wells Cuellar Portuguese Edition: Carlos Muniz Dutch Edition: Hubert Paulleta
Hubert Paulleta 8
Emails: English: richard@elofer.com Russian: sashok_l@mail.ru French: sabinebaris@gmail.com Spanish: jael_wells@hotmail.com Portuguese: cdmuniz@gmail.com Dutch: hpauletta@hotmail.com
Credit photos: Richard Elofer, Alexandra Obrevko, Jael Wells Cuellar Hubert Paulleta, Laurent Baris and Advent Digital Media
for more information: contact us at www.jewishadventist.org
Alexandra Obrevko
Sabine Baris
News 1 Parasha’s comments 2-4 Haftarah 4-5 Apostolic Writings 5 Stories & Traditions 6 Inspirational Corner 6, 7
Weekly Jewish-Adventist Journal of Information
We pray every week for the Jewish Friendship Ministry. I suggest our partners to pray from May 21 through 27 for Jennifer Betham-Lang & Roger Lang who are both pastors, they were the leaders of the Jewish Adventist Friendship Community in Wellington, New Zealand, but have been relocated recently in New York. Let’s pray for their new ministry and their family.
News
National Holocaust Remembrance Day vWe received a very encouraging news
from Daniel Stojanovic, Vice-President of the Canada Union of the Seventh-day Adventists about his attendance to the Holocaust Remembrance day. He said: “I just want to share with you my joy having attended the National Holocaust Remembrance Day in Ottawa following the invitation of Yad Vashem in Toronto. It was an uplifting event where I had the privilege of greeting Justin Trudeau and several members of the Canadian Government. I am also humbled by the attitude of the Jewish community in Canada. They even mentioned the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada in their program. I hope that we will continue to have good relationships with the Jewish community in Toronto as in the past.
Santa Barbara Beth Bnei Tsion
It was a real privilege for Richard Elofer to be in California for a week of work from May 7 to 14 to meet the leaders of the Jewish ministry of South California, Los Angeles and Santa Barbara. He had a very informative meeting with Pastor David Gardner and Alan Reinach who are leading the work in California and in Santa Barbara. David Gardner said that 40% of the Jewish ministry team of Santa Barbara are Jews or related to Jewish people.
The key moment of this visit was of course the full Shabbat with the congregation of Santa Barbara, where people were eager to learn how to lead this ministry, how to mingle with Jews in order to bring them to Jesus. Richard Elofer was asked to present the topic “Planting a Successful Beth Bnei Tsion.” He started his presentation asking the attendance: Why do you plant a Beth Bnei Tsion? What the motive? it is very important in a study like this one to ask questions about the motivation, because the motives can be very selfish. Then during this presentation was introduced some good motives which are mainly the biblical mandate, because God’s loves for the Jewish people, and we need to prepare the Second coming of the Messiah. Then the next point was: How to plant a successful Beth Bnei Tzion, and the last point was to be sure that the result will be there, this ministry is not human ministry, but it is answering G-d’s calling, that is why we can be sure that the result will be there, exactly like this ministry was blessed in the year 31, and after Shim’onPeter’s sermon in Jerusalem, 3,000 Jews were immersed in the various Mikvehs of Jerusalem.
Parasha Overview:
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he Torah prohibits normal farming of the Land of Israel every seven years. This “Shabbat” for the Land is called shemita. After every seventh shemita, the fiftieth year the yovel (jubilee) is announced with the sound of the shofar on Yom Kippur. This was also a year for the Land to lie fallow. G-d promises to provide a bumper crop prior to the shemita and yovel years. During yovel, all land is returned to its original division from the time of Joshua, and all indentured servants are freed, even though they have not completed their six years of work. An Israelite servant may not be given any demeaning, unnecessary or excessively difficult work, and may not be sold in the public market. The price of his labor must be calculated according to the amount of time remaining until he will automatically become free. The price of land is similarly calculated. Should anyone sell his ancestral land, he has the right to redeem it after two years. If a house in a walled city is sold, the right of redemption is limited to the first year after the
“Then you shall sound the loud trumpet on the tenth day of the seventh month. On the Day of Atonement you shall sound the trumpet throughout all your land.” (Leviticus 25:9)
Parasha for this Week
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Leviticus 25: 1 - 27:34 The Sabbatical Year
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he Parasha starts speaking about the Sabbatical year, this special year, which is called in Hebrew Shmittah. It is presented as a shabbat, a year of rest for the land. “The L-RD spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai, saying, ‘Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land that I give you, the land shall keep a Sabbath to the L-RD.” (Leviticus 25:1–2). The Hebrew expression to describe that year as a Sabbatical year is exactly the same expression used in the fourth commandment for the seventh-day of the week a “Shabbat lahashem” (a Shabbat to the Lord). The Almighty gave the Shabbat to human being from the beginning, at the creation. It was given as the first day of Adam and Eve’s life. They were created on the sixth day, and started their life on resting on the day of Shabbat, the seventh-day of the week. That is an indication for all humanity and for eternity that the Shabbat is not simply a day of rest. Human beings have never been so fresh and restful as they were on that first Shabbat. That is why it
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is written that the Shabbat is a day laHashem, a day for the L-rd, not a day for man. This day does not belong to us, it belongs to G-d. Thus, the main lesson here is that this day is not a day for our own pleasure, a day for leisure or entertainment. It is a day of spiritual re-creation. It is a day which should be devoted to prayer, to Torah study, to fellowship with G-d in order to become closer to God. If we are therefore looking for a connection between the Sabbatical year and the weekly Shabbat, which are both devoted laHashem “to the Lord” we should think about this special year as a year of spiritual revival not a year to spend at the beach. That is why I like the fact that some scholars are taking a Sabbatical time, very often less than a year, maybe a quarter or six months just for spiritual rejuvenation, writing a book to help others in their spiritual journey.
Answering Your Brother’s Needs
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here are many instructions in the Torah about taking care
of a brother in need. Among the laws of the Sabbatical and Jubilee years, it is written: “If your brother becomes poor and sells part of his property, then his nearest redeemer shall come and redeem what his brother has sold.” (Leviticus 25:25), however, in this part of Leviticus, when most of the laws given are written in plurals, about the children of Israel, in this verse it is about “your brother” in singular. It is important to remember that when someone is successful in his business and is wealthy many people are his friends, turn around him, ready to be at his service for many things, but when the wheel of fortune takes a turn and he is no longer so wealthy, friends and even family suddenly go away from him. The Torah, therefore, speaks in the singular, to stress that when one is in need, everybody should consider as his responsibility to offer help and to see himself as the only individual able of coming to his brother’s aid.
Helping the Poor
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elping the poor is one of the greatest mitzvoth (com-
mandments) in the Torah. “If your brother becomes poor and cannot maintain himself with you, you shall support him as though he were a stranger and a sojourner, and he shall live with you.” (Leviticus 25:35) From time to time the needy may unknowingly turn for assistance to those formerly wealthy, but currently experiencing financial hardship. The Torah instructs us that when “he cannot maintain himself together with you” — that means, you are now also experiencing financial hardship — nevertheless, you must help him as much as possible, with the confidence that Hashem will bless you both. Hashem promises that so that he can live with you — both you and he will receive blessings and live comfortably. That is the fulfillment of the words of King David, “Blessed is the one who considers the poor! In the day of trouble the LORD delivers him;” (Psalms 41:1) Tzedakah (literally “justice” but understood as “Charity”) is often viewed as the rich giving to the poor. However, in the Mi-
drash Rabba (Vayikra 34:8), Rabbi Yehoshua says, “more than the rich do for the poor, the poor do for the rich.” The rich man who gives the poor man money is helping him temporarily with his daily needs. In return, through tzedakah, the rich man’s assets is blessed and he will also be greatly rewarded in ‘olam haba (world to come).
Heaven and Earth
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he parasha Bekhukotai includes the chapter 26 which gives a long list of curses in the case of unfaithfulness of G-d’s people. One of the statements of this chapter says: “and I will break the pride of your power, and I will make your heavens like iron and your earth like bronze.” (Leviticus 26:19), the midrash has noticed that in the book Devarim/Deuteronomy the same curse is given but in a reverse way: “And the heavens over your head shall be bronze, and the earth under you shall be iron.” (Deuteronomy 28:23), iron and bronze are reversed. The Jewish tradition has ap-
plied the curse of Leviticus 26:19 to the destruction of the first Temple. And the curse of Deuteronomy 28:23 to the destruction of the second temple. Jewish scholars say that the first temple was destroyed because the Jewish people worshipped idols, and the second one was destroyed because of sinat chinam unwarranted (free) hatred. The sins committed in the time of the first temple were between men and Hashem (idolatry) and is about “heaven” but the sins committed in the time of the second temple were between men and men (hatred) and therefore about “earth.” Since the crimes perpetrated during the first temple were primarily against Heaven, Hashem warned, “I will make your heaven like iron.” However, in the time of the second temple sins were against men on earth, the earth would receive the main blow and “the land beneath you will be iron.” The lesson here is that the Jewish people is very aware of their past mistakes, we just have to pray, asking the Almighty to open their heart to discover the Messiah who is the one who forgive sins.
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sale. The Levites’ cities belong to them forever. Israel are forbidden to take advantage of one another by lending or borrowing with interest. Family members should redeem any relative who was sold as a servant as a result of impoverishment.
Bechukotay
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he Torah promises prosperity for the Jewish People if they follow G-d’s commandments. However, if they fail to live up to the responsibility of being the Chosen People, then chilling punishments will result. The Torah details the harsh historical process that will fall upon them when Divine protection is removed. These punishments, whose purpose is to bring the Jewish People to repent, will be in seven stages, each more severe than the last. Sefer Vayikra, the book of Leviticus, concludes with the details of erachin—the process by which someone vows to give the Beit Hamikdash (Temple the equivalent monetary value of a person, an animal or property.
Haftarah Overview Jeremiah 32:6-27
“Every tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the trees, is the LORD’s; it is holy to the LORD.” (Leviticus 27:30)
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n this text of Jeremiah we have an illustration of the year of Yovel. “Jeremiah said, ‘The word of the L-rd came to me: Hanamel son of your uncle Shallum is going to come to you and say, “Buy my field that is at Anathoth, for the right of redemption by purchase is yours’” (Jer. 32:6-7). However, Jeremiah wanted to be certain that this revelation was truly from G-d. It was a strange order. Jeremiah had received the revelation from G-d that the people of Israel would be deported to Babylon, Jerusalem and the temple would be destroyed. There was no sense in buying a property now. It would be better to keep these seventeen shekels of silver and to use them in Babylon where they would be living. It was very strange. The L-rd had to confirm to Jeremiah that this revelation was true. And it was confirmed by his cousin. “Then my cousin Hanamel came to me in the court of the guard, in accordance with the word of the L-rd, and said to me, ‘Buy my field that is at Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, for the right of possession and redemption is yours; buy it for yourself.’ Then I knew
G-d’s Love
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his chapter of Bechukotay demonstrates Gd’s love for his people, Israel. The Torah affirms: “And if by this discipline, you are not turned to me but walk contrary to me, then I also will walk contrary to you, and I myself will strike you sevenfold for your sins.” (Leviticus 26:23–24), in every family, when a child is not behaving in a correct way it is the duty of his father to correct him, to help him to behave in a proper way. A father who does not do this, demonstrates his lack of love for his child. As the Bible put it: “Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.” (Proverbs 13:24), A father never “hits” his child with joy, but with pain in his heart. The people of Israel is the firstborn child of G-d, even the Brith Hachasha affirms G-d’s love for Israel: “But as regards election, they [Israel] are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” (Romans 11:28–29). Thus, in this text of Leviticus 26, G-d says to Israel, I love you, and because I love you I cannot let you go astray without correcting you. G-d speak: “I myself (Gam Ani) will strike you seven (sheva) for your sins”, the word Sheva “seven” has been variously interpreted, some have
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seen here a prophetic time, but the text is clearly not given as a prophetic time. When God gives a prophetic time, he specifies it clearly as it is done in the book of Daniel. Some have seen in this word the intensity of Israel’s suffering and have translated this word “sevenfold” or “seven times”, but the Jewish commentators interpret this word as “seven ways” of punishment. What is sure is that this text does not give a prophetic time, but expresses to Israel that because of His love for Israel G-d will do something, He will strike Israel in order to bring her to faithfulness as a father corrects his child because he loves him.
Test of Faith
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ne of the reasons, G-d gave the law of Shemittah (Sabbatical year) was also to test the faith of his people. When G-d asked Israel to give rest to the land, he promised that the land would give enough food for three years. The sixth year, which is a normal year of work, when the land was sowed. The seventh year, which was the Sabbatical year and the eighth year, waiting for the next ripping and harvest. However, this law was not respected very much. The people of Israel say that this law is only for the land of Israel, not anywhere else. But
even while Israel was still in their land, this law was not very well known. The Jewish tradition says that G-d allowed the Galut (exile) in order to give rest to the land for all the years they were living there and not respecting that law: “Then the land shall enjoy its Sabbaths as long as it lies desolate, while you are in your enemies’ land; then the land shall rest, and enjoy its Sabbaths.” (Leviticus 26:34). According to the Gemara (Sanhedrin 39a) the mitzvah (commandment) of shemittah teaches us that Hashem is the owner of the land. A believer who acknowledges that the land belongs to G-d first, is given the right and privilege of working the land and enjoying its produce. However, a believer who goes against the will of G-d by not observing the laws of shemittah implies that he is the owner of the land and not Hashem. Therefore, G-d has no choice but to send him into galut in order to remind him who is the right owner of the land. However, the entire earth is not respected and is not in rest since the creation of the world, that is why G-d has decided that the world will get his rest after the coming of the Messiah. The world was created in six days and rested on the seventh day, the earth is at work for six thousand years and will get rest for the seventh millennium (cf. Jeremiah 4:23-28).
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Apostolic Writings — Hebrews 4:1-11
he concept of the Shabbat is very important in the Bible, in the Tanach and the Brit Hachadasha too. It is one of the first commandments given by G-d in Eden, “Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.” (Genesis 2:1–3). It has been included in the Ten Commandments, written on the tables of stone, by the finger of G-d: “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God.” (Exodus 20:8–10) showing in this way that the Shabbat is a universal mitzvah, it is put at the same level of other universal commandments such as “You shall not murder” or “You shall not commit adultery” or “You shall not steal.” That is why we can say that this commandment is as important as the commandments of having only one G-d or “Honor your father and your mother.” In our parasha G-d has repeated the commandment of the Shabbat “Observe my Sabbaths and have reverence for my sanctuary. I am the L-rd.” (Leviticus 26:2). And this concept is so important that G-d has extended
it to the land, which has to rest also on the seventh year (Sabbatical year) and to redeem the lands and the people after seven Sabbatical year (7x7+1) the fiftieth year which was decreed as the year of Jubilee: “the land shall keep a Sabbath to the LORD.” (Leviticus 25). The Jewish tradition has understood this concept of rest on the seventh day, on the seventh year, on the year after seventh cycles of seven year, and also on the seventh millennium: understanding that the world will last 6000 years and then on the seventh millennium the earth will be in rest (or on Sabbatical) for 1000 years. The Gemarah affirms “Rabbi Kattina said: ‘The world is to last six thousand years, and one thousand it will be desolate’” (Rosh Hashana 31a). Idea which is in complete agreement with the affirmation of Yochanan writings in Revelation 20 who develops what will happen during this thousand year of desolation. It is therefore not surprising that the Brit Hachadasha says that the concept of the Sabbath is still valid and important. It is first easy to see Yeshua and his disciples being faithful to the Shabbat. And the author of Hebrews, who was Rabbi Shaul or one of his disciples is very clear on this point: “There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God” (Hebreux 4:9). Nobody can affirm that with Yeshua we would not need any more the Shabbat.
Yeshua said “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” (Matthew 5:17). And in the letter to the Hebrews, that means, to the Jewish people, the seventh-day is confirmed “For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: ‘And on the seventh day God rested from all his work. . . . . “So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.” (Hebrews 4:4; 9-11), the author of this letter is very sorry that the people of Israel were not always faithful to this commandment. “but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened” (4:2), that is why he gives to everyone an appeal: “Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it.” (4:1) and a calling: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” (4:7), that is why it is not good to listen to people who preach that “it is not necessary to keep the Shabbat today, it is only for Jews,” that is not true, the Bible has been written for all humanity, everyone is welcomed to experiment the blessings of the Shabbat.
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that this was the word of the L-rd” (Jer. 32:8). Jeremiah obeyed and bought the land. “And I bought the field at Anathoth from my cousin Hanamel, and weighed out the money to him, seventeen shekels of silver. I signed the deed, sealed it, got witnesses, and weighed the money on scales. (Jer. 32:9-10). Why did the L-rd want Jeremiah to spend this money in Jerusalem, to buy land that would be taken by the Babylonians? “Thus says the L-rd of hosts, the G-d of Israel: Take these deeds, both this sealed deed of purchase and this open deed, and put them in an earthenware jar, in order that they may last for a long time. For thus says the L-rd of hosts, the G-d of Israel: Houses and fields and vineyards shall again be bought in this land “ (Jer. 32:14-15). The main message of this purchase is that there is hope. G-d is not going to abandon his people or to reject them. He wants to teach them a lesson. He wants to push them to fulfil his mission which is to share the knowledge of G-d. That is why this money was not lost. OUR HOPE IS IN THE L-RD.
Stories and Traditions
Inspirational Corner v [Leviticus 25:10] The time is right upon us when persecution will come to those who proclaim the truth. The outlook is not flattering; but, notwithstanding this, let us not give up our efforts to save those ready to perish, for whose ransom the Prince of heaven offered up His precious life. When one means fails, try another. Our efforts must not be dead and lifeless. As long as life is spared, let us work for God. In all ages of the church God’s appointed messengers have exposed themselves to reproach and persecution for the truth’s sake. (9T 227)
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Shemittah
n Israel, the month of Nissan is the time when the fields are harvested. The month of Tishrei is the season for pressing olives and grapes. The Talmudic sage Rava instructed his students not to come to yeshivah (talmudic school) during the months of Nissan and Tishrei so that they would be free to pursue their livelihood and not have to worry about how to sustain themselves throughout the year (Berachot 35b). Thus, while the year was dedicated to Torah study, there was a respite during the months of Nissan and Tishrei. During a six-year period, there was a total of twelve months (one year) when Torah was not studied with proper diligence. To make up for the time missed in service of Hashem, they have the Sabbatical year of shemittah when the fields are not worked. This entire year must be Shabbat laHashem—dedicated to Hashem through Torah study.
Ask for Permission First
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he famous Chassidic Rabbi, Reb Nachum of Chernobyl was once approached by a distinguishedlooking person who offered to teach him secrets of Torah. Reb Nachum said, “I cannot accept your offer until I consult with my Rebbe.” When he sought his Rebbe’s advice, the Mezritcher Maggid replied, “It is good that you came to ask, because that person was a representative of the spiritual forces which oppose holiness.” “Incidentally,” the Rebbe asked
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his disciple, “What gave you the idea of inquiring before accepting his suggestion?” Reb Nachum answered, “When I was young, my mother passed away and my father remarried. My stepmother was very cruel to me. I once came home from yeshivah for lunch when she was not home and noticed that she had left some fried eggs on the stove. Not wanting to waste time, I decided to serve myself and took a portion smaller than what she would normally give me. She returned home while I was eating and abruptly struck me across the face. I began to cry, and pleaded with her, ‘Why did you hit me? I took less than what I normally receive!’ She replied, ‘I am punishing you because one should not take anything alone without permission.’ Since that very day I learned not to take anything without permission, regardless of how good or desirable it may be.” One may rationalize that it is justifiable to cheat a brother because he should extend his assistance to help family members in time of need. Moreover, as a “brother” he will surely understand and forgive. Therefore, the Torah declared, “A man shall not aggrieve his brother” (leviticus 25:14) — it is forbidden to take from anyone, even a brother, without his knowledge and permission.
I will start turning upward
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he wheel of fortune took a turn on a wealthy person and his assets dwindled day after day. As this was happening, he became very sad and despondent. One day,
after he lost all his wealth, he visited the public bath house and someone stole his clothing. Upon learning of this, he began to dance and rejoice. People asked him in amazement, “When you were losing only some of your riches you were very downhearted, why are you now so happy when you have lost everything?” He replied, “In the world there is a wheel: some are on top and some on the bottom. When I was on top and started going downward I was very sad, since I did not know where I might end up. Now that I am all the way down and even my shirt has been stolen, I know I cannot go down any further, so undoubtedly, I will start turning upward again from now on.”
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Kids Parasha Behar-Bechukotai
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Inspirational Corner
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Hatred
he Talmud relates an episode in which one of the wealthy people of Jerusalem had a friend called Kamtza and a foe named Bar-Kamtza. He sent his servant to invite his friend Kamtza to a party, but the servant mistakenly invited his enemy, Bar-Kamtza. When the host noticed BarKamtza at the party he ordered him to leave. Bar-Kamtza offered to pay for his share of the meal. When this didn’t help, he offered to pay for half the party and then for the entire party, but was refused. He made him leave the party in full view of all who attended and with great embarrassment. According to the tradition, the chain of events that resulted from this episode caused the destruction of the Second Temple.
Leviticus 25: 1 - 27:34
“If you walk in my statutes and observe my commandments and do them, then I will give you your rains in their season, and the land shall yield its increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. Your threshing shall last to the time of the grape harvest, and the grape harvest shall last to the time for sowing. And you shall eat your bread to the full and dwell in your land securely. I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid. And I will remove harmful beasts from the land, and the sword shall not go through your land.” (Leviticus 26:3–6) http://www.bnai-tikkun.org.nz7
[Leviticus 27:30] The Lord has imparted to us heaven’s richest treasure in giving us Jesus. With Him He has given us all things richly to enjoy. The productions of the earth, the bountiful harvests, the treasures of gold and silver, are His gifts. Houses and lands, food and clothing, He has placed in the possession of men. He asks us to acknowledge Him as the Giver of all things; and for this reason He says, Of all your possessions I reserve a tenth for Myself, besides gifts and offerings, which are to be brought into My storehouse. (FLB 244)