Weekly Torah portion
Parascha Behar בהר
Leviticus (Wajikra) · Leviticus 25:1-26:2
„On the Mountain"
Summary
The portion begins with the laws of Shemitah, the Sabbatical year. Every seventh year, the land in Israel must rest from agricultural work, reminding the people that the earth belongs to G"d.
After seven cycles of seven years, the fiftieth year is proclaimed as the Jubilee (Yovel). During this special year, all indentured servants are set free and ancestral land holdings are returned to their original owners.
The Torah also emphasizes the importance of social justice and kindness. It forbids charging interest to fellow Jews and commands the community to support those who have fallen into poverty to help them become self-sufficient.
People
Moses
The leader who received these specific laws directly from G"d at Mount Sinai.
Eleazar
The son of Aaron who served as the High Priest during the later wilderness journey.
The Poor Man
A person experiencing financial hardship whom the community is commanded to sustain.
The Hebrew Servant
An individual who sells his labor due to debt but must be released during the Jubilee.
Key commandments (mitzvot)
Shemitah · Leviticus 25:4
The land must not be worked or harvested during the seventh year.
Sanctifying the Jubilee · Leviticus 25:10
The fiftieth year must be treated as holy, involving the sounding of the Shofar and the release of lands.
Fair Trade · Leviticus 25:14
It is forbidden to deceive or wrong one another in buying and selling transactions.
Prohibition of Interest · Leviticus 25:37
One must not charge interest when lending money or food to a fellow countryman.
Full text
Quiz & badge
Answer every question correctly to earn the badge.
1. How often does the Shemitah (Sabbatical) year occur?
2. What happens to ancestral land during the Jubilee year?
3. Which instrument is used to announce the Jubilee year?
4. What is the primary lesson of the land resting laws?