B"H
Monday, Iyar 21, 5785 (36th day of the Omer) / May 19, 2025
The Torah reading for this coming Shabbat are the two final Parshiot in the third book of the Torah, B’har & Bechukotei. This concludes the third Book of the Torah – the Book of Leviticus (Vayikra).
Parshat B’har begins with the mitzvah of Shemitah – the Sabbatical year. “G-d spoke to Moshe at Mount Sinai, saying, ‘When you come to the Land that I am giving you, the Land should rest a Shabbat to G-d. Six years you may sow your field and for six years you may prune your vineyard and gather its produce. But the seventh year the Land shall have a complete rest – a Shabbat to G-d.’”
During the Sabbatical year, the owner of a field, and everyone else were equal. Everyone had the same rights to the produce of that year. The poor and needy can help themselves to whatever is in the field.
Q. What lessons does the mitzvah of Shemitah teach us?
A. The Shemitah year teaches to better understand and appreciate the needs of the poorwho don't have their own fields and must continuously rely on the mercy and generosity of others.
During the Shemitah year, when everyone is equal, the ones who own fields would have a better feeling and understanding of what the poor go through all other years. This gives them a better understanding of the importance of helping those in need.
On an extremely cold night, the town Rabbi was collecting money to buy firewood for the poor. He went to the home of the wealthiest man in town and knocked on his door. When the rich man opened it and invited the rabbi in, the Rabbi didn't enter. Instead, he called the owner outside and started discussing communal matters with him.
The rich man, who wasn’t dressed properly for the freezing weather, soon became very cold and began shivering. Yet the Rabbi kept on talking, ignoring his repeated requests to continue their conversation inside. Finally, the Rabbi came to the point and told him the purpose of his visit, "I need money for firewood so that the poor people can stay warm in their homes in this freezing weather."
"I will give you as much as you need!" answered the rich man, "but please come into the house. I'm freezing!" The Rabbi agreed and followed the rich man into the house.
After the rich man made his generous contribution, he asked the rabbi, "Why didn't you come in the house when I first invited you in? You could have told me the purpose of your visit in my warm home?”
The Rabbi smiled and said, "I wanted you to feel the suffering of the poor and the urgency of this request. The longer we stood outside the more you felt the need for your contribution!"
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
OUR HEARTS ARE WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY - MAY THEY ALL BE RELEASED NOW