[Par-reg] Parshat Behar - shiur #2

[Menachem Leibtag]

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     THE TANACH STUDY CENTER [http://www.tanach.org]
          In Memory of Rabbi Abraham Leibtag
     Shiurim in Chumash & Navi by Menachem Leibtag
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      PARSHAT BEHAR -  SIGNIFICANT SUMMARIES

     In Parshat Behar we find three 'summary psukim' that may
appear to be superfluous. In the following 'mini-shiur' we
attempt to explain their importance.

AN OVERVIEW OF PARSHAT BEHAR
     Let's begin with short outline of Parshat Behar, in order
to identify where these three summary psukim are located, and
their significance.

I. The LAWS SHMITA & YOVEL
     A. The "shmita" cycle  (25:1-7)
     B. The "yovel" cycle & guidelines (25:8-22)
   * SUMMARY PASUK - reason for shmita & yovel (25:23-24)

II. LAWS RELATING TO THE YOVEL CYCLE
     A. Helping your neighbor who had to sell his field
          1. one who sold his field to a jew (25:25-28)
          2. one who sold his house (25:29-34)
          3. one who sold his field to a non-jew (25:35-38)
       *SUMMARY PASUK - the reason (25:39)
     B. Helping our neighbor who had to sell himself
          1. as an "eved" [servant] to a jew (25:39-46)
          2. as an "eved" [servant] to a non-jew (25:47-54)
       *SUMMARY PASUK - the reason (25:55)

     This outline clarifies the progression of topics in the
entire Parsha, showing how the laws of shmita & yovel are
followed by several applications of these laws.  Even though
the economic system created by the laws of "yove" is designed
to protect the poor (from the rich), the Torah also commands
that society must provide additional financial assistance for
a neighbor in distress.
     Pay attention as well to summary psukim that delimit each
unit.  In our shiur, we will discuss their significance.

THIS LAND IS 'HIS' LAND
     Let's begin with the first summary pausk, which concludes
the laws of yovel and explains their underlying reason:
  "And the land shall not be sold [to anyone] forever, for
  the Land is Mine, for you are like GEYRIM v'TOSHAVIM
  [strangers and residents] with Me. Throughout - ERETZ
  ACHUZATCHEM - the land or your inheritance, you shall give
  the land redemption"  (25:23-24)

     Even though God has 'given' the land to Bnei Yisrael for
their inheritance, this statement highlights how the true
ownership remains His.  In other words, God remains sovereign,
while He allows Bnei Yisrael the right to work the land as
though it was theirs.  To emphasize this 'arrangement', once
every fifty years the land must return to God.  [Sort of like
a 'fifty year lease'.]
     To appreciate the wording of this pasuk, let's compare it
to a similar statement made by Avraham Avinu when he
approached Bnei Chet to buy a burial plot.  Note the textual
parallels:
  "And he spoke ot Bnei Chet saying, I am a GEYR v'TOSHAV
  among you, please allow me to buy an ACHUZAT KEVER [burial
  plot] from you" (Breishit 23:3-4)

     Even though Avraham was a resident in the land, he was
not the sovereign power; rather Bnei Chet were.  As the land
was not yet his, Avraham must purchase from them an ACHUZAH
(note again parallel with "eretz achuzatchem" in 25:24), a
'hold' in the land, even though Bnei Chet control it.
  
  Therefore, when Bnei Yisrael receive the Torah at Har
Sinai, as they prepare to conquer "eretz canaan", these laws
of "yovel" will help them appreciate the dialectic nature of
their forthcoming sovereignty over the land.  In relation to
the surrounding nations, once Bnei Yisrael achieve conquest -
they will become the sovereign power. However, in relation to
God, they must constantly remember that the land still belongs
to God.  He has granted to them only towards the purpose that
they become His nation. The laws of "yovel", which affect the
very nature of property transactions during the entire fifty
year shemita and yovel cycle, will serve as a constant
reminder that God has given them this land for a reason (and
purpose).
  
     This background can also help us understand what may be
the underlying reason for the laws of "Terumah" - the small
tithe that must be taken from the produce of land, and given
to the "kohen".
  Just as the resident of any land must pay a property tax to
the country's sovereign power, so too Bnei Yisrael must pay a
'tax' - i.e. TERUMAH - to God, in recognition of His
sovereignty over the land. Ultimately God gives this TERUMAH
to the kohanim (His servants), but note how the Torah
emphasizes how there are two stages in this process. First,
the "terumah" is given to God:
  "And when you eat from the bread of the land, you shall
  lift up a TERUMAH for GOD..."(see Bamidbar 15:17-21)

  Then (and only afterward) God awards this "teruma" to the
"kohanim":
  "And God told Aharon, behold I am giving you My TERUMAH
  that I am keeping that Bnei Yisrael have set aside..."
  (see Bamidbar 18:8)
  
  [This also explains why terumah must be eaten "b'tahara",
  for the kohen is eating food given to him by God.  In
  contrast, "maser rishon" the ten percent tithe given by the
  Yisrael to the Levite has not "kedusha" - for it serves as
  a direct payment for the services that shevet Levi renders
  to the nation.]

RELATED LAWS
     After explaining the reason for yovel, the Torah
continues with several related laws. As we noted in our
outline, these laws divide into two distinct sections, each
containing examples of when one is forced to sell either:
  1) His field, or
     2) Himself.

     Each set of examples focuses on the need to lend
assistance for those in financial distress, and is concluded
with a special summary pasuk.
  Let's see how each pasuk is special.

ERETZ CANAAN IS NOT FOR SALE
     After the laws relating to how we must help someone who
was forced to sell his own field, the Torah reminds us:
  "I am the Lord your God who took you out of the land of
  Egypt to give you the LAND OF CANAAN, L'HIYOT LACHEM
  L'ELOKIM - to be your God" (see 25:38)

     To appreciate this pasuk, we must return to our study of
"brit Milah" (see Breishit 17:7-8), and the key phrase of that
covenant:  L'HIYOT LACHEM L'ELOKIM (see 17:7 & 17:8).
Furthermore, it was specifically in that covenant that God
promised ERETZ CANAAN to Avraham Avinu, and in that very same
pasuk, the Torah refers to the land as an ACHUZA (see 17:8).
     Based on these parallels (compare them once again to
Vayikra 25:38 & the word "achuza" in 25:25), we can conclude
that this summary pasuk relates to "brit milah". Let's explain
why.
  Recall how "brit milah" focused on the special close
relationship between God and His nation, and how Eretz Canaan
was to become the land where that relationship would achieve
its highest potential. [The mitzvah of "brit milah" serves as
an "ot" [a sign] to remind us of this covenant.]
     As Eretz Canaan serves as a vehicle through which Bnei
Yisrael can better develop this relationship, it is important
that each person receives his 'fare share' of this land.
Certainly, we would not want the ownership of the land to fall
into the hands of a wealthy elite. The laws of "yovel" in
chapter 25 help assure that every individual keeps his share
of the land.
     It also becomes everyone's responsibility to make sure
that anyone who becomes less fortunate remains able to keep
his portion in Eretz Canaan.
  This explains the cases where one was forced to sell his
land, and its summary pasuk.  Now we must proceed to the next
section, which discusses cases where one was forced to sell
himself.

WE ARE SERVANTS OF GOD, NOT MAN
     Bamidbar 25:39-54 describes cases when someone becomes so
poor that he must sell himself (not just his land) to his
creditor; and how we are obligated to help him buy back his
freedom. These psukim conclude with the following pasuk:
  "For Bnei Yisrael are servants to Me, they are My servants
  whom I have taken them out of the land of Egypt, I am the
  Lord your God." (25:55)

     Now, it becomes obvious why this summary pasuk focuses on
servitude, rather than land. Servitude to a fellow man would
take away from man's ability to be a servant of God.
Therefore, the summary pasuk of this section relates directly
back to the events of Yetziat Mitzraim.  [From a this
perspective, this summary pasuk can be understood as a
'flashback' to "brit bein ha'btarim", for in that covenant,
God had already foreseen the events of Yetziat Mitzraim (see
Breishit 15:13-18).]

     Even though man is free and enjoys the right to own land
and determine his own destiny; he must remember that his
freedom is a gift from God, and hence it should be utilized to
serve Him.  But even those who have achieved freedom share the
responsibility to assist those in financial crisis, in order
they too can remain 'free' to serve God.

               shabbat shalom
               menachem