As we transition from Parashat Emor to Parashat Behar, it is worth recalling that Emor concluded with laws about holiness and sanctity—especially regarding the Kohanim and the festivals. This theme of holiness continues in Behar, but now it is applied not only to people and time, but to the very land of Israel itself.
Parashat Behar, found in Leviticus.25:1 through Leviticus.26:2, is a compact yet profound section of the Torah. It opens with the mitzvah of Shemitah, the sabbatical year. Every seventh year, the land of Israel must rest: fields are not to be sown, vineyards not pruned, and whatever grows is free for all to take. The Torah promises that if the people observe this command, God will provide a blessing so that the land will yield enough in the sixth year to sustain them through the seventh and into the eighth year.
After seven cycles of Shemitah—forty-nine years—comes the Yovel, the Jubilee year, the fiftieth year. In the Yovel, not only does the land rest again, but all hereditary land holdings that were sold return to their original families. Hebrew slaves are set free, and debts are released. The Torah emphasizes that the land ultimately belongs to God, and the Israelites are merely sojourners and residents with Him.
The parasha then details the laws of redeeming land and houses. If someone is forced to sell their ancestral field due to poverty, a relative (a "goel") should redeem it. If that is not possible, the field returns to its original owner in the Yovel. Houses in walled cities can be redeemed for one year after the sale, after which they become the permanent property of the buyer, except for houses in Levite cities, which can always be redeemed.
Behar also addresses the treatment of the poor. If a fellow Israelite becomes impoverished, others are commanded to support them, lending money without interest and providing for their needs. If someone sells themselves as a servant due to poverty, they are to be treated with dignity and not subjected to harsh labor. They must be freed in the Yovel year. The parasha distinguishes between Hebrew slaves, who must be freed, and non-Israelite slaves, who may be held as property.
Finally, the parasha concludes with a reminder not to make idols, to keep Shabbat, and to revere the sanctuary—tying together the themes of holiness, rest, and respect for God’s presence.
Let us focus on the mitzvah of Shemitah, which is introduced with the words:
Rav Kook, the first Chief Rabbi of pre-state Israel, saw Shemitah as a vision of social justice and spiritual renewal. He wrote that Shemitah is a "year of the soul," when society is reminded that material pursuits are not the ultimate goal. The release of debts and the return of land in Yovel create a reset, preventing the permanent impoverishment of families and the concentration of wealth. In this way, the Torah’s laws foster both economic fairness and spiritual humility.
In our own lives, we may not observe Shemitah in its full biblical form, but the message endures: true freedom comes not from endless acquisition, but from recognizing boundaries, sharing resources, and trusting in God’s providence. Parashat Behar teaches us that holiness is not only found in the sanctuary or on special days, but in the very structure of our society and our relationship to the land. May we merit to internalize these lessons of rest, renewal, and responsibility.
Created by Rabbi Ari (AI)