Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 24 Iyar, 5784 –Day 39 of Omer
Parsha Be-Hukkotai – “My Laws” (Leviticus 26:3 – 27:34)
Seventh Portion: Leviticus 27:29 – 27:34
Shabbat Shalom! Today is an amazing day for a multitude of reasons! Among them? We finish the book of Leviticus today! Three books down, two more to go for this cycle!
It is also the Shabbat before the Rosh Chodesh of Sivan. It is the final shabbat in Iyar – which has been all about the birth. We came through Passover – through the womb of the sea splitting into two. We are free! This month has been an exploration of this freedom – like a new born baby. We are just about to finish the cycle and move into Sivan – a month of Direction! In the month of Sivan, we have the giving of the Torah – Direction for the Children of Israel. Shavuot will begin at nightfall on June 11th and conclude at nightfall on June 13th. It’s a two day giving of direction for the Jewish people. So if we are struggling with direction for our lives? We will likely get some in the next moon cycle. We may not WANT the direction – but it will be there for us if we will receive it.
Today is ALSO the 39th day of the Omer. We are counting up to Shavuot. Today’s theme is the Determination of Bonding. From Chabad:
An essential component of bonding is its endurance. Its ability to withstand challenges and setbacks. Without endurance there is no chance to develop true bonding.
Am I totally committed to the one I bond with? How much will I endure and how ready am I to fight to maintain this bond? Is the person I bond with aware of my devotion?
Exercise for the day: Demonstrate the endurance level of your bonding by confronting a challenge that obstructs the bond.
Bonding involves being fully committed. To someone – or to ourselves.
How much am I willing to endure to fight to maintain a connection with myself? Am I aware of how much I fight for myself? Or do I choose instead to fight to maintain the bond with someone ELSE for the sacrifice of my connection to myself? Can I be both committed to myself AND another?
These are the questions to ask. In addition, two years ago I wrote the following questions when reading today’s portion.
- What is it we hold sacred? Right now?
- What is something We once held sacred but no longer do?
- What is something we wish we held sacred but don’t?
- What is something we hold sacred but really wish we didn’t?
My answers have shifted since writing that. And? They haven’t. Because I believe what we hold sacred is what we likely will endure to keep connection. With this – let’s dig in:
29Any devoting of a person who has been devoted, need not be redeemed [for] he is to be put to death.
Any “devoting of a person who has been devoted.” That seems like an odd statement. Here is the verse before:
28However, anything that a man devotes to the Lord from any of his property whether a person, an animal, or part of his inherited field shall not be sold, nor shall it be redeemed, [for] all devoted things are holy of holies to the Lord.
I wrote this before – something devoted to Hashem – something destined for death? Is being released back into the stream of soul around us and within us. They will no long be limited by these bodies – this clothing wrapped around our soul. There is no need for redemption, because we are sacred.
Are we devoted to ourselves? Are we devoted to Hashem within us? We don’t need redemption – we are ALREADY redeemed!
Let’s keep going:
30Any tithe of the Land, whether it be from the seed of the land or the fruit of the tree it is the Lord’s. It is holy to the Lord.
31And if a man redeems some of his tithe, he shall add its fifth to it.
I am reflecting on this. How does one “redeem” a tithe? Why would one WANT to redeem a tithe? If I have given 10% of what I have, what would I gain by redeeming it?
The idea here is borrowing our tithe back. I need that money because I become destitute – or I need cattle back because I had some pass away after the tithe. I could request my tithe back – and then I would need to pay back 20% on top of it for the possibility to borrow it. It’s interest on a loan.
That the Torah allows this option? It’s significant. Hashem may allow us to become destitute where we would NEED to borrow the tithe – and – it would serve the priests because they would loan it back with 20% interest. This does a few things – I might be able to borrow from a friend with less interest – or I may want to BLESS Hashem more by redeeming a tithe – to make it MORE. Some things I am reflecting on for sure.
32Any tithe of cattle or flock of all that pass under the rod, the tenth shall be holy to the Lord.
33He shall not inspect [a tithed animal] for a good or a bad one, nor shall he offer a substitute for it. And if he does replace it, then [both] that one and its replacement are holy; it cannot be redeemed.
34These are the commandments that the Lord commanded Moses to [tell] the children of Israel on Mount Sinai.
And with these three lines, we close Leviticus. Interesting – for a tithe, the tenth cattle under the rod is the tithe – no matter whether it was perfect or blemished. And the Torah basically says “if you try, then to connect with me? Give me BOTH!” So basically we are to TRUST Hashem with what we give.
And that comes back to sacred. Do we trust Hashem with what we give – emotionally? Spiritually? Financially? Physically?
This is the message of Leviticus.
What are YOUR thoughts?
As we close out Leviticus, let’s remember as we do at the end of every book, we say together “Be Strong! Be Strong! And May we be strengthened!”
Here are my thoughts from two years ago:
Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 27 Iyar, 5782
Shabbat Shalom!
Today is the 42nd day of the Omer. Tomorrow starts the final week of the Omer leading to Shavuot!
Today we bring the book of Leviticus to conclusion. What a journey it’s been!
It is interesting that Leviticus closes with the idea of consecration- giving things to God as sacred. What is sacred? What is not sacred? Earlier in Leviticus we discussed ritual impurity and ritual purity. These too, connect to the sacred. The book of Leviticus is all about the exploration of what is sacred. I think next year when I read this, I want to remind myself of this takeaway and re-read the book with this in mind.
Here are some thought questions for me and you;
- What is it we hold sacred? Right now?
- What is something We once held sacred but no longer do?
- What is something we wish we held sacred but don’t?
- What is something we hold sacred but really wish we didn’t?
I feel like these are the important questions of Leviticus because all of these Torah thoughts over the past weeks digging to Leviticus have brought me back to these questions.
This portion closes with the idea of trying to consecrate a person who is condemned by the court to be put to death. The idea of redeeming this person is meaningless (because they will be dying and their soul returning to Hashem) and should not be redeemed.
Upon first read, we might consider it meaningless because it has no value. But I think the opposite is true. It’s meaningless because the person is about to die, their soul will return to Hashem. There is no need to redeem it as it is already sacred. I might be wrong here; On the concept. And I’m open to correction – but it seems like this is the proper read; a soul about to die is sacred. Because it will no longer be clothed in the vessel of a body.
Next we learn that if you are going to tithe an animal, count them as they come out from an entrance; use the rod to count and pull every tenth animal. The tenth is holy and sacred to God.
This is different and the Torah addresses it – as normally we’d give the best unblemished animals. But in a tithe, it’s the tenth animal regardless. We are not to substitute.
Rabbi Schneerson brings us an amazing thought as we close out the book of Leviticus:
“Maimonides writes; “The Torah anticipated man’s thoughts and his evil impulse. By nature, a person seeks to increase his possessions and to be sparing with his money, if he were allowed to exchange a poor animal for a good one, he might exchange the good animal for a poor one and claim that it is good. The Torah therefore made an unequivocal prohibition against substitution.”
You might prefer an approach to worshiping God which feels superior to the one which has been demanded of you. For example, you might feel that simple tasks can be entrusted to anyone whereas you should be involved in loftier matters, such as the study of mysticism. On the other hand, you may feel that you are not sufficiently worthy to study mysticism, since your understanding is not so profound, and you should be involved with more simple tasks.
The response to such arguments: “He should not select a good or a bad one, nor should he offer a substitute for it” The desire to substitute your allotted task for another comes from the evil impulse. Initially it tells you to swap a more menial task for a loftier one, but it will eventually tell you to swap a good task for a bad one. Carry out your allotted task joyously, without looking for a substitute.”
Those are powerful thoughts as we close Leviticus!!!
As we do at the end of every book, we say together “Be Strong! Be Strong! And May we be strengthened!”
As happens every Shabbat, please see below for my Haftorah thoughts!
Todays Haftorah is Jeremiah 16:19
The Haftorah opens up with an affirmation of Hashem by Jeremiah. The truth that God is his strength and stronghold. His refuge in times of trouble. It’s the foundation of what is about to come.
Because next Jeremiah describes the sin of Israel; the sun of idol worship. And the consequences of not observing the sabbatical year; when things were supposed to be given back. That made Hashem angry.
Jeremiah then calls out that God knows already that people are going to turn to other people for help instead of trusting Him. People will put their trust in Mortal man alone; and Hashem says they will be like a tree in the desert.
Jeremiah then reminds us; “blessed is the man who trusts in God. And to whom God will be his trust.” And “the person who trusts in God will be devoid of problems, and never lack anything.”
So my first takeaway here is that if I have problems and lack, I should be reflecting on where I am not trusting Hashem.
But Jeremiah warns us: “God knows our hearts.” And “human hearts are the most crooked of all his limbs, and it is warped. It says “Who will know if I really trust in God or not.”
God knows.
Jeremiah says we can’t trust outward signs either: “one who accumulates wealth unjustly is like a cuckoo bird that hatches eggs it did not lay, and it is only a matter of time before the chicks realize this is not their mother and run away.”
God heals us – he takes care of us. We can trust him or trust in people around us. That is our choice.
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