parshat Bechukotai

As long as Yisrael does not dwell on its Land, the Land does not give her fruits as she is accustomed. When she will begin to flower again, however, and give of her fruits, this is a clear sign that the end — the time of the Redemption — is approaching when all of Yisrael will return to its Land.

“Temura” has the same letters of both trauma & Teruma: The trauma threatened by our enemies only leads to the Teruma, the contribution we bring to the world, & ultimately contributes to our triumph. Am Yisrael Chai!

This week's Torah reading marks the end of the book of Vayikra. It is a book about holiness, ritual holiness or Temple service, and also the holiness of human beings and human relationships.

It seems to me that the most painful part of the curse is its element of “a man … over his brother.” This is itself a great curse.

This Shabbat, we find ourselves between two staggering events: the tragedy at Har Meron last Friday, and Yom Yerushalayim this Sunday night and Monday. Two mountains, steeped in Jewish history, associated with the most significant personalities and pathos: Avraham, Yitzchak and Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai.

The Sages said: “‘They will stumble over each other’” – read this as ‘stumble because of one another’: this teaches that all Israelites are responsible for one another.” This is an exceedingly strange passage. Why locate this principle here?

Nothing is as challenging to our faith as seeming injustice and tragedy. How does a believing person reconcile an apparently cruel world with an Omnipotent and Merciful Creator?

A Shiur by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks for the weekly Torah reading of "Behar- Bechukotai".