Questions on Parshas Behar to think about and discuss:

1. There are seven topics covered in Parshas Behar. They are: Shemitta and Yovel (Pesukim: 1-13,18-22); the issur of ona’ah with selling moveable objects and land(14-17); the din of redeeming family fields that have been sold (23-28); the din of selling a house (that includes: in a walled city (29-30); an unwalled city (31) and in the city belonging to the Leviyim (32-34)); the issur of ribis(35-38); the din of a Jewish and non-Jewish servants sold to a Jew (39-46); the din of of a Jewish servant sold to a non-Jew (47-55). What is the theme connecting all these?
2. Which acts does the Torah specify are forbidden in the seventh year?
3. What are the differences between a Shemitta and Yovel year?
4. How does the idea of Shemitta and Yovel fit into the theme of Sefer Vayikra?
5. How are we meant to understand the mitzvos of Shemitta and Yovel?
6. Usually the Parshious of Behar and Bechukosai are read together. Is there any connection between them?
7. How do we understand the difference between treating a Jewish servant and a non-Jewish servant?
8. What are the restrictions in having a Jewish servant?
9. Why are we required to do our utmost to free a Jewish servant who sells himself to a non-Jew?
10. Why does Parshas Behar end off mentioning about not doing Avoda Zora and Chillul Shabbos – how does this fit in with the parsha?
11. Which mitzvos mentioned in Parshas Behar apply to us very much nowadays?

Ideas for answers:

1. Rashi (Behar, 26:1) explains the theme of the parsha. Firstly the Torah warns us to keep the shemitta. However, if a person is worried about his loss of income and transgresses sheviyis then he will end up losing money and needing to sell his house. If he fails to repent then he will need to sell his family field. If he remains obstinate, he will need to sell his house. His persistence will lead him to borrow with interest and if this does not change him then he will end up needing to sell himself as a servant to a Jew. Failure to repent will end in him being sold to a non-Jew.
2. Although all forms of working or assisting growth on land are forbidden in the Shemitta year, only four forms are explicitly mentioned in the Torah and are counted as four of the 613 Mitzvos and are punishable with malkois min HaTorah. They are (25:4-5): sowing; pruning; harvesting and gathering grapes. (There are another two mitzvos of the shemitta not mentioned here. They are to make whatever grows hefker and at the end of the year to cancel all money that is owed to you.)
3. A Yovel year is different to a Shemitta year. It is less in that Shemittas Kesofim does not apply, but additional in that both family lands are returned to their rightful owners and Jewish servants are freed.
4. R’ Shimshon Refoel Hirsch explains the theme of Sefer Vayikra that deals with all aspects of kedusha. Until Parshas Emor with the moaidom, it deals with kedusha of mokoim, space. With the parsha of the moiadim it discusses the kedusha of zman, time. The festivals are holier than weekday. Now comes Parshas Behar where it discusses shemitta that has both elements – kedusha in place, namely the land of Eretz Yisroel, and kedusha in time, namely every seventh year.
5. The reason for Shemitta is like Shabbos – cessation from creative work. It is testifying that there is a G-d who is directing everything. Understanding that it is not our physical exertion that brings success. To demonstrate this, the farmer makes hefker all his produce and fields. All loans are cancelled. This testifies that a person believes that all comes from Hashem. (See Sefer Hachinuch Mitzva 84)
6. Parshas Behar and Bechukosai are connected and stand out as being different to all the rest of Sefer Vayikra. The background is that Moshe heard three times the Torah from Hashem (see last Rashi on Brochos 48b): on Har Sinai; from the Ohel Moyaid and in Arvous Moav. The whole of Sefer Vayikra comes from the Torah said from the Ohel Moyaid (Vayikra 1:1) all until Parshas Emor. Parshas Behar starts (25:1) from the Torah said from Har Sinai until the end of Parshas Bechukosai (27:34). This itself needs further explanation. Why then are these two parshious found in Sefer Vayikra? The Rishoinim answer since they also discuss things that have to do with kedusha and kohanim – eirchin is determined by the Kohen and the blowing of the Shofar on the Yovel is also done by the Kohanim. (Da’as Zekainim, 25:1 and Rosh, 25:20).
7. We see from Parshas Behar that discusses the difference between Jew and non-Jewish servants’ treatment a hashkofic outlook of the Torah. The world is a place to reveal Hashem. Jews are the chosen nation that do this. All other nations can do so but only in a secondary role, assisting the Jews. (This was set in place by Matan Torah – see my article on Shavuous.) This is seen in the commandment of a non-Jewish servant (25:46) who shall never be freed. However, a Jew is never a servant to someone else, in a secondary role – עבדי הם ולא עבדים לעבדים. He remains with his primary role even when a servant. This explains the restrictions placed on having a Jewish servant that he is almost like a master! The limitations come in the form of three mitzvos: “you shall not work him with slave labour” (25:39) this means making him do degrading work that is clearly reserved for slaves; “they shall not be sold in the manner of a slave” (25:42) meaning to call out a slave for sale or take him to the marketplace where slaves are sold; “you shall not subjugate him through hard labour” (25:43) to get him to do work not needed or unlimited work (Rashi ibid).
10. Parshas Behar ends off with a warning about Avoda Zora and Chillul Shabbos (26:1-2) since it follows on from the Jew sold as a servant to a non-Jew. We are worried that he will convince himself that he can act like his master and transgress these severe sins. Therefore these pesukim come to reinforce these prohibitions (Rashi, 26:1).
11. The Mitzvos of Parshas Behar that apply to us nowadays are those of Shemitta (as is the case this year, 5775). Other mitzvos on a more daily basis are judging on business deals (25:14) and over or under charging, ona’ah (25:14). Hurting someone with words (25:17) or hurting them financially, ribbis (25:37). Ribbis effects five people: the lender; borrower; guarantor; witnesses and some add the sofer who wrote down the contract! (Gemora Bava Metzia 75b).

Did you know…

• One should always try to first buy from and sell to a Jew before a non-Jew (Rashi, Behar, 25:14).
• When we bow on the floor on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur we place something down on the ground first. Why? Because of the possuk at the end of Parshas Behar (26:1) – “you shall not emplace a flooring stone upon which to prostrate yourself”.