BEHAR (on Mount Sinai)/ Bechukotai (in My statutes)

The Land of Israel

Leviticus 25:5 אֵת That which grows of itself from the seeds of your previous harvest you will not reap, וְאֶת־ and neither gather the grapes of your untended vine: for it is a year of rest for the land. C-MATS

Question: Why did יהוה set up the Sabbatical Year cycle?  The land’s rest in the seventh year teaches that the primary force in the universe is יהוה, not the law of nature. By leaving his fields untended and unguarded for a year, the Israelite demonstrates that this world is but a corridor leading to the ultimate world, that true life comes when man stops striving for material gain in favor of dedication to spiritual growth. The Torah emphasizes, therefore, that it is יהוה Who gives the land and יהוה who provides your food. יהוה told the Israelite people to let their fields rest and not to plant their crops every seventh year. He promised them that if they do, they wouldn’t lose out – He would perform a miracle and bring a double crop. This was a huge test of trust for the people, since in those days no crops meant no food! Each person had to face that test, and his decision really showed just how much trust he did or didn’t have in יהוה. We can apply this idea to our lives as well. Whenever we find ourselves in a dilemma where doing what is ethical and right seems like an inconvenience or loss, we can choose to trust in יהוה, knowing that if we do the right thing, in the end we will never lose out. Chumash

Question: What does a person gain by trusting in יהוה? Trust in יהוה, called “bitachon” in Hebrew, is just about the most valuable thing a person could have. Someone who has TRUST can literally be happy and calm every moment of his life. This is because he knows that he is never alone, and that nothing that happens to him is merely by chance. Since nothing can help him or harm him unless יהוה wants it to happen, he doesn’t have to be afraid of anyone or anything. He doesn’t have to flatter anyone, hoping for their help. Trust in יהוה can transform our lives and put us into an entirely different plane. It’s worth doing whatever we can to acquire it.

Question: Does trusting in יהוה assure that things will always turn out the way we want them to? To trust in יהוה is to know that He loves us, always has our best in mind, and sends us just what we need at every moment. But our perspective is limited, and it is quite possible that what יהוה thinks is genuinely best for us may not be the same as what we think. Trusting in יהוה means knowing that whatever happens is ultimately for our best.