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56 Years Young: 1953-2009 !
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This Week’s Torah Reading

Behar

BeHAR means on the mountain, and the rules included in this parashah are given on Mount Sinai. When the Israelites finally take up residence in Israel, they were not to plant the fields year after year, but give the land a Shabbat every seventh year, known as shemiTAH or the year of release. In that year, the people would eat that which grew naturally, but not that which was the result of their own efforts. Additionally, no planting or reaping would take place in the 50th year known as yoVEL or the jubilee year. In this year, real estate sold to pay off debts was returned to its original tribal owners and Jewish slaves were freed. God assures the people that by observing shemiTAH, the produce of the sixth year will be enough for three years. The people will not starve. The redemption of sold real estate or slaves, with the purpose of bringing them back to their original tribal owners, is a mitzvah. This responsibility falls upon the closest relative, assuming the relative is financially poised to redeem. But the redemption price must be fair and based on the number of years remaining until the yoVEL when the property or person would automatically be returned to the tribe. We must treat family members who come under our authority with kindness and not exact from them interest for loans granted. Finally, we should not worship carved images or pillars; we should keep God’s ShabbaTOT and venerate God’s sanctuary.

Behukotai

BehukoTAI is the last paraSHAH of the book of Leviticus and it means “in my laws.” The paraSHAH begins with a conditional statement, “If you follow my laws and faithfully observe my commandments,” then all sorts of good things will follow: large harvests, widespread peace, victory in war, and large families. If, however, the people will not follow God, all sorts of bad things will follow: disease, drought, war, famine, ruined cities, fear, and so forth. This latter section, known as the TOkhehah or Warning, paints a dismal picture for those who choose to buck God. Chapter 26 brings a close to the Holiness Code that began in chapter 17. The paraSHAH concludes with a variety of ways to fund the sanctuary. People could pledge animals, property, produce, and even themselves. Pledging oneself to a synagogue may sound like a foreign idea, but in ancient times, one could become a laborer in service to the Temple. Silver was as acceptable back then as it is today. The priests would redeem consecrated property for their monetary equivalents, as in the case of donated non-kosher animals which were clearly unsuitable for sacrifice.

Shabbat Thought

Blessed are they who have nothing to say and cannot be persuaded to say it. 

~~ James Russell Lowell ~~

Web Of The Week

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CONCRETE FAITH (a hard nut to crack)

Dear CyberRav,

I had a student in my office today who said she was having trouble understanding some of the abstract concepts I was teaching. We were learning about nuclear fusion in the sun, and it involves some nuclear reactions that don't really "make sense" if you think about them too much (e.g., Why does hydrogen fuse to become helium? -- It just does).  Anyway, she said she also had problems with math, because it's so abstract. She then added that for a while she was an atheist for the same reason -- she couldn’t "see" it -- but eventually she just decided to believe.

I have no idea what religion she is, probably Christian. Anyway, do you have any comments on this topic? How would you guide someone who likes concrete imagery to accept some kind of faith? I also notice that she likes to control things in her life, so faith may also represent a giving up of control.  I don't know if I will follow up with her on this conversation, but if I can come up with some benign idea, I might pass it along.

A Prof with No Proof

Doesn’t science require a tad of faith? Science offers hypotheses which purport to explain some physical phenomenon when in fact, it is clear that we really don't understand it or it doesn't really make sense. For example, we know that all objects with mass attract one another, and we have the formula that describes the attraction, but then comes the more fundamental question--why do these objects of mass attract one another, and that's when it all becomes murky. I understand that Einstein has something to say on the subject, but I'm sure you know what I mean. The same could be said about electricity--we can describe its force but what is it, really? And they say that theology is ill-defined!

It’s dangerous to expect too much of science. Lower your expectations and you’re much better off. Physics is relatively superficial, but a superficial understanding of the universe that is accurate is infinitely better than a profound understanding of the universe that is wrong.

As for establishing faith in people who need proof, this is a more difficult task. The paradox here is that if we could prove the existence of God, we would obviate the need for faith. And it's unlikely that there can be belief in God without faith. We ought to, without question, accept as true that which can be proved, but don't reject as false that which resists proof. If you believe that faith is necessary, at least it can open you to the intuitive truths (e.g., the existence of God) that are resistant to proof. I don't know if that is an argument that would resonate with people who need proof, but it’s worth a try.

Rabbi Rafi Rank
CyberRav

Shabbat Shalom Everyone!!

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