The Torah also commended the Yovel, the Jubilee. In addition to the Shmitah, every 50th year, was a kind of double Shmitah. All tribal lands returned to their original owners. This was to prevent anyone monopolizing the real estate and ensuring a fair division. We don’t know if this ever happened. It required lots of conditions such as a Sanhedrin…
Author: Jeremy Rosen
Slaves
This week’s reading from the Torah is concerned with the concept of servitude in all its various forms. The Torah tries, way ahead of its time, to ameliorate the psychological damage of servitude, of never knowing when one’s life might be one’s own again, free from obligations to others, free from carrying the burden of debt perpetually. Even today so…
Oppression
Tucked in amongst the legislation is the command “Al Tonoo” 25.14. The Talmud derives from this the laws of Ona’ah. Literally not to oppress people. And the Talmud divided this Torah principle into two separate issues. Ona’ah meant taking advantage of people in business. Where you knew that they needed something, you had to avoid taking advantage either by overcharging,…
Hillul HaShem
In talking about the priests, the Torah keeps on repeating the word Hillul. Some translate this a desecration, humiliation, demeaning or vilifying. It is the opposite of sanctifying, making holy, glorifying. It is used first of a daughter of a priest who acts immorally. She betrays her position and her father and is punished accordingly because even members of a…
What Do We Learn From the Priests?
The Priests of old, had to be in a constant state of ritual purity. So that whenever they were called upon to perform in the Tabernacle or Temple they would be ready. Purity had nothing to do with what we call cleanliness. You might be covered in mud from tip to toe and still be “impure” or more accurately, “unprepared.”…
Festivals
Here the Torah amplifies the function and ceremonial of the festivals that were first mentioned in Exodus. As before all special days are called “Moadim” occasions. And as before the first “holy Day” is Shabbat. Many Jews give priority to festivals over Shabbat. But in fact, in terms of priorities. It ought to be the other way round. After Pesach…