Behar 5778

The Torah Portion of Behar    

Please note: In Israel the Torah Portion of Behar coincides with the 20th of Iyar 5778 (May 5, 2018). Outside of Israel, the Torah Portion of Emor coincides with the 20th of Iyar 5778 (May 5, 2018).  The reason that the Torah Portions for Israel and outside of Israel are not the same, is because Israel has 7 days of Passover but outside of Israel there are 8 days of Passover, the last day of which was a Shabbat this year.  Therefore, Israel started to read the regular Torah Portion of the week while those outside of Israel were reading the Torah Portion for the 8th day of Passover. 


Excerpted and Translated from the the Teachings of Rabbi Gershon Steinberg ztz"l
L'ilui Neshamat HaGaon HaTzaddik R' Gershon Avigdor Ben Chaim ztz"l
L'ilui Neshamat R' Yochanan Yitzchak Ben Nachum z"l 
L'ilui Neshamat Yaakov Ben Matisyahu HaLevi z"l
L'ilui Neshamat Michael Ben Nachman z"l
L'ilui Neshamat Zehava Bat Shlomo z"l
L'ilui Neshamat Esther Mushka Bat Yaakov HaLevi z"l
L'ilui Neshamat Esther Bat Natan z"l
L'ilui Neshamat Shlomo Ben Chaim z"l
L'refuat Hanefesh V'l'refuat Haguf L'Malka Bat Rivkah Zlata
L'refuat Hanefesh V'l'refuat Haguf L'Deena Bat Tzion Bat Zehava
L'refuat Hanefesh V'l'refuat Haguf L'Chaya Basha Bat Esther
L'refuat Hanefesh V'lrefuat Haguf L'Etan Naphtali Ben Zehava
L'refuat Hanefesh V'l'refuat Haguf L'Rivkah Goldah Bat Chaya Basha 
L'refuat Hanefesh V'l'refuat Haguf L'Shimon Ben Rivkah Goldah
L'refuat Hanefesh V'l'refuat Haguf L'Simcha Pearl Bat Rivkah Goldah
L'refuat Hanefesh V'l'refuat Haguf L'Ahuva Nechama Bat Simcha Pearl
L'refuat Hanefesh V'l'refuat Haguf L'Moshe Shlomo Ben Rivkah Goldah
L'refuat Hanefesh V'l'refuat Haguf L'Chaim Sh'muel Ben Rivkah Goldah 
L'refuat Hanefesh V'l'refuat Haguf L'Avital Bat Rut
L'refuat Hanefesh V'l'refuat Haguf L'Eliezer Yitzchak Ben Bracha Devorah 
L'refuat Hanefesh V'l'refuat Haguf L'Michael Itzhak Nesshael Ben Avital 
L'refuat Hanefesh V'l'refuat Haguf L'Naomi Chana Bat Chaya Basha 
L'refuat Hanefesh V'l'refuat Haguf L'Refael Ben Masha Etel
L'refuat Hanefesh V'lrefuat Haguf L'Fruma Freidel Bat Esther  
L'refuat Hanefesh V'l'refuat Haguf L'Rav Daniel Reuven Ben Esther 
L'refuat Hanefesh V'l'refuat Haguf L'Simcha Alice Allegra Bat Miriam 
L'refuat Hanefesh V'lrefuat Haguf L'Nachum Natan Ben Chana and
L'refuat Hanefesh V'l'refuat Haguf L'Kol Am Yisrael V'l'geulah Hashleima Bekarov

"A Shabbat for Hashem" (Vayikra 25:2)

The Holy One Blessed Be He commanded to fulfill the Mitzvah of Shmittah and Yovel, in order that everyone would know that the Holy One Blessed Be He is the owner of all the world, and therefore it is called "A Shabbat for Hashem" . (Vayikra 25:2) 

"A Shabbat for Hashem" (Vayikra 25:2)

For all fields it is good for them to rest a certain period of time, and that is beneficial so that they will grow better afterwards, and therefore it is written "A Shabbat for Hashem" (Vayikra 25:2), because it is necessary to fulfill the Mitzvah of Shmittah and Yovel for the sake of Heaven and not for the sake of benefiting the field.

"The land shall observe a Shabbat for Hashem (Vayikra 25:2) 

Shmittah is similar to Shabbat; by way of the Shabbat the entire week becomes blessed as is stated in the Zohar, and similarly the Sages state, that from the year of the Shmittah the other six years become blessed.

"Do not harass one another" (Vayikra 25:17) 

The verse is speaking about verbal harassment. It is forbidden to cause suffering to one's fellow man, and forbidden to give him advice that is not beneficial to him but which is to the benefit of the person who is giving the advice.

"Do not harass one another" (Vayikra 25:17)

The Maharil Diskin did not want to eat the meat that was slaughtered by the Shochet (Kosher slaughterer) in his neighborhood, because the Shochet didn't have enough Yirat Shamayim (Fear of Heaven).  But the Maharil did not want to disqualify him as a Shochet because he was an expert slaughterer, and he knew the Halachot (Laws) very well. The Maharil's students decided to search for a different type of work for the man, and they found a position by which he could earn a better living, and they suggested to the Shochet to take the position.  The Shochet said to them that he wanted to seek advice from the Maharil.  The students were happy because they thought that the Maharil would certainly tell the Shochet to switch to the other work, and now he (the Maharil) would be able to eat meat. The Maharil asked the Shochet: What is the reason that you want to abandon the work of Shechita (slaughtering)?  Is it because you don't have the physical strength to continue, or because you think that in the new work you will be able to earn a better living?  The Shochet answered him, that his reason was that in the new work he would be able to earn a better living.  The Maharil told him that he should remain in the work of Shechita because the work in the new place of employment didn't have enough job stability. And so, the Shochet continued to work at Shechita.  The students were puzzled and they asked their Rav the reason for this recommendation.  He answered them, that it is written in the Torah Portion "Do not harass one another" (Vayikra 25:17) -- and Rashi explains: It is forbidden to give advice that isn't beneficial for the one seeking the advice.  Therefore I need to advise him for his benefit, and not for my own benefit.

"Do not subjugate him through hard labor" (Vayikra 25:43)

It's forbidden for a person to request a favor from his friend when he knows that it will be a burden for him, because he thereby transgresses the prohibition of "Do not subjugate him through hard labor" (Vayikra 25:43) (from Rabeinu Yonah)

Sefirat HaOmer

Rebbe Akiva had 12,000 pairs of students from Gabbatha until Antipatris, and all of them died during one time period because they didn't behave respectfully one to another. And the world was desolate until Rebbe Akiva came to our Rabbis in the south and taught them, and they were: Rebbe Meir, Rebbe Yehuda, Rebbe Yosi, Rebbe Shimon, and Rebbe Elazar ben Shamua.  And they were the ones who were responsible for the continuation of Torah learning at that time.  It is taught that all of those who died, died between Pesach and Shavuot.  (from Yavamot 62b)    

The Torah Portion of Behar has 57 verses, 7 positive commandments and 17 negative commandments. 
Haftora: "Yayomer Yirmiyahu (Yirmiyahu 32)
Pirkei Avot, Chapter 5.

May you all have a light-filled and happy Shabbat.
Shabbat Shalom.

L'ilui Neshamat HaGaon HaTzaddik R' Gershon Avigdor Ben R' Chaim ztz"l, Nilkach L'Bait Olamo Yud Gimmel Tishrei 5772