This week’s Torah Portion is usually a double portion Behar/Bechukotai.

This week we only read Behar because we have an extra month this year to reconcile the lunar calendar, therefore all double portions are split up. In Behar the laws concerning the observance of the sabbatical and jubilee years are proposed. The Israelites are commanded to give their fields and vineyards ” a complete rest” every seventh year, eating only what grows from uncultivated ground.

After seven Sabbaticals, that is, in the fiftieth year the Israelites are commanded to “Proclaim Liberty throughout the Lands for All Its Inhabitants”. On Yom Kippur of that year the shofar is sounded, announcing the Jubilee, “the year of release” during which all tribal lands are to return to their original borders and all slaves are freed. This says that the land ultimately belongs to God and no one should be a slave forever and there should not be a permanent underclass.

The words proclaiming the Jubilee appears on the Liberty Bell. It says in our prayerbook that our children are on loan to us. We can expand that and say all that we have is on loan to us so we must treat all we have with respect and reverence. The concept of conservation comes from this Torah portion as well as the concept of ultimate freedom for all. Ancient words still waiting to be fulfilled.

This Shabbat is Shabbat Hagadol, the great Sabbath. It is believed that it received that title because of the importance of the approaching holiday, Pesach or Passover. Some scholars feel that all the holidays had a Shabbat Hagadol preceding it. It was called great because there were so many instructions about observance that had to be given before the holiday. It has only remained for the Sabbath before Passover. Many feel that it remained for the Shabbat before Passover because Passover has more instructions than any other holiday. Perhaps, it has remained because there are so many questions asked before Passover.

Another explanation is that in the Haftarah portion for this Shabbat it mentions the “great day” of God on which the Messiah will appear.

Some say that the people would return home from synagogue later than usual on this Shabbat because of the unusually long discourse that was customary on this day. Therefore, it was “great” because it was longer than the other Shabbats.
As we ready ourselves for Passover, my whole family and I want to wish you all a ziessen Pesach, a sweet and meaningful Passover.