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5761
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In our day and age there are a lot of Jews that still do not observe Torah and its commandments.
The beginnings of both of this weeks two sections give several reasons why. |
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5762
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This week's section contains the prohibition of taking interest on money loaned to a Jew by a Jew (25: 35-9).
This is not understood. What is wrong with taking interest? Money that is loaned becomes inactive for the giver; he cannot invest or even pay his bills with it, while the borrower can use and even profit from it. So why not allow the loaner to at least cover his own loss and take interest? |
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5764
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This week's double section begins with the commandment of 'Shmita'.
This means that farmers in Israel can work the land only six years in a row and then must stop in the seventh 'Shmita' year. |
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5766
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This week's double section begins with a disappointment and ends with a curse.
It begins with a powerful introduction: "G-d spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai saying the following" and then goes on to explain only ONE commandment called Shmita (farmers in Israel must not work the land on the seventh year). Shmita is only relevant to farmers in Israel once every seven years. |
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5767
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This Shabbat we read two portions of the Torah, altogether containing 36 interesting commandments. Among them; the details of the Sabbatical and Jubilee years, many monetary and property laws, the laws of the Jewish slave and more.
But what really catches the eye are the 48 terrible curses and catastrophes in Bechukotai that G-d threatens the Jews with if they transgress His will - and history has proven that, unfortunately, they weren't just empty threats. |
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5769
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This week's double Torah portion contains 36 commandments and ends with 49 curses awaiting the Jews if they don't follow G-d's Torah.
At first glance this is not understood. G-d created this world with human beings that have egos which want to be natural. So why do we get punished? |
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