Behar, The Greater Sabbath

The Torah Portion Behar expands upon the notion of the Sabbath. The Sabbath is greater concept than the one expressed within the Ten Commandments. While resting remains central, the Sabbath’s target and duration has changed.

With the Decalogue, Humans and Working Animals were to afforded to day off. This was in accord that the Israelite Deity’s resting on the seventh day after days of creation. With Behar, another part of this Deity’s creation that is afforded rest; this time, it is the land.

In Behar, at a Mt. Sinai moment, the Children of Israel were commanded: “When you come to the land that I am giving you, the land shall rest a Sabbath to the Lord.” They were told after six years of farming “the seventh year, the land shall have a complete rest a Sabbath to the Lord; you shall not sow your field, nor shall you prune your vineyard.”

With this broadening of the Sabbath, the impression upon the people is that their Deity has expanding concerns; the world must be incorporated into the act of creation. While something is inanimate, it takes on a level of respect as it is a favorable product of the Deity’s creative acts.

Presently, there are those who believe that earth should be respected and protected from Humanity is some revolutionary concept. Behar, in ancient times, however, memorializes the sanctity of land and affords it a time of rest from Human usage. As it was also said in the Hebrew Bible, there is nothing new under the sun. Ecclesiastes 1:9.

Be well!!

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