Behar

Behar, BeHar, Be-har, or B’har (בהר — Hebrew for "on the mount,” the fifth word, and the first distinctive word, in the parshah) is the 32nd weekly Torah portion ("parshah") in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the ninth in the book of Leviticus. It constitutes ) They could, however, eat whatever the land produced on its own. () In selling or buying property, the people were to charge only for the remaining number of crop years until the jubilee, when the land would be returned to its ancestral holder. () If one fell into straits and had to sell land, his nearest relative was to redeem what was sold. () But houses in villages without encircling walls were treated as open country subject to redemption and release through the jubilee. ()

Limits on debt servitude

If a kinsman fell into straits and came under one’s authority by virtue of his debts, one was to let him live by one’s side as a kinsman and not exact from him interest. () Israelites were not to rule over such debtor Israelites ruthlessly. () A relative was to redeem him or, if he prospered, he could redeem himself by paying the pro rata share of the sales price for the remaining years until the jubilee. ( and uses the words “that fulfill His "word" ("dabar"),” and and to teach that God gave the Land of Israel to the Israelites alone. (Exodus Rabbah 25:23.)

At a feast, Rabbi served his disciples tender and tough cuts of beef tongue. When his disciples chose the tender over the tough, Rabbi instructed them so to let their tongues be tender to one another. Rabbi taught that this was the meaning of to prohibit verbal wrongs, as ) concerning cases where intent matters, cases that are known only to the heart. Rabbi Johanan said on the authority of Rabbi Simeon ben Yohai that verbal wrongs are more heinous than monetary wrongs, because of verbal wrongs it is written (in to exhort Israel to acts of charity. Rabbi Phinehas taught that God will reward with life anyone who gives a coin to a poor person, for the donor could be giving not just a coin, but life. Rabbi Phinehas explained that if a loaf costs ten coins, and a poor person has but nine, then the gift of a single coin allows the poor person to buy the loaf, eat, and become refreshed. Thus, Rabbi Phinehas taught, when illness strikes the donor, and the donor’s soul presses to leave the donor’s body, God will return the gift of life. (Leviticus Rabbah 34:2.) Similarly, Rav Nahman taught that “interest” ("neshech") literally means “bite.” A midrash played on this meaning, teaching not to take interest from the poor person, not to bite the poor person as the serpent — cunning to do evil — bit Adam. The midrash taught that one who exacts interest from an Israelite thus has no fear of God. (Exodus Rabbah 31:13.)

Abaye said that because the law (in )
*Not to work with trees to produce fruit during that year ()
*The Sanhedrin must count seven groups of seven years. ()
*Not to work the soil during the 50th year ()
*To buy and sell according to Torah law ()
*Not to sell the land in Israel indefinitely ()
*Not to sell the fields but they shall remain the Levites' before and after the Jubilee year ()
*Not to sell a Hebrew servant as a slave is sold ()
*Not to allow a non-Jew to work a Hebrew servant oppressively (

Further reading

The parshah has parallels or is discussed in these sources:

Biblical

*Exodus [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0221.htm 21:1–11] (slavery); [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0223.htm#10 23:10–11] (Sabbatical year)
* (Sabbatical year).
*Deuteronomy [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0515.htm 15:1–6] (Sabbatical year); [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0515.htm#12 15:12–18] (Sabbatical year); [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0531.htm#10 31:10–13] (Sabbatical year).
*2 Kings [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt09b04.htm 4:1–7] (slavery).
*Isaiah [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt1061.htm 61:1–2] (proclaim release).
*Jeremiah [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt1132.htm#6 32:6–15] (next of kin redeemer); [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt1134.htm#6 34:6–27] (releasing Hebrew slaves).
*Ezekiel [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt1207.htm#12 7:12-13,] [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt1207.htm#19 19] (economic equalization); [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt1201.htm#17 46:17] (year of release).
*Amos [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt1502.htm#6 2:6] (slavery).
*Psalms [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt2604.htm#9 4:9] (dwell in safety); [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt2615.htm#5 15:5] (lending); [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt2637.htm#26 37:26] (lending); [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt26b9.htm#19 119:19] (sojourner on earth).
*Nehemiah [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt35b05.htm 5:1–13] (slavery).
*2 Chronicles [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt25b36.htm#20 36:20–21] (Sabbatical year).

Early nonrabbinic

*Jubilees [http://wesley.nnu.edu/biblical_studies/noncanon/ot/pseudo/jubilee.htm chs. 1–50] Land of Israel, 2nd Century B.C.E.

Classical rabbinic

*Mishnah: Sheviit 1:1–10:9; Rosh Hashanah 3:5; Ketubot 9:9; Nedarim 9:4; Kiddushin 1:2–3; Bava Metzia 5:1–11; Sanhedrin 3:4; Makkot 3:9; Avot 5:9; Bekhorot 9:10; Arakhin 7:1–9:8. Land of Israel, circa 200 C.E. Reprinted in, e.g., "The Mishnah: A New Translation". Translated by Jacob Neusner, 68–93, 304, 424, 487, 544, 588, 618, 687, 807, 821–24. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1988. ISBN 0-300-05022-4.
*Sifra 245:1–259:2. Land of Israel, 4th Century C.E. Reprinted in, e.g., "Sifra: An Analytical Translation". Translated by Jacob Neusner, 3:291–344. Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1988. ISBN 1-55540-207-0.
*Mekhilta According to Rabbi Ishmael 1:2. Land of Israel, late 4th Century. Reprinted in, e.g., "Mekhilta According to Rabbi Ishmael". Translated by Jacob Neusner, 1:6. Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1988. ISBN 1-55540-237-2.
*Leviticus Rabbah 1:1; 2:2; 7:6; 29:11; 33:1–34:16. Land of Israel, 5th Century. Reprinted in, e.g., "Midrash Rabbah: Leviticus". Translated by H. Freedman and Maurice Simon, 4:2, 21, 98, 378, 418–45. London: Soncino Press, 1939. ISBN 0-900689-38-2.
*Babylonian Talmud: Berakhot 12b, 36b, 47b; Shabbat 33a, 96b, 131b; Pesachim 51b, 52b; Yoma 65b; Sukkah 3a, 39a, 40a–b; Beitzah 34b, 37b; Rosh Hashanah 2a, 6b, 8b–9b, 13a, 24a, 26a, 27b, 30a, 33b–34a; Taanit 6b, 19b; Megillah 3b, 5b, 10b, 22b, 23b; Moed Katan 2a–4a, 13a; Chagigah 3b; Yevamot 46a, 47a, 78b, 83a; Ketubot 43a–b, 57b, 84a, 110b; Nedarim 42a, 58b, 61a; Nazir 5a, 61b; Sotah 3b; Gittin 25a, 36a–39a, 44b, 47a, 48b, 65a, 74b; Kiddushin 2b, 8a, 9a, 14b–17b, 20a–22b, 26a, 33b, 38b, 40b, 53a, 58a, 67b; Bava Kamma 28a, 62b, 69a–b, 82b, 87a, 101a–02a, 103a, 112a, 113a–b, 116b, 117b; Bava Metzia 10a, 12a, 30b, 47b, 51a, 56b, 57b, 58b, 59b, 60b–61b, 65a, 71a, 73b, 75b, 79a, 82a, 88b, 106a, 109a, 114a; Bava Batra 10a, 80b, 91b, 102b, 110b, 112a, 137a, 139a; Sanhedrin 10b, 12a, 15a, 24b, 26a, 39a, 65b, 86a, 101b, 106b; Makkot 3b, 8a–b, 11b–12a, 13a, 21b; Shevuot 4b, 16a, 45a; Avodah Zarah 9b, 20a, 50b, 54b, 62a; Menachot 84a; Chullin 6a, 114b, 120b; Bekhorot 12b–13b, 51a, 52b; Arakhin 14b, 15b, 18b, 24a–34a; Temurah 6b, 27a; Niddah 8b, 47a–48a, 51b. Babylonia, 6th Century. Reprinted in, e.g., "Talmud Bavli". Edited by Yisroel Simcha Schorr, Chaim Malinowitz, and Mordechai Marcus, 72 vols. Brooklyn: Mesorah Pubs., 2006.

Medieval

*Rashi. "Commentary". [http://www.chabad.org/library/article.asp?AID=9926&showrashi=true Leviticus 25–26.] Troyes, France, late 11th Century. Reprinted in, e.g., Rashi. "The Torah: With Rashi’s Commentary Translated, Annotated, and Elucidated". Translated and annotated by Yisrael Isser Zvi Herczeg, 3:317–46. Brooklyn: Mesorah Publications, 1994. ISBN 0-89906-028-5.
*Judah Halevi. "Kuzari". [http://www.sacred-texts.com/jud/khz/khz02.htm 2:18.] Toledo, Spain, 1130–1140. Reprinted in, e.g., Jehuda Halevi. "Kuzari: An Argument for the Faith of Israel." Intro. by Henry Slonimsky, 93. New York: Schocken, 1964. ISBN 0-8052-0075-4.
*Zohar [http://www.kabbalah.com/k/index.php/p=zohar/zohar&vol=35 3:107b–111a.] Spain, late 13th Century. Reprinted in, e.g, "The Zohar". Translated by Harry Sperling and Maurice Simon. 5 vols. London: Soncino Press, 1934.

Modern

*Thomas Hobbes. "Leviathan", England, 1651. Reprint edited by C. B. Macpherson, 503–04, 723. Harmondsworth, England: Penguin Classics, 1982. ISBN 0140431950.
*Thomas Mann. "Joseph and His Brothers". Translated by John E. Woods, 356. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2005. ISBN 1-4000-4001-9. Originally published as "Joseph und seine Brüder". Stockholm: Bermann-Fischer Verlag, 1943. (sacred stone).
*Mary Douglas. "Leviticus as Literature", 219–20, 242–44. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999. ISBN 0-19-924419-7.
*Jacob Milgrom. "Leviticus 23–27", 3B:2145–271. New York: Anchor Bible, 2000. ISBN 0-385-50035-1.
*U.S. Department of State. [http://www.state.gov/g/tip/rls/tiprpt/2007/ "Trafficking in Persons Report: June 2007"] .

External links

* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0325.htm Masoretic text and 1917 JPS translation]
* [http://Bible.ort.org/books/torahd5.asp?action=displaypage&book=3&chapter=25&verse=1&portion=32 Hear the parshah chanted]