This week’s we study Parashat Behar (Leviticus 25:1-26:2).
* This week’s parasha starts out with the commandment of the Sabbatical year of rest for the land (Shmita), which has rarely been observed in Jewish history (2 Chronicles 36:21) because of its impractical nature.
* Every 50 years is the Jubilee year, the year of freedom. It does not sound practical and has rarely been observed in Jewish history.
* Torah does not want a permanent upper class and underclass.
* Torah expects people will own property.
* Poor people in Lev. 25 do not need to feel ashamed. There is no mention of charity or compassion. You don’t take care of people out of your feelings. You do it out of responsibility. During the Great Depression, it was rare for Jews to go on welfare. The community took care of its own. Free loan societies and the like.
* We’ll talk about the Agriprocessors case. How did Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin get 27 years in prison when most murderers don’t get that long of a sentence?
