Behar: From Har to Home

By Tuvia Goldstein

Similar to פרשת משפטים, our פרשה reads like a list of מצוות. The פרשה moves quickly from topic to topic, teaching rules and details about שמיטה, יובל, עבדים, and so on. If painting in broad strokes, we might simply say that שמיטה and יובל, two closely related concepts, are the running theme throughout the פרשה. However, a closer look at the פרשה, especially through the lens of the ספר החינוך’s list of מצוות, forces us to ask whether this theme is as overarching as we may initially assume. Some outliers include the לא תעשה of אונאת דברים, the לא תעשה of lending money with interest to a member of כלל ישראל, and אבן משכית. How do these fit with the broader פרשה? Why are they included here if they don’t really fit with the main theme of the פרשה?

Another interesting phenomenon that repeats itself throughout the פרשה is the usage of אחיך and עמיתו to refer to other Jews. Why are other Jews constantly referred to as ‘your brother’ and ‘his countryman’?

There is a deeper underlying theme, one that accounts for the focus on שמיטה and יובל, as well as the outlying מצוות: family. כלל ישראל is meant to function as one, big national family. We are בני ישראל, the literal children of Yisrael. Accordingly, every family needs a home, and that home is ארץ ישראל.

There are certain rules in place to protect the home and its core fabric. One core tenet of our home is that ה' is the ultimate Provider, the One who we always rely on. Therefore, we have the concept of שמיטה and יובל, which reinforce the theme that ultimately, our house rests on הקב"ה. This concept is so essential to our home that פרשת בחוקתי makes it clear that if we don’t abide by its rules, we are no longer deserving of our home.

Another part of the family home is the fact that everyone gets their own place in the home. This is the נחלה, their ירושה stemming from their membership in the national family. That place in the family home must be protected, in such a way that they will (almost) always have the ability to return home if they sell their portion. To include a gratuitous movie reference (#frumandrelatable), it reminds me of the heartbreaking scene in Cheaper by the Dozen where Mark runs away from home because he never feels like he belongs in the family home (iykyk).

This is also why the land given to the לויים, the שדי מגרש cannot be sold. Everyone, even שבט לוי, who play a unique role in the family and accordingly, have a unique place in the home, must have a physical stake in the home, one that can never disappear.

This is also where the איסור of אונאת דברים fits in. When we hurt our fellow family members, whether through bad advice or hurtful words, we take away from their place in the house. They feel that they don’t belong. We are responsible to think before we speak, speak sensitively, and be willing to say I don’t know.

This theme explains the constant usage of אחיך and עמיתך. It reinforces the centrality of the family and the shared home. The family and the home unite us.

The איסור of ריבית also ties in nicely with this familial theme. The word אחיך is very consequential in this context, as it serves as the key basis for חז"ל’s דרשה that one should lend to non-Jews with interest. The איסור רבית functions as a reinforcement of the proper way families treat each other. You help your brother when he needs you without expecting financial compensation. If you're not a member of the family, you don’t get the family discount.

Finally, how does the איסור of אבן משכית fit with this theme? The פרשה concludes by first teaching the איסור of bowing on an אבן משכית and then reminding us, את שבתתי תשמורו ומקדשי תיראו. רש''י understands the juxtaposition to highlight that the איסור is about refraining from bowing with פישוט ידים ורגלים outside the מקדש. The issue is that this form of service, even if used in the service of ה', is not meant to be used outside the central family place of worship. As a unified family, we have a central location shared by all of us where we worship הקב"ה together. We all daven at the same place, to the same God, and no one can take away from that unified form or worship.

With these ideas in mind as we learn the פרשה, it pays to think about ways we can better look at our fellow Jews as our brothers. How can we spend more time focusing on their positive traits, as opposed to their less positive traits? How can we see ourselves better as one big family, with many different personalities? What can we do better to ensure people feel welcome in our home and family, as opposed to rejected and distanced? Similarly, we need to think about our relationship with our home. Are we yearning to return? How often do we think about the core tenets of our home?