June 1, 2024 · כ"ד אייר תשפ״ד
Parashat Bechukotai · פרשת בחוקותי
A PEEK AT THE PARSHA Parshat Bechukotai begins with wonderful blessings to Bnei Yisrael for learning Torah and fulfilling mitzvot. Hashem guarantees that rain will fall and the ground will produce plants. Additionally, the harvest will be plenty and Bnei Yisrael will live securely in their land. The parsha continues with some of the most beautiful promises found in the Torah: “I will grant peace in the land, and you shall lie down untroubled by anyone; The land will be secure from wild animals
and no sword shall cross your land…. Your army will chase away all the enemies…. I will look with favor upon you, and will give you children, and I will maintain My covenant with you…. I will be ever present in your midst: I will be your God, and you shall be My people.” Our parsha ends with Ma’aser Sheni: During the first, second, third, and fourth year of the shmitah cycle, besides the presents that are given to the kohanim and levi’m, each person takes 10% of his or her produce and brings it to Yerushalayim to eat.
ONE BIG IDEA While listing the blessings for following the Torah, the parsha says, “Five from Bnei Yisrael will defeat 100 and 100 will defeat 10,000.” The math doesn’t add up! If five members of Bnei Yisrael will defeat 100, which means each person defeats 20, then wouldn’t 100 defeat 2,000 and not 10,000? The answer is that when a handful of Bnei Yisrael follows the Torah, it has a meaningful impact (a 20-times greater impact), but when a large group is together, the impact is tremendous (1,000 times greater). Biyachad ninatzayach: Together we will win.
TIMES - זמנים Candle-lighting: 8:02pm Havdalah: 9:05pm allah: 5:25pm