The Derusha Update
This Weekend's Portion:
"On Mt. Sinai..."
[ Lev 25:1-26:2 ]
read on Sat May 14, Shabbath Iyyar 10
Shalom to all,
On the 4th of Iyyar (this past Monday) many Israelis observed Yom ha-Zikaron (Memorial Day) - a time dedicated to recalling those who made the ultimate sacrifice in defending their families and neighbors. This somber day was immediately followed by the joyous festivities of Independence Day, a day fixed in most Israelis' minds as a time to celebrate life, freedom, and national achievement. Rav Shu Eliovson, a close friend of ours and the director of In-Reach, likened the experience of these two holidays to the experience of the emotionally tense Fast of Esther followed by the cathartic exuberance of Purim. Without the preceding day of sober reflection, the day of communal celebration would lose some of its depth and meaning.
This week's Torah portion, "On Mt. Sinai," contains 24 biblical precepts and discusses three themes in tandem - ecology, property rights, and workers' rights. Unlike other portions which discuss each of these issues independently (or in connection with other subjects), this week's portion treats all three as a single, organic unity. While many economists have linked workers' rights and property rights through the principle of (self-)ownership, philosophies of private capital ownership often seem at odds with ecological concerns which affect the entire community. To further complicate matters, this week's concluding reading from the book of Jeremiah (32:6-22) - giving the details of a specific acquisition which God advised the prophet to make - seems at best only loosely connected to the issues of this week's portion. What is the unifying element of this week's Torah portion, and why did the members of the Great Assembly conclude the reading with this particular narrative from Jeremiah? Click here for an answer.
Wishing you a Shabbath Shalom,
Gil & Elana
Derusha Publishing LLC
www.DerushaPublishing.com
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