 Parshat B'har-B'chukotai The Torah emphasizes that our hold on Eretz Yisrael is dependent upon observance of mitzvot in general, and the laws of Sh'mita in particular. As mentioned elsewhere in this issue, Pirkei Avot echoes this idea by saying that exile comes to the world because of... Sh'mita (violation). Also appearing elsewhere in this issueis the idea that one who violates Sh'mita is, in some way, denying G-d's mastery of the world. Both of these ideas are beautifully reflected in an Auerbach G'matriya. The last pasuk in B'har says: ET SHABTOTAI TISHMORU, and my Shabbats you shall safeguard. Based on the Midrash and several commentaries, here the reference is to SHABBAT HA'ARETZ (i.e. Sh'mita), and not to "regular" Shabbat (a.k.a. Shabbat B'reishit). The numeric value of this phrase is: 1+400 (401) + 300+2+400+400+10 (1112) + 400+300+40+200+6 (946) = 2459. This is balanced by the statement, also from B'har (25:38): I Am G-d Who took you out of Egypt LATEIT LACHEM ET ERETZ CANAAN, L'H'YOT LACHEM LEILOKIM (to give you Eretz Yisrael, to be your G-d). In this portion, we find both "benefits" of Sh'mita — to receive and secure our hold on the Land, and to acknowledge G-d. G'matriya: 30+400+400 (830) + 30+20+40 (90) + 1+400 (401) + 1+200+90 (291) + 20+50+70+50 (190) + 30+5+10+6+400 (451) + 30+20+40 (90) + 30+1+30+5+10+40 (116) = 2459. Another numeric indication that the observance of Sh'mita is the key to our continued existence in Eretz Yisrael can be seem in the G'matriyot of the following two phrases. U'VASHANA HASH'VI'IT = 6+2+300+50+5 (363) + 5+300+2+10+70+10+400 (797) = 1160. VISHAVTEM LAVETCH B'ARTZ'CHEM and you shall dwell securely in your Land = 6+10+300+2+400+40 (758) 30+2+9+8 (49) + 2+1+200+90+20+40 (353) = 1160. It was not in 5708 that the people of Israel first declared Yerushalayim as its capital. It was 2817 years earlier, in 2891. Yerushalayim has been Israel's capital for almost half the time the world exists. And will be, IY"H, forever. The words and sentiments of this letter bear repeating as long as there are Jews (and non-Jews) who do not understand the value of a united, undivided Jerusalem under exclusive Jewish sovereignty... (It's good for those who already know its truth, too). This letter first appeared as an editorial in the summer of '69 in the Times of Israel (long defunct). [The B'har-B'chukotai Homepage] |