D’autres voient la Chemitah comme un Chabbat à grande échelle. Nous nous reposons le Chabbat pour démontrer que D.ieu a créé l’univers en six jours et a interrompu Sa tâche le septième jour. De la même façon, nous laissons les champs à l’abandon la septième année pour démontrer que D.ieu S’est « reposé » le septième jour
Une leçon de foi et d’humilité Malgré cette argumentation, une nouvelle théorie fut proposée plus tard. Les lois de la Chemitah ne furent enjointes à nos ancêtres qu’une fois qu’ils furent installés en Israël. Quand nous travaillons sur les graines que nous faisons pousser, ou sur d’autres formes de revenus, quelles qu’elles soient, nous risquons d’être fiers de nos accomplissements et de prendre tout le crédit de nos accomplissements.
Nous avons tendance à oublier que la bénédiction divine est la seule raison de notre succès. Nous risquons d’oublier que c’est D.ieu Qui nous a donné notre terre et nos graines et que c’est Lui qui fait tomber la pluie, briller le soleil et pousser les graines. La Chemitah renforce notre foi en l’intervention de la Providence Divine dans nos affaires.
Nous travaillons la terre six années consécutives bien que la sagesse conventionnelle indique que ce n’est pas sain pour le sol. En fait, le sol garde sa force et produit une récolte plus importante la sixième année, en vue de l’année de la Chemitah. Et puis nous nous interrompons la septième année, en dépit de nos doutes et de nos soucis bien naturels sur la façon dont nous allons pourvoir aux besoins de nos familles.
Ceci renforce notre foi dans le fait que la terre appartient à D.ieu, que notre succès découle directement de Sa bénédiction et que nous devons Lui être reconnaissants pour tout ce que nous possédons.
Il est aisé de partager avec les autres quand nous pouvons nous permettre de partager, quand nous avons un revenu stable et quand nous savons comment nous paierons les dépenses du lendemain. Mais il est beaucoup plus difficile d’être charitable quand nous ne sommes pas sûrs de quoi seront faits les lendemains. Les propriétaires n’avaient aucun revenu pendant la Chemitah et pourtant ils abandonnaient les récoltes qui poussaient spontanément pendant cette année-là. C’est ainsi que se trouvaient resserrés les liens qui unissaient la communauté.
La croyance que le monde appartient à D.ieu et que notre succès dépend de Lui est une notion libératrice. Elle nous permet de poser le fardeau que nous traînons. Nous continuons à travailler, mais nous respirons plus facilement. Nous savons que D.ieu guide nos pas et que tout arrive pour une bonne raison. Nous apprenons à voir la main de D.ieu dans tout ce que nous faisons et Sa présence dans tout ce que nous voyons.
Do Jews Own the Land of Israel?
Israel’s legendary Foreign Minister Abba Eban once stood at the podium of the United Nations general assembly with a Bible in his hand, declaring before the whole world that the Jewish people’s title deed to the Land of Israel is over 3,000 years old.
Rabbi Menachem Froman of blessed memory disagreed; not only with the proof of ownership but with the very claim of ownership. He believed that the Jewish people do not own the land at all!
“The Land of Israel belongs to the People of Israel” has been a longstanding slogan of Religious Zionism, but Rav Menachem, settler leader that he was, never tired of telling all who would listen that the Land of Israel does not belong to the People of Israel. On the contrary, the People of Israel belong to the Land of Israel.
This week’s Torah portion (Parashat Behar) provides the explanation. “The Land cannot be sold in perpetuity” says the Torah , “for the Land is Mine, and you are residents and sojourners with Me.” The Land belongs to God, and we are no more than His tenants upon it.
Certainly according to the Torah God has promised us the land as an eternal inheritance, but the Almighty has not vouchsafed us ownership. We dwell on the land at His pleasure, always on condition.
Abraham our forefather was told by God back in the Book of Genesis that his children would merit to inherit the land — but only after four generations, because “the sin of the Amorites is not yet complete.” That is, God will not bring Abraham’s descendants into the land until the present occupants deserve to be expelled, until the moral blemish of their behavior can no longer be tolerated.
EXTRAITS DU 4 ÈME CHAPITRE DES PIRKÉ AVOT
Rabbi Eléazar ben Chamoua dit : « Que l’honneur de ton élève te soit aussi cher que le tien, l’honneur de ton collègue aussi cher que la crainte de ton maître et la crainte de ton maître aussi chère que la crainte des Cieux. »
Rabbi Matia ben ‘Harach dit : « Sois le premier à saluer toute personne ; et situe-toi à la queue des lions plutôt qu’à la tête des renards.
Ne tente pas d’apaiser ton prochain au moment même où sa colère éclate et ne le console pas au moment où son défunt est couché devant lui ; ne le fais pas détailler son vœu au moment où il le prononce ; et ne cherche pas à le voir au moment de sa déchéance
Rabbi Eléazar Hakappar dit : « La jalousie, la concupiscence et la recherche des honneurs excluent l’homme de la société.
Ben Zoma dit : « Quel est le sage ? C’est celui qui apprend de toute personne, car il est dit : De tous ceux qui m’ont enseigné j’ai acquis de la sagesse, car Tes préceptes sont l’objet de mes propos. Quel est le puissant ? C’est celui qui contient son [mauvais] penchant, car il est dit : Il est plus louable d’être longanime que puissant ; de dominer ses passions que de conquérir une ville. Quel est le riche ? C’est celui qui est heureux de ce qu’il possède, car il est dit : De l’effort de ta main tu te nourris, heureux tu es et le bonheur est à toi. Heureux tu es : dans ce monde-ci ; et le bonheur est à toi : dans le Monde Futur. Qui est l’objet d’honneurs ? C’est celui qui honore les créatures
Behar Quiz
1) Q. What is the Shemita year?
A. The Shemita year is similar to Shabbat. Shabbat, which occurs every seven days, is a day of rest. By not working on Shabbat one demonstrates his faith in Hashem that He will sustain him without that day's work. The Shabbat was proclaimed a day of rest, because Hashem stopped creating the world on Shabbat. By not observing Shabbat one is demonstrating his disbelief that Hashem was actually responsible for the creation of the world. Similarly, in the Shemita year (every seven years) Hashem commands us not to work the land. By observing this law we are demonstrating our faith in Hashem that He will provide for us even without working the land, and we are declaring our belief that Hashem is the eternal God that is continuously providing for the world's existence. We are asserting that the entire land belongs to Him and we are at His mercy. So, together Shabbat and Shemita are declarations of two essential principles of our faith; that Hashem created the world, and that He did not abandon the world after it was created, but He is a constant and eternal force providing for our existence and the existence of the world. Shemita is still observed today (in Israel) and that is why fruits and vegetables grown in Israel have a rabbinical certification; it is to make sure they were grown in accord with the laws of Shemita and Maasrot and Terumot (tithes and gifts to the priest and poor).
2) Q. Why does the Torah specify that the laws of Shemita were taught on Har Sinai?
A. There is a midrash that explains that this is to teach us that just as Shemita was taught in detail on Har Sinai, so too, all the Mitzvot were taught in detail on Har Sinai
3) Q. If Shemita (the seventh year) is observed properly, how long is the crop of the sixth year guaranteed to last?
A. The crop is guaranteed to last from Nissan of the 6th year until Succot of the 9th year. This is a reward for having faith in Hashem and observing his commandments.
4) Q. If a home in a walled city is sold, when can it be redeemed and why?
A. Only within the first year after the sale. Afterwards, even in Yovel it does not return. This is because walled cities were fortresses designed to protect the inhabitants in case of attack. For that reason, it was essential that the inhabitants be familiar with the secret passageways and shelters located in the city. If after the Yovel, the houses in the cities would revert back to the ancestral owners, the new inhabitants would be unfamiliar with the strategic aspects of the city, and the city would lose its effectiveness as a fortress. Thus, the Torah limited the seller's right of repurchase to one year. (Meshech Chochma)
5) Q. What are three prohibitions that demonstrate the dignity with which one must treat a Jewish indentured servant?
A. a) Do not make him perform humiliating tasks; b) Do not sell him publicly; c) Do not make him perform unnecessary jobs.
6) Q. "If your brother becomes impoverished...you shall strengthen him" (25:35). What does this teach us?
A. Based on this verse, Rambam rules that the highest form of charity is helping someone before he becomes poor. This includes offering a loan, a job, investing in his business, etc.
7) Q. Which Haftara is associated with Parashat Behar and why?
A. The Haftara for Parashat Behar is Yirmiyahu 32:6-27. The Haftara takes place during the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem. Israel was close to its destruction, and everyone was giving up hope. Hashem told Yirmiyahu to go redeem his ancestral land. Hashem wanted him to go buy the land in front of all the people. It seemed strange to pay for land, which was about to be conquered. Yirmiyahu complained to Hashem that it is the worst real estate deal he has ever done. However, Hashem wanted to give the people faith, that this is not the end. They will be exiled now, but one day they will return
- Israel and rebuild the Bet Hamikdash, and Hashem will once again dwell within Bnei Yisrael.
PROVERBES ET CITATIONS JUIVES
Parle peu mais fais beaucoup.
Rien n’empêche plus de réussir que la timidité.
Le plus fort est celui qui dompte ses passions
La maison fermée au pauvre ouvrira au médecin
C’est à travers la femme que Dieu envoie ses bénédictions au foyer domestique.
On ne peut donner que deux choses à ses enfants : des racines et des ailes.
Être juif, ce n’est pas avoir une mère juive ou un père juif, c’est avoir des enfants juifs
Aime le travail, et fuis la dignité.
Le talent a besoin de succès ; sans stimulant il s’éteint et s’endort.
Avant d’être capitaine, il faut être matelot
La vie est un fil que Dieu tient par les deux bouts
THE SHABBAT SMILE :
Three sons who left their homeland, went abroad and prospered. They discussed
the gifts they were able to give their ageing mother for her 85th birthday
Avraham, the first son, said I will build a big mansion for our mother
Moishe, the second, said I will send her a Mercedes with a driver
David, the youngest, said I remember how our mother enjoys reading the Bible Now she
can’ t see very well. I sent her a remarkable parrot that recites the whole Bible—Mama just has to name the chapter and verse.
Soon thereafter mama wrote a letter to her children
;Avraham; she said ,the house you built is so huge. I live only in one room, but I have to clean the whole house.
Moishe,; she said ,I am too old to travel. I stay most of the time at home so I
rarely use the Mercedes. And that driver is always drinking and sleeping —he is such a pain .
But David; she said ,the chicken was delicious!
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Today my rabbi knocked at my door asking for a small donation towards the local mikvé. I gave
him a glass of water
My wife Miriam and I were happy for 20 years. Then we met.
When God was creating the world, He told the angels He was going to create an extra-special
place called Israel. He described the beautiful hills, the verdant fields, the wonderful springs and
rivers He planned to create. Then He described how the people who lived there would be smart
and resourceful, and would create great cities, wonderful art, and amazing scientific innovations.
“ “Won’t the rest of the world be jealous, God, putting so many wonderful things inside Israel?”
the angels fretted.
“Don’t worry,” said God, “wait until the world sees the neighbours I’m giving them!”
