Double Parsha Behar-Bechukotai (Leviticus 25-27)

Double Parsha Behar-Bechuktai: Day #3 (Leviticus 25:29-38) (Study Notes)

In the first part of this daily portion, we continue to learn about the sale of Jewish property or possessions. In our previous portion, we discussed the sale of ones possession when a person is in dire straits. In today's portion we begin by discussing the sale of Jewish personal property. We will end with what to do when a Jew has to sell his or herself into slavery (preferably to a fellow Jew).

The first part of our study examines the sale of houses that are in walled cities. These walled cities are the are the original cities established by Joshua when he led the Jewish Israelites into the Promised Holy Land and conquered their promised territory. These cities were partitioned to each Tribe according to lots and distributed by Joshua. The walls of each city distinguished the boundary markers of a Tribe or a clan within a specific Tribe (Joshua 14-19:51). This statement is confirmed by Rashi, who states:

As we can read in the Book of Joshua, chapters 14-19, the 9 of the 12 Tribes of Israel were all given an assigned plot of lad in the Promised Land. The three Tribes of Ruben, Gad, and 1/2 Tribe of Manasseh received their lots in the part of the promised land that was on the east side of the Jordan River, in the land of the Amorites. This land was indeed promised to Abraham as part of the Holy Promised land (see Genesis 15:21).

Indeed Hashem specifically commands in the Torah in in Deuteronomy 19:14

 Since these lands were partitioned by Hashem's land in a lot system, anyone who wished (or needed) to sell their land in their allotted portion, in essence was selling the inheritance that Hashem had passed down to them, His sons.

(Leviticus 25:29) Selling a house in a walled city

We learn that when a Jewish Israelite who sells a house in a walled city within the Land of Israel, the redemption period is for up to one year. This means that after selling their home, the seller has up to one year to buy back (redeem) the house that they sold.

(Leviticus 25:30)

If after one year, the house in the walled city was not redeemed by the seller, the house in the walled city will then become the possession of the purchaser for all ages. Such a house within a walled city that is sold and not redeemed cannot be redeemed nor returned to the seller in the jubilee year.

Such a scenario is like Esau who sold his birthrights to Jacob. Once the blessing were sold to Jacob, nothing could be done by Esau to reverse the blessings of Isaac given to Jacob. The blessings of Hashem remained upon Jacob and Jacob went on to birth the 12 Tribes of Israel.

Houses in the walled cities are much like the people who have and own land currently in Israel--the native Jewish Israelis who have had their land inheritance passed down from generation to generation. If such a Jewish Israelite chooses to sell his or her inheritance, there will not be redemption in the Jubilee. In another view we can consider the Jewish Israelite who sold his soul (the house of his heart) to follow after a strange god. If such a soul does sell his or her Jewish Inheritance to a house of false worship, Hashem has mercy and will take His child back if they perform Teshuvah. Without teshuvah, however, the person will not be redeemed in the end. He will be treated as if he or she has sold his or her house in the walled city of Hashem's holy land.

(Leviticus 25:31)

We learn that houses in the Holy Land that have no encircling walls are classified as "open country". When houses in the "open country" are sold, they can be redeemed and restored in the same manner as when a person who sells themself as a slave can be redeemed.

• If it is a poor person who sells their house in open country because they are in dire straights, their kinsman can buy back (or redeem) the property of their poor relative.

• If the poor person becomes wealthy enough to buy back (or redeem) his or her own property, he or she may do so.

• If the house in the open country is not redeemed by the time that the Jubilee year arrives, the house in the open country will be released and returned to the seller in the Jubilee year.

These houses and their land are much like the land and houses of the Levites. The Levites were not given a specific walled territory of their own. Rather, the Levites were given land within the cities of the other Tribes, often in area of open country, or with fields. (see Joshua 21). Just as the Levites had the eternal right to redeem their land or houses, so an owner who sells his house that is in the open country has the right to eternal redemption.

Houses in the open country also can be equated to Jews in the diaspora. Hashem promises that though we have had to sell our land, we will be returned to Zion when Hashem comes as King and moshiach comes as the earthly prince in the line of David. Even if we have had to sell ourselves before the Jubilee, Hashem promises to redeem us and bring us all back to the Holy Promised Land, where we will live in security, never to leave again. This eternal redemption will be without bride-price--Like Negev Land (Hosea 2:21-25). Instead, Hashem will take us back with mercy, grace, righteousness, and love. He will plant us in our land, where He promises we will eternally live in His presence.

(Leviticus 25:32)

If a Levite sells their house in the cities that they hold, there is no limit on their ability to redeem their homes. This means the Levites have the right to redeem their homes eternally.

This eternal right of redemption stems from the fact that the Levites are Hashem's special portion and possession. As such, the Levites do not receive their own portion of land in the Holy Land because Hashem and His Temple are their eternal portions of territory. They are given as their dwell places homes that could be established in the towns and cities of the other Tribes.

In a way, the Levites are established as the kinsman redeemers of all Jews. Any Jew who has sold his or her soul to sin may be redeemed by bringing the appropriate sacrifices to the Priests at the Temple. Through the sacrifices made on behalf of the civilian by the Levite, the Jew's soul is redeemed, forgiven, and clean. Thus, it is as if Hashem gave eye-for-eye blessings of redemption to the Levites because of the work they perform on behalf of all Jews. Meaning, because the Levites' job is to eternally redeem, then Hashem blessed them with the right to eternally redeem any property they sell.

(Leviticus 25:33)

Any house that is sold by a Levite in a city they hold (within the area of another Tribe) shall be released in the Jubilee year without stipulation.

The specific reason given by Hashem for this ordered release is:

These houses are, in fact, the only holdings of the Levites. The land they are given is technically part of the larger holding of one of the other 12 Tribes. Like slaves, they do not have much else in the earthly/physical realm to their names. Instead, their riches are stored in the heavenly and spiritual realms. Yet, as slaves to Hashem, Hashem teaches us what the ultimate Jewish slave master should look like. He is not to harshly abuse or overwork his Jewish slave. Rather, he is to treat the Jewish slave with love and equanimity. The Jewish slave is to be treated as a family member or a hired worker. He should eat at the master's table, be provided with food and clothing, he should be given a safe, secure, and comfortable place to dwell (side by side with the master).

(Leviticus 25:34)

Hashem also places a limitation on the unenclosed land around the cities of the Levites. Hashem declares that this open land cannot be sold because it is the land of the Levites forever. This limitation teaches us that since the Levites are Hashem's eternal possession, they have an eternal promise of inheritance in the Holy Promised Land, which Hashem is the owner of. As the Master of the Levites, Hashem provides as a Master should provide for His Jewish slave. Since Hashem is Creator and Owner of All of Creation for All Eternity, it is only fitting that His Levites should have an eternal part of that Land as their inheritance forever.

(Leviticus 25:35)

We learn that if a fellow Jew sells himself or herself to a fellow Jew as a slave because he or she is in dire straights, and a Jew chooses to hold their fellow Jew as a slave, the Owner Jew are to let their fellow Jew Slave "Live by your side."

As mentioned above, Jews are not allowed to treat a fellow Jew as a slave. Meaning Jews are prohibited from treating a fellow Jew with harsh, abusive tasks, or with overloading amounts of work--as Pharoah did to the Hebrews in Egypt.

(Leviticus 25:36-38)

More directly Hashem declares that the Jewish owner of a Jewish slave:

1. Cannot exact advance or accrued interest (either deducted from the slave's wages in advance nor piling up interest own at the time of repayment of the slave at the end of their slave period).

2. Must let the slave live by your side as your kinsman. (The owner must let the Jew slave eat your food freely, and borrow without interest).

3. Cannot lend the Jewish slave money at advanced interest. As above, it is to be given without interest.

4. Cannot give the Jewish slave food at advanced interest or accrued interest. The Owner must give the slave food without interest; the slave must be allowed to eat at the owner's table as a kinsman.

After providing these directives, Hashem says that instead of treating a Jewish slave harshly, the Jewish Owner is to fear Hashem our God who

Thus, when a Jew becomes a slave, he or she is essentially taking him or herself back to Egypt, even if only out of necessity. Even when this is the case, the Jew Owner is not allowed to threat the Jew slave as the Egyptians treated our ancestors. Instead the Jew owner is to treat the Jew slave as Hashem treated the Hebrews in the wilderness:

1. He freed us from bondage

2. He provided food from heaven

3. He provided water from split rocks and miraculous oasis' in the desert

4. He ensured our clothes did not wear out for 40 years.

5. He provided sukkahs that miraculously sheltered His flock

6. He provided a system of redemption that did not required accrued interest

7. He gave grace and chesed when we were still grown in faith as we left the spiritual bondage of Egypt along with the physical bondage.

One day (prayerfully soon), all suffering, pain, and poverty that necessitates such slaver will cease eternally (Jeremiah 30:14, Jeremiah 30:18, Amos 9:14).

Am Yisrael Chai!

Kimberly Davis