Shabbat Greetings
As we approach the double Torah portion of Behar-Bechukotai (Leviticus 25:1 – 27:34) alongside Memorial Day weekend, we find ourselves standing at a powerful intersection of Torah and national memory—a moment filled with deep reflection on land, liberty, covenant, and sacrifice.
In Parshat Behar, we learn the laws of Shemittah (the sabbath of the land) and Yovel (the jubilee year), reminding us that the land ultimately belongs to God: “For the land is Mine; you are strangers and sojourners with Me” (25:23). This powerful verse teaches that we are caretakers, not owners. On Memorial Day, we honor those who gave their lives defending this land—not for personal gain, but out of a sacred sense of duty to a nation and its ideals. Their sacrifice echoes the Torah’s message of stewardship and shared responsibility.
The Yovel year is marked by liberation—the freeing of slaves, the return of land, the restoration of dignity. “And you shall proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants” (25:10). These words, inscribed on the Liberty Bell, remind us that liberty is a foundational value—hard-won and deeply cherished. On Memorial Day, we remember those who laid down their lives for that freedom, fulfilling the Torah’s vision of justice and redemption.
Bechukotai brings the Book of Leviticus to a close with blessings for faithfulness and warnings for disobedience. It reminds us that peace and prosperity are not guaranteed—they are earned through commitment, courage, and covenantal living. Memorial Day prompts us to consider the real cost of that peace. It is a day to honor those who bore that cost and to reflect on our own responsibilities in preserving the freedoms they fought for.
Finally, Leviticus concludes with a promise: “Yet for all that… I will not reject them… I will remember My covenant” (26:44–45). In Jewish tradition, memory is sacred. On Memorial Day, we don’t merely recall—we actively honor. Through ritual, reflection, and re-commitment, we ensure that the values and lives we remember continue to inspire us toward a better future.
This Shabbat and this national moment invite us to see how Torah and civic life can speak to one another. Behar-Bechukotai and Memorial Day both call us to remember—to live with gratitude, to act with integrity, and to honor those who came before us by building a society rooted in justice, liberty, and compassion. May we carry their memory forward as sacred responsibility.
SHABBAT SHALOM