Beḥuḳḳotai
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Bechukotai, Bechukosai, or Bəḥuqothai (
Biblical The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts of a ...
) ( ''bəḥuqqōṯay'' — Hebrew for "by my decrees," the second word, and the first distinctive word, in the parashah) is the 33rd weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the 10th and last in the Book of Leviticus. It constitutes . The parashah addresses blessings for obeying the law, curses for disobeying it, and
vow A vow ( Lat. ''votum'', vow, promise; see vote) is a promise or oath. A vow is used as a promise, a promise solemn rather than casual. Marriage vows Marriage vows are binding promises each partner in a couple makes to the other during a wedd ...
s. The parashah is made up of 3,992 Hebrew letters, 1,013 Hebrew words, 78 verses, and 131 lines in a Torah Scroll (, ''
Sefer Torah A ( he, סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה; "Book of Torah"; plural: ) or Torah scroll is a handwritten copy of the Torah, meaning the five books of Moses (the first books of the Hebrew Bible). The Torah scroll is mainly used in the ritual of Tora ...
''). Jews generally read it in May or early June. The lunisolar Hebrew calendar contains up to 55 weeks, the exact number varying between 50 in common years and 54 or 55 in leap years. In leap years (for example, 2022, 2024, and 2027), Parashat Bechukotai is read separately. In common years (for example, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2025, and 2026), Parashat Bechukotai is combined with the previous parashah, Behar, to help achieve the needed number of weekly readings. In years when the first day of Passover falls on a Sabbath (as it does in 2022), Jews in Israel and Reform Jews read the parashah following Passover one week before Conservative and
Orthodox Jews Orthodox Judaism is the collective term for the traditionalist and theologically conservative branches of contemporary Judaism. Jewish theology, Theologically, it is chiefly defined by regarding the Torah, both Torah, Written and Oral Torah, Or ...
in the
Diaspora A diaspora ( ) is a population that is scattered across regions which are separate from its geographic place of origin. Historically, the word was used first in reference to the dispersion of Greeks in the Hellenic world, and later Jews after ...
. In such years, Jews in Israel and Reform Jews celebrate Passover for seven days and thus read the next parashah (in 2018, Shemini) on the Sabbath one week after the first day of Passover, while Conservative and Orthodox Jews in the Diaspora celebrate Passover for eight days and read the next parashah (in 2018, Shemini) one week later. In some such years (for example, 2018), the two calendars realign when Conservative and Orthodox Jews in the Diaspora read Behar together with Bechukotai while Jews in Israel and Reform Jews read them separately.


Readings

In traditional Sabbath Torah reading, the parashah is divided into seven readings, or , '' aliyot''.


First reading — Leviticus 26:3–5

In the first reading (, ''aliyah''), God promises that if the Israelites follow God's laws, God will bless Israel with rains in their season, and abundant
harvest Harvesting is the process of gathering a ripe crop from the fields. Reaping is the cutting of grain or pulse for harvest, typically using a scythe, sickle, or reaper. On smaller farms with minimal mechanization, harvesting is the most labor-i ...
s.


Second reading — Leviticus 26:6–9

In the second reading (, ''aliyah''), God promises that if the Israelites follow God's laws, God would bless Israel with peace, victory over enemies, and fertility, and God's presence.


Third reading — Leviticus 26:10–46

In the third reading (, ''aliyah''), God promises that if the Israelites follow God's laws, God will bless Israel with God's presence. But in the section known as ''
Tocheichah The Tocheichah or Tochacha, meaning ''admonition'' or ''reproof'', is the section in chapter 26 of Leviticus which highlights the consequence of a failure by the people of Israel to follow God's laws and keep his commandments. It forms part of the ...
'' or the ''Admonitions'', if the Israelites do not observe God's
commandments Commandment may refer to: * The Ten Commandments * One of the 613 mitzvot of Judaism * The Great Commandment * The New Commandment The New Commandment is a term used in Christianity to describe Jesus's commandment to "love one another" which, ac ...
, God will wreak upon Israel misery, consumption, fever, stolen harvests, defeat by enemies, poor harvests, attacks of wild beasts, pestilence, famine, desolation, and timidity. Those who survive will be removed to the land of their enemies, where they will become heartsick over their iniquity, confess their sin, and atone. God promises them that He will remember His covenant with Jacob, Isaac, Abraham, and the ancients whom God freed from Egypt.


Fourth reading — Leviticus 27:1–15

In the fourth reading (, ''aliyah''), God told
Moses Moses hbo, מֹשֶׁה, Mōše; also known as Moshe or Moshe Rabbeinu (Mishnaic Hebrew: מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ, ); syr, ܡܘܫܐ, Mūše; ar, موسى, Mūsā; grc, Mωϋσῆς, Mōÿsēs () is considered the most important pro ...
to instruct the Israelites that when anyone vows to offer God the value of a human being, the following scale would apply: *for a man from 20 to 60 years of age, 50 shekels of silver; *for a woman from 20 to 60 years, 30 shekels; *for a boy from 5 to 20 years, 20 shekels;. *for a girl from 5 to 20 years, 10 shekels; *for a boy from 1 month to 5 years, 5 shekels;. *for a girl from 1 month to 5 years, 3 shekels; *for a man 60 years or over, 15 shekels;. and *for a woman 60 years or over, 10 shekels. But if a vower could not afford the payment, the vower must appear before the priest, and the priest will assess the vower according to what the vower could afford. If the vow concerns an animal that could be brought as an
offering Offering may refer to: In religion * A religious offering or sacrifice * Alms, voluntary gifts to others, especially poor people, as an act of virtue * Tithe, the tenth part of something, such as income, paid to a religious organization or gover ...
, the animal is holy, and one can not exchange another for it, and if one does substitute one animal for another, the thing vowed and its substitute will both be holy. If the vow concerns an unclean animal that could not be brought as an offering, the vower is to present the animal to the priest, the priest is to assess it, and if the vower wishes to redeem it, the vower is to add one-fifth to its assessment. If one consecrates a house to God, the priest is to assess it, and if the vower wishes to redeem it, the vower is to add one-fifth to the assessment.


Fifth reading — Leviticus 27:16–21

In the fifth reading (, ''aliyah''), if one consecrates to God land of one's ancestral holding, the priest is to assess it in accordance with its seed requirement. If the vower consecrates the land after the jubilee year, the priest is to compute the price according to the years left until the next jubilee year, and reduce the assessment accordingly. If the vower wishes to redeem the land, the vower is to add one-fifth to the assessment and retain title, but if the vower does not redeem the land and the land is sold, it will no longer be redeemable, and at the jubilee the land is to become the priest's holding.


Sixth reading — Leviticus 27:22–28

In the sixth reading (, ''aliyah''), if one consecrates land that one purchased (not land of ancestral holding) the priest is to compute the assessment up to the jubilee year, the vower is to pay the assessment as of that day, and in the jubilee the land is to revert to the person whose ancestral holding the land was. No firstling of a clean animal could be consecrated, for it already belongs to God.. But a firstling of an unclean animal should be redeemed at its assessment plus one-fifth, and if not redeemed, is to be sold at its assessment. Nothing that one had proscribed for God (subjected to cherem) could be sold or redeemed..


Seventh reading — Leviticus 27:29–34

In the seventh reading (, ''aliyah''), no human being proscribed could be ransomed, but he is to be put to death. All tithes from crops are to be God's, and if one wishes to redeem any of the tithes, the tither is to add one-fifth to them. Every tenth head of livestock is to be holy to God, and the owner is not to choose among good or bad when counting off the tithe.


Readings according to the triennial cycle

Jews who read the Torah according to the
triennial cycle The Triennial cycle of Torah reading may refer to either * The historical practice in ancient Israel by which the entire Torah was read in serial fashion over a three-year period, or * The practice adopted by many Reform, Conservative, Reconstruct ...
of Torah reading read the parashah according to a different schedule.


In inner-biblical interpretation

The parashah has parallels or is discussed in these Biblical sources:


Leviticus chapter 26

addresses God's role in the creation of children. While required a new mother to bring a burnt-offering and a sin-offering, and Psalm make clear that having children is a blessing from God, and
1 Samuel The Book of Samuel (, ''Sefer Shmuel'') is a book in the Hebrew Bible, found as two books (1–2 Samuel) in the Old Testament. The book is part of the narrative history of Ancient Israel called the Deuteronomistic history, a series of books (Josh ...
characterize childlessness as a misfortune, and and threaten childlessness as a punishment. In , God warned of consequences “if you reject My laws and spurn My rules.” Similarly, in , the 8th century BCE prophet Amos condemned people of Judah, “because they have spurned the Teaching of the Lord and have not observed His laws.” The Admonitions of are paralleled in . The curses in Leviticus are considered more severe than those in Deuteronomy, for "the former erespoken by Moses in the name of God and the latter by Moses on his own initiative; the former is worded in first person and addressed to the Jews in plural while the latter is in first-person and addressed in singular form". In , God promises to "remember" God's covenant with Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham to deliver the Israelites and the
Land of Israel The Land of Israel () is the traditional Jewish name for an area of the Southern Levant. Related biblical, religious and historical English terms include the Land of Canaan, the Promised Land, the Holy Land, and Palestine (see also Isra ...
. Similarly, God remembered
Noah Noah ''Nukh''; am, ኖህ, ''Noḥ''; ar, نُوح '; grc, Νῶε ''Nôe'' () is the tenth and last of the pre-Flood patriarchs in the traditions of Abrahamic religions. His story appears in the Hebrew Bible (Book of Genesis, chapters 5– ...
to deliver him from the flood in , God promised to remember God's covenant not to destroy the Earth again by flood in , God remembered Abraham to deliver
Lot Lot or LOT or The Lot or ''similar'' may refer to: Common meanings Areas * Land lot, an area of land * Parking lot, for automobiles *Backlot, in movie production Sets of items *Lot number, in batch production *Lot, a set of goods for sale togethe ...
from the destruction of
Sodom and Gomorrah Sodom and Gomorrah () were two legendary biblical cities destroyed by God for their wickedness. Their story parallels the Genesis flood narrative in its theme of God's anger provoked by man's sin (see Genesis 19:1–28). They are mentioned frequ ...
in , God remembered Rachel to deliver her from childlessness in , God remembered God's covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to deliver the Israelites from Egyptian bondage in and , Moses called on God to remember God's covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to deliver the Israelites from God's wrath after the incident of
the Golden Calf According to the Bible, the golden calf (עֵגֶל הַזָּהָב '' ‘ēgel hazzāhāv'') was an idol (a cult image) made by the Israelites when Moses went up to Mount Sinai. In Hebrew, the incident is known as ''ḥēṭə’ hā‘ēgel ...
in and , the Israelites were to blow upon their trumpets to be remembered and delivered from their enemies in , Samson called on God to deliver him from the Philistines in ,
Hannah Hannah or Hanna may refer to: People, biblical figures, and fictional characters * Hannah (name), a female given name of Hebrew origin * Hanna (Arabic name), a family and a male given name of Christian Arab origin * Hanna (Irish surname), a famil ...
prayed for God to remember her and deliver her from childlessness in and God remembered Hannah's prayer to deliver her from childlessness in , Hezekiah called on God to remember Hezekiah's faithfulness to deliver him from sickness in
2 Kings The Book of Kings (, '' Sēfer Məlāḵīm'') is a book in the Hebrew Bible, found as two books (1–2 Kings) in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. It concludes the Deuteronomistic history, a history of Israel also including the books ...
and , Jeremiah called on God to remember God's covenant with the Israelites to not condemn them in , Jeremiah called on God to remember him and think of him, and avenge him of his persecutors in , God promises to remember God's covenant with the Israelites and establish an everlasting covenant in , God remembers the cry of the humble in Zion to avenge them in , David called upon God to remember God's compassion and mercy in , Asaph called on God to remember God's congregation to deliver them from their enemies in , God remembered that the Israelites were only human in ,
Ethan the Ezrahite Ethan () the Ezrahite, is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. Ethan was a singer at King David's court well known for his wisdom. He authored : this Psalm is entitled "a ''maschil'' or contemplation of Ethan the Ezrahite". Baptist preacher Charles Spu ...
called on God to remember how short Ethan's life was in , God remembers that humans are but dust in , God remembers God's covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in , God remembers God's word to Abraham to deliver the Israelites to the Land of Israel in , the Psalmist calls on God to remember him to favor God's people, to think of him at God's salvation, that he might behold the prosperity of God's people in , God remembered God's covenant and repented according to God's mercy to deliver the Israelites in the wake of their rebellion and iniquity in , the Psalmist calls on God to remember God's word to God's servant to give him hope in , God remembered us in our low estate to deliver us from our adversaries in ,
Job Work or labor (or labour in British English) is intentional activity people perform to support the needs and wants of themselves, others, or a wider community. In the context of economics, work can be viewed as the human activity that contr ...
called on God to remember him to deliver him from God's wrath in , Nehemiah prayed to God to remember God's promise to Moses to deliver the Israelites from exile in , and Nehemiah prayed to God to remember him to deliver him for good in .


Leviticus chapter 27

Professor
Tamara Cohn Eskenazi Tamara Cohn Eskenazi is The Effie Wise Ochs Professor of Biblical Literature and History at the Reform Jewish seminary Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles. She was the first woman hired by the Hebrew Union College-Jewi ...
of the
Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserved ...
wrote that Biblical laws required Israelites to act as redeemers for relatives in four situations: (1) redemption of land in , (2) redemption of persons from slavery, especially in , (3) redemption of objects dedicated to the sanctuary in , and (4) avenging the blood of a murdered relative in .


In early nonrabbinic interpretation

The parashah has parallels or is discussed in these early nonrabbinic sources:


Leviticus chapter 27

Reading , Philo taught that in the case of those who vowed not merely property but their own selves, the law affixed a price to their vows, not having regard to the vower's beauty, importance, or anything of the kind, but treating each individual alike (separating men from women, and infants from the fully grown). Philo interpreted the law to set this price with equality for three reasons: (1) The importance of a vow is equal whether it was made by a person of great or of little importance. (2) Those who have made a vow should not be exposed to the treatment of slaves, who were valued according to the condition and beauty of their bodies. (3) Most importantly, while people value inequality, God honors equality.


In classical rabbinic interpretation

The parashah is discussed in these
rabbi A rabbi () is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi – known as '' semikha'' – following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form o ...
nic sources from the era of the Mishnah and the Talmud:


Leviticus chapter 26

The
Gemara The Gemara (also transliterated Gemarah, or in Yiddish Gemo(r)re; from Aramaic , from the Semitic root ג-מ-ר ''gamar'', to finish or complete) is the component of the Talmud comprising rabbinical analysis of and commentary on the Mishnah w ...
reasoned that according to the opinion of Rabbi Meir, the words "If you walk in My statutes" in are written because "If you walk in My statutes," you will receive blessings; conversely, as tells us, "And if you shall reject My statutes," you will receive curses. However, the Gemara reasoned that according to the opinion of Rabbi Ḥanina ben Gamliel, we need both of these clauses, as it might enter one's mind to say: If one follows God's statutes one will receive a blessing, whereas if one rejects God's statutes one will receive neither a blessing nor a curse. The verse therefore teaches us that the rejection of God's statutes warrants a curse. The Sifra asked whether the words "If you walk in My statutes" in might refer to observing religious duties. But the Sifra noted that the continuation of says, "and keep My commandments, and do them," and that must cover observing religious duties. Thus the Sifra concluded that the words "If you walk in My statutes" must mean laboring in the Torah. The Mishnah taught that they read the blessings and curses of and on public fast days. The Mishnah taught that they did not interrupt the reading of the curses, but had one person read them all. The Tosefta reported that some say that on Tisha B'Av, they read the curses starting at . The Mishnah taught that when (in the words of ) “the sword
ent Ents are a species of beings in J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy world Middle-earth who closely resemble trees; their leader is Treebeard of Fangorn forest. Their name is derived from an Old English word for giant. The Ents appear in ''The Lord of ...
through heland,” they would sound an alarm in all places, because it was a spreading evil. The Tanna Devei Eliyahu taught that if you live by the commandment prohibiting murder (in (20:13 in the NJPS) and (5:17 in the NJPS)), then (in the words of ) “the sword shall not go through your land.” If, however, you transgress the commandment, then (in God's words in ) “I will draw out the sword after you.” The Gemara deduced that the Sanctuary (that is, the Temple in Jerusalem) was called “Tabernacle” from , “And I will set my Tabernacle among you” (as this was said after the Israelites had already erected the Tabernacle in the wilderness). And the Gemara deduced from , “And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them,” that the Tabernacle was called “Sanctuary.” Thus the Gemara concluded that Scripture calls the Tabernacle “Sanctuary” and the Sanctuary (that is, the Temple) “Tabernacle,” and one may thus analogize between the two. A Baraita taught that several of the curses in result from particular transgressions. Rabbi Eleazar the son of Rabbi Judah read the word "''behalah''" ("terror") in as "''be-challah''" ("on account of challah") to interpret to teach that as punishment for the neglect of the challah tithe, God fails to bless what is stored, a curse is sent on prices, and people sow seed but others eat the harvest. The Baraita interpreted to teach that as punishment for vain oaths, false oaths, desecration of God's Name, and desecration of the Sabbath, wild beasts multiply, domestic animals cease, population decreases, and roads become desolate. Using to equate the word "covenant" with the Torah, the Baraita interpreted to teach that as punishment for delaying judgment, perverting judgment, corrupting judgment, and neglecting Torah, sword and spoil increase, pestilence and famine come, people eat and are not satisfied, and people eat their scarce bread by weight. And the Baraita interpreted to teach that as punishment for idolatry and failure to observe the
Sabbatical A sabbatical (from the Hebrew: (i.e., Sabbath); in Latin ; Greek: ) is a rest or break from work. The concept of the sabbatical is based on the Biblical practice of ''shmita'' (sabbatical year), which is related to agriculture. According to ...
(''Shmita'') and Jubilee (''Yovel'') years, the Jews are exiled and others come to dwell in their land. Just as attributes famine to sin, the Mishnah taught that a famine from drought comes when some of the people do not give tithes, a famine from tumult and drought comes when all decide not to give tithes, and a famine of annihilation comes when they decide (in addition) not to set apart the dough offering. Just as attributes the sword to sin, the Mishnah taught that the sword comes to the world for the delay of justice, for the perversion of justice, and because of those who interpret the Torah counter to the accepted law. And just as attributes pestilence to sin, the Mishnah taught that pestilence comes to the world for failure to execute judgment in capital crimes and for violation of the laws governing the produce of the Sabbatical year. The Mishnah taught that the coming of the sword, as in , was one of several afflictions for which they sounded the ram's horn ('' shofar'') in alarm in every locale, because it is an affliction that spreads. The Gemara read the words of , "And they shall stumble one upon another," to mean that one will stumble through the sin of another. The Gemara concluded that all everyone is held responsible for each another. Similarly, elsewhere, the Gemara read the words of , "And they shall stumble one upon another," to mean that for all transgressions of the Torah, the whole world is punished. Thus the Gemara taught that all Jews stand as guarantors for one another. The Gemara reconciled apparently discordant verses touching on vicarious responsibility. The Gemara noted that states: "The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers; every man shall be put to death for his own sin," but (20:5 in NJPS) says: "visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children." The Gemara cited a Baraita that interpreted the words "the iniquities of their fathers shall they pine away with them" in to teach that God punishes children only when they follow their parents' sins. The Gemara then questioned whether the words "they shall stumble one upon another" in do not teach that one will stumble through the sin of the other, that all are held responsible for one another. The Gemara answered that the vicarious responsibility of which speaks is limited to those who have the power to restrain their fellow from evil but do not do so. In , the heart is humbled. A Midrash catalogued the wide range of additional capabilities of the heart reported in the Hebrew Bible. The heart speaks,
Ecclesiastes Ecclesiastes (; hbo, קֹהֶלֶת, Qōheleṯ, grc, Ἐκκλησιαστής, Ekklēsiastēs) is one of the Ketuvim ("Writings") of the Hebrew Bible and part of the Wisdom literature of the Christian Old Testament. The title commonly use ...
.
sees, hears, walks, falls, stands, rejoices, cries, is comforted, is troubled, becomes hardened, grows faint, grieves, fears, can be broken, becomes proud, rebels, invents, cavils, overflows, devises, desires, goes astray, lusts, is refreshed, can be stolen, is enticed, errs, trembles, is awakened, loves, hates, envies, is searched, is rent, meditates, is like a fire, is like a stone, turns in repentance, becomes hot, dies, melts, takes in words, is susceptible to fear, gives thanks, covets, becomes hard, makes merry, acts deceitfully, speaks from out of itself, loves bribes, writes words, plans, receives commandments, acts with pride, makes arrangements, and aggrandizes itself. The Tosefta noted that reports that God said that God would remember God's covenants with Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham — in that order — while in every other place, Scripture gives precedence to Abraham over the other Patriarchs. The Tosefta concluded that this teaches that Scripture deems the three equivalent to each other. A Midrash interpreted the words, "And yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them," in to teach that the Shekhinah accompanied Israel into exile. Samuel of Nehardea interpreted the words, "I will not reject them, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break My covenant with them, for I am the Lord their God," in to teach that God did "not reject" the Jews in the days of the Greeks, nor "abhor them" in the days of
Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar II (Babylonian cuneiform: ''Nabû-kudurri-uṣur'', meaning "Nabu, watch over my heir"; Biblical Hebrew: ''Nəḇūḵaḏneʾṣṣar''), also spelled Nebuchadrezzar II, was the second king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, ruling ...
, nor "destroy them utterly" in the days of Haman, nor "break od'scovenant with them" in the days of the Persians, "for
od will be OD or Od may refer to: Education * Old Diocesan, a former pupil of Diocesan College * Old Dunelmian, a former pupil of Durham School Medicine * OD or o.d., an abbreviation used in medical prescriptions for or "once daily" both meaning "take o ...
the Lord their God" in the days of
Gog and Magog Gog and Magog (; he, גּוֹג וּמָגוֹג, ''Gōg ū-Māgōg'') appear in the Hebrew Bible and the Quran as individuals, tribes, or lands. In Ezekiel 38, Gog is an individual and Magog is his land; in Genesis 10, Magog is a man and epo ...
. Similarly, a Baraitha taught that God did "not reject" them in the days of the
Chaldea Chaldea () was a small country that existed between the late 10th or early 9th and mid-6th centuries BCE, after which the country and its people were absorbed and assimilated into the indigenous population of Babylonia. Semitic-speaking, it was ...
ns, for God sent them
Daniel Daniel is a masculine given name and a surname of Hebrew origin. It means "God is my judge"Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 68. (cf. Gabriel—"God is my strength" ...
,
Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Hebrew names Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah) are figures from the biblical Book of Daniel, primarily chapter 3. In the narrative, the three Hebrew men are thrown into a fiery furnace by Nebuchadnezzar II, King o ...
, God did not "abhor them" in the days of the Greeks, for God sent them
Simeon the Righteous Simeon () is a given name, from the Hebrew (Biblical ''Šimʿon'', Tiberian ''Šimʿôn''), usually transliterated as Shimon. In Greek it is written Συμεών, hence the Latinized spelling Symeon. Meaning The name is derived from Simeon, son ...
, the Hasmonean and his sons, and
Mattathias Mattathias ben Johanan ( he, מַתִּתְיָהוּ הַכֹּהֵן בֶּן יוֹחָנָן, ''Mattīṯyāhū haKōhēn ben Yōḥānān''; died 166–165 BCE) was a Kohen (Jewish priest) who helped spark the Maccabean Revolt against t ...
the
High Priest The term "high priest" usually refers either to an individual who holds the office of ruler-priest, or to one who is the head of a religious caste. Ancient Egypt In ancient Egypt, a high priest was the chief priest of any of the many gods rever ...
, and God did not "destroy them utterly" in the days of Haman, for God sent them
Mordecai Mordecai (; also Mordechai; , IPA: ) is one of the main personalities in the Book of Esther in the Hebrew Bible. He is described as being the son of Jair, of the tribe of Benjamin. He was promoted to Vizier after Haman was killed. Biblical acco ...
and Esther, and God did not "break od'scovenant with them" in the days of the Persians, for God sent them the house of
Rabbi A rabbi () is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi – known as '' semikha'' – following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form o ...
and the generations of
Sages A sage ( grc, σοφός, ''sophos''), in classical philosophy, is someone who has attained wisdom. The term has also been used interchangeably with a 'good person' ( grc, ἀγαθός, ''agathos''), and a 'virtuous person' ( grc, σπουδα ...
, "for
od will be OD or Od may refer to: Education * Old Diocesan, a former pupil of Diocesan College * Old Dunelmian, a former pupil of Durham School Medicine * OD or o.d., an abbreviation used in medical prescriptions for or "once daily" both meaning "take o ...
the Lord their God" in the time to come, when no nation or people will be able to subject them.


Leviticus chapter 27

Tractate
Arakhin Arakhin (Arachin, עֲרָכִין) ( ows of thevalues f people is the fifth Talmud, tractate in the Order of Kodashim (Holy of Holies, holies). It deals mostly with the details of the laws in , Chapters Chapters 1–6 (based on ) deal with ...
in the Mishnah, Tosefta, and Babylonian Talmud interpreted the laws of dedicatory vows in . Rabbi Simeon ben Yoḥai taught that just as the texts "He shall not break his word" in and "Defer not to pay it" in apply to vows, so they also apply to valuations, and thus Moses exhorted the Israelites in : "When a man shall clearly utter a vow of persons to the Lord, according to your valuation . . . ." Interpreting the law of vows in , the Mishnah taught that a young child's vows were not binding. When a girl turned 11 years old and throughout the year thereafter, they examined to determine whether she was aware of the significance of her vows. The vows of a girl 12 years old or older stood without examination. When a boy turned 12 years old and throughout the year thereafter, they examined to determine whether he was aware of the significance of his vows. The vows of a boy 13 years old or older stood without examination. For girls below age 11 or boys below age 12, even if they said that they knew in honor of Whose Name they vowed, their vows and dedications were not valid. After girls turned 12 or boys turned 13, even though they said that they did not know in the honor of Whose Name they vowed, their vows and dedications stood. The Sifri Zutta told that once a youth told Rabbi Akiva that the youth had dedicated a shovel. Rabbi Akiva asked the youth whether perhaps he had sanctified his shovel to the sun or the moon. The youth replied that Rabbi Akiva did not need to worry, as the youth had sanctified it to the One Who had created them. Rabbi Akiva told the youth that his vows were valid. The Mishnah taught that the law of valuation sometimes tended toward leniency, and at other times tended toward stringency. The law valued equally the handsomest and the ugliest men in the country, either one owed 50 ''selas''. The Mishnah taught that to secure a vow to the Temple, they seized property from the one who made the vow. But they let the one who made the vow keep food for 30 days, garments for 12 months, bed and bedding, shoes, and tefillin. If the one who made the vow was a craftsperson, they left two of every kind of tool. If the one who made the vow was a carpenter, they left two axes and two saws.
Rabbi Eliezer Eliezer ben Hurcanus or Hyrcanus ( he, אליעזר בן הורקנוס) was one of the most prominent Sages (tannaim) of the 1st and 2nd centuries in Judea, disciple of Rabban Yohanan ben ZakkaiAvot of Rabbi Natan 14:5 and colleague of Gamaliel ...
said that if the one who made the vow was a farmer, they left a yoke of oxen. If the one who made the vow was a donkey-driver, they left a donkey. Comparing the redemption values for people between the ages of 20 and 60 in with the values for people aged 60 and older in , the Gemara asked why an older woman retained a third of her adult value, but an older man did not retain even that much of his adult value. In response, the Gemara noted that Hezekiah said people say that an old man in the house is a burden, while an old woman in the house is a treasure. Interpreting the instruction of that "according to the means of him that vowed shall the priest value him," the Mishnah taught that this was done according to the ability of the one who vowed. The Mishnah taught that if a poor person vowed to give the value of a rich person, the poor person would pay only the valuation for a poor person. But if a rich person vowed to give the value of a poor person, the rich person still had to pay the full value of a rich person. Citing , the Gemara explained that the Merciful One made the obligation dependent upon the means of the one who vowed. The Tosefta taught that while the valuation of a rich man was 50 ''selas'' as stated in , the valuation of a poor man was one ''sela''. Tractate Temurah in the Mishnah, Tosefta, and Babylonian Talmud interpreted the laws of substituting one sacrifice for another in . The Pirke De-Rabbi Eliezer taught that Jacob designated Levi as a tithe, holy to God, within the meaning of . Jacob wished to ford the Jabbok and was detained there by an angel, who asked Jacob whether Jacob had not told God (in ), "Of all that you shall give me I will surely give a tenth to You." So Jacob gave a tenth of all the cattle that he had brought from Paddan Aram. Jacob had brought some 5,500 animals, so his tithe came to 550 animals. Jacob again tried to ford the Jabbok, but was hindered again. The angel once again asked Jacob whether Jacob had not told God (in ), "Of all that you shall give me I will surely give a tenth to You." The angel noted that Jacob had sons and that Jacob had not given a tithe of them. So Jacob set aside the four firstborn sons (whom the law excluded from the tithe) of each of the four mothers, and eight sons remained. He began to count from Simeon, and included
Benjamin Benjamin ( he, ''Bīnyāmīn''; "Son of (the) right") blue letter bible: https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3225/kjv/wlc/0-1/ H3225 - yāmîn - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (kjv) was the last of the two sons of Jacob and Rachel (Jacob's thir ...
, and continued the count from the beginning. And so Levi was reckoned as the tenth son, and thus the tithe, holy to God, as says, "The tenth shall be holy to the Lord." So the angel
Michael Michael may refer to: People * Michael (given name), a given name * Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael Given name "Michael" * Michael (archangel), ''first'' of God's archangels in the Jewish, Christian an ...
descended and took Levi and brought him up before the Throne of Glory and told God that Levi was God's lot. And God blessed him, that the sons of Levi should minister on earth before God (as directed in ) like the ministering angels in
Heaven Heaven or the heavens, is a common religious cosmological or transcendent supernatural place where beings such as deities, angels, souls, saints, or venerated ancestors are said to originate, be enthroned, or reside. According to the belie ...
.


In medieval Jewish interpretation

The parashah is discussed in these medieval Jewish sources:


Leviticus chapter 27

Maimonides considered the law concerning the exchange of a sacrifice as preventive, for if it were permitted to substitute a good animal for a bad one, people would substitute a bad animal for a good one, and say that it was better than the original. Thus, sets forth the rule that if any such change took place, both the "original sacrifice and the exchange thereof should be holy." And Maimonides explained that the reason for the rule of that when a person redeemed a thing devoted to the Sanctuary, the person needed to add one fifth, was because people are usually selfish and naturally inclined to keep and save their property. The owner would therefore not take the necessary trouble in the interest of the Sanctuary, and would not expose the property sufficiently to the valuer, and its true value would not be fixed. Therefore, the owner had to add one-fifth. Maimonides taught that these rules were laid down in order that people should not despise what was connected to the name of God, and which served as a means of approaching God.


In modern interpretation

The parashah is discussed in these modern sources:


Leviticus chapter 27

The British
anthropologist An anthropologist is a person engaged in the practice of anthropology. Anthropology is the study of aspects of humans within past and present societies. Social anthropology, cultural anthropology and philosophical anthropology study the norms and ...
Mary Douglas Dame Mary Douglas, (25 March 1921 – 16 May 2007) was a British anthropologist, known for her writings on human culture and symbolism, whose area of speciality was social anthropology. Douglas was considered a follower of Émile Durkhei ...
noted that while chapter 25 deals with person-to-person obligations, the release of slaves, their return to their homes, redemption of property, remission of secular debts, chapter 27 deals with the same topics from the point of view of debts to God. In , God respected the jubilee law. And God allowed redemption of persons in , of property in , and animals in . God, as a creditor, came under the power of the jubilee laws. God proved God's generosity by telling Moses the conditions under which persons, animals, or chattels that had been dedicated to God's service could be redeemed. Douglas also taught that chapter 27 serves a rhetorical function. Douglas saw in chapter 27 a ring composition in which the end of Leviticus returns to its beginning. Noting that Leviticus starts with the meats reserved for the priests at a sacrifice, Douglas pointed out that at the end, Leviticus is largely about consecrated things and the things that belong to God: blood, the priests, the land, and dedicated animals. reports that a ''shekel'' equals 20 ''
gerah A gerah () is an ancient Hebrew unit of weight and currency, which, according to the Torah (''Exodus'' 30:13, ''Leviticus'' 27:25, ''Numbers'' 3:47, 18:16), was equivalent to of a standard "sacred" shekel. A gerah is known in Aramaic, and usually ...
s''. This table translates units of weight used in the Bible: Professor
Robert A. Oden Robert Allen Oden Jr. (; born September 11, 1946) was the president of Kenyon College from 1995 to 2002, and president of Carleton College from 2002 to 2010. He was also a significant professor in the early years of The Teaching Company, contributi ...
, formerly of Dartmouth College, taught the idea that spoils of holy war were devoted to God (, '' cherem'') evident in , and was revelatory of (1) as "to the victor belong the spoils," then since God owned the spoils, then God must have been the victor and not any human being, and (2) the sacred and religiously obligatory nature of holy war, as participants gained no booty as a motivation for participation.


Commandments

According to Sefer ha-Chinuch, there are 7 positive and 5 negative
commandments Commandment may refer to: * The Ten Commandments * One of the 613 mitzvot of Judaism * The Great Commandment * The New Commandment The New Commandment is a term used in Christianity to describe Jesus's commandment to "love one another" which, ac ...
in the parashah: *When one vows a person's value, to estimate the value as determined by the Torah *Not to substitute another beast for one set apart for sacrifice. *The new animal, in addition to the substituted one, retains consecration. *To estimate the value of consecrated animals *To estimate the value of consecrated houses *To estimate the value of consecrated fields *Not to change consecrated animals from one type of offering to another *To carry out the laws of interdicting possessions *Not to sell interdicted possessions *Not to redeem interdicted possessions *To separate the tithe from animals every year *Not to redeem the tithe.


Haftarah

The haftarah for the parashah is . The blessings and curses in are matched by a curse on "the man that trusts in man" in and a blessing on "the man that trusts in the Lord" in .


Further reading

The parashah has parallels or is discussed in these sources:


Ancient


Vassal treaties
of Esarhaddon


Biblical

* (blessings and curses). * (cannibalism). * (cannibalism). * (parents eating children). * (parents eating children); (sword, famine, pestilence, destroy high places, bring the sword against, cast slain men before idols, make the land desolate, make cities a waste, the savor). * (abundant harvests). * (cannibalism). * (blessings and curses); (to lie down in peace); (scattered among the nations); (performing vows); (performing vows); (performing vows); (God abhorred Israel); (graven images); (in the sight of the nations);
45
(they that hated them ruled over them, but God remembered God's covenant); (labor in vain); (God remembered). * (mothers eating children).


Early nonrabbinic

* Josephus. '' The Wars of the Jews'', 6:3:3–5. Circa 75 CE. In, e.g., ''The Works of Josephus: Complete and Unabridged, New Updated Edition''. Translated by William Whiston, pages 737–38. Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 1987. .


Classical rabbinic

* Mishnah
Challah 4:9Taanit 3:5Megillah 3:36
Chagigah 1:4; Avot 5:8
Menachot 9:712:1Bekhorot 1:79:1–8Arakhin 1:1–9:8Temurah 1:1–7:6
Land of Israel, circa 200 CE. In, e.g., ''The Mishnah: A New Translation''. Translated by Jacob Neusner, pages 157, 312, 320–21, 329, 752, 759, 790, 807–36. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1988. . * Tosefta: Terumot 3:16; Challah 2:8–10; Rosh Hashanah 2:2; Megillah 3:9; Makkot 5:5, 10; Arakhin 1:1–5:19; Temurah 1:1–4:17; Keritot 4:15. Land of Israel, circa 250 CE. In, e.g., ''The Tosefta: Translated from the Hebrew, with a New Introduction''. Translated by Jacob Neusner (
Peabody, Massachusetts Peabody () is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 54,481 at the time of the 2020 United States Census. Peabody is located in the North Shore region of Massachusetts, and is known for its rich industrial histo ...
: Hendrickson Publishers, 2002), volume 1, pages 149, 339, 611, 646; volume 2, pages 1215–16, 1495–535, 1570. * Sifrabr>260:1–277:1
Land of Israel, 4th Century CE. In, e.g., ''Sifra: An Analytical Translation''. Translated by Jacob Neusner, volume 3, pages 345–409. Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1988. . * Jerusalem Talmud: Berakhot 90b; Peah 8a, 64a; Maasrot 1a; Maaser Sheni 4a, 24a, 31b, 37b, 48a, 50a; Challah 15b, 31b, 46b; Shabbat 88b; Rosh Hashanah 4b; Taanit 4b; Megillah 8a, 30a; Yevamot 10b; Nedarim 1a; Nazir 1a, 6b, 16b, 23b; Kiddushin 7b, 19a; Bava Metzia 16a; Sanhedrin 37b, 39a, 62a. Tiberias, Land of Israel, circa 400 CE. In, e.g., ''Talmud Yerushalmi''. Edited by Chaim Malinowitz, Yisroel Simcha Schorr, and Mordechai Marcus, volumes 2–3, 9–11, 15, 24, 25–26, 29, 33–34, 40, 42, 45. Brooklyn: Mesorah Publications, 2006–2018. And reprinted in, e.g., ''The Jerusalem Talmud: A Translation and Commentary''. Edited by Jacob Neusner and translated by Jacob Neusner, Tzvee Zahavy, B. Barry Levy, and Edward Goldman. Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 2009. . * Genesis Rabbahbr>1:154:56:512:2613:1556:9
66:2. Land of Israel, 5th century. In, e.g., ''Midrash Rabbah: Genesis''. Translated by Harry Freedman and Maurice Simon, volume 1, pages 13–14, 30, 44, 88–89, 91–93, 108–09, 498–99; volume 2, 601. London: Soncino Press, 1939. . *
Leviticus Rabbah Leviticus Rabbah, Vayikrah Rabbah, or Wayiqra Rabbah is a homiletic midrash to the Biblical book of Leviticus (''Vayikrah'' in Hebrew). It is referred to by Nathan ben Jehiel (c. 1035–1106) in his ''Arukh'' as well as by Rashi (1040–1105) ...
6:5, 10:7, 11:3, 15:1, 34:9, 35:1–37:4. Land of Israel, 5th Century. In, e.g., ''Midrash Rabbah: Leviticus''. Translated by Harry Freedman and Maurice Simon, volume 4, pages 84, 131, 137, 189, 435, 446–71. London: Soncino Press, 1939. . *Babylonian Talmud
Berakhot 47bEruvin 2a31b50aPesachim 37b63a66bYoma 50b66a80aBeitzah 36bRosh Hashanah 2a4aTaanit 7b22bMegillah 2b11a23b25b28a31a–bChagigah 10aKetubot 37b46a54aKiddushin 5a7a17a24a29a32a53a54b61a–bSanhedrin 14b–15a27b52b63b70a87a88a100aMakkot 13a–b16a19a21b22b24aShevuot 11b16b21a22a39aAvodah Zarah 5a13a63aZevachim 5b–6a9a12a30a56b81bMenachot 6a79b81a82a87b92a93a101aChullin 2a25b30a41b69a–b84a114a130a133b135a136b139aBekhorot 4b10b–11a12a13a14a–b15b31b–32b36b37b41b–42a49a50a–b51b53a–b54b57a58b59b–60bArakhin 2a–34aTemurah 2a–34aKeritot 27aMeilah 10b13a
Sasanian Empire The Sasanian () or Sassanid Empire, officially known as the Empire of Iranians (, ) and also referred to by historians as the Neo-Persian Empire, was the History of Iran, last Iranian empire before the early Muslim conquests of the 7th-8th cen ...
, 6th Century. In, e.g., ''Talmud Bavli''. Edited by Yisroel Simcha Schorr, Chaim Malinowitz, and Mordechai Marcus, 72 volumes. Brooklyn: Mesorah Pubs., 2006. * Tanhuma Bechukotai. 6th–7th Century. In, e.g., ''Metsudah Midrash Tanchuma: Vayikra.'' Translated and annotated by Avraham Davis, edited by Yaakov Y.H. Pupko, volume 5, pages 531–58. Monsey, New York: Eastern Book Press, 2006.


Medieval

* Tanna Devei Eliyahu. Seder Eliyyahu Rabbah 16, 56, 95–96, 130–31. Eliyyahu Zuta 171. 10th Century. In, e.g., ''Tanna Debe Eliyyahu: The Lore of the School of Elijah''. Translated by William G. Braude and Israel J. Kapstein, pages 34, 129, 212, 283, 365. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1981. . *
Solomon ibn Gabirol Solomon ibn Gabirol or Solomon ben Judah ( he, ר׳ שְׁלֹמֹה בֶּן יְהוּדָה אִבְּן גָּבִּירוֹל, Shlomo Ben Yehuda ibn Gabirol, ; ar, أبو أيوب سليمان بن يحيى بن جبيرول, ’Abū ’Ayy ...
. ''A Crown for the King''
24:284
Spain, 11th Century. Translated by David R. Slavitt, pages 38–39.
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...
: Oxford University Press, 1998. . * Rashi. ''Commentary''
Leviticus 26–27
Troyes Troyes () is a commune and the capital of the department of Aube in the Grand Est region of north-central France. It is located on the Seine river about south-east of Paris. Troyes is situated within the Champagne wine region and is near to ...
, France, late 11th Century. In, e.g., Rashi. ''The Torah: With Rashi's Commentary Translated, Annotated, and Elucidated''. Translated and annotated by Yisrael Isser Zvi Herczeg, volume 3, pages 347–86. Brooklyn: Mesorah Publications, 1994. . * Rashbam. ''Commentary on the Torah''. Troyes, early 12th century. In, e.g., ''Rashbam's Commentary on Leviticus and Numbers: An Annotated Translation''. Edited and translated by Martin I. Lockshin, pages 139–54. Providence: Brown Judaic Studies, 2001. . * Abraham ibn Ezra. ''Commentary on the Torah''. Mid-12th century. In, e.g., ''Ibn Ezra's Commentary on the Pentateuch: Leviticus (Va-yikra)''. Translated and annotated by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver, volume 3, pages 261–87. New York: Menorah Publishing Company, 2004. . * Maimonides. '' The Guide for the Perplexed'', part 1, chapter 30; part 3, chapters 17, 32, 35, 36, 37, 41, 46, 51. Cairo, Egypt, 1190. In, e.g., Moses Maimonides. ''The Guide for the Perplexed''. Translated by Michael Friedländer, pages 39, 287, 326, 329, 331–32, 334, 346, 360–61, 388. New York: Dover Publications, 1956. . *'' Bahir'', part 1, paragraphs 67, 103. Provence, circa 1174. In, e.g., ''The Bahir: A Translation and Commentary''. Translation and commentary by Aryeh Kaplan, pages 24, 38.
Lanham, Maryland Lanham is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland. As of the 2020 United States Census it had a population of 11,282. The New Carrollton station (the terminus of the Washington Metro's Orange Li ...
: Jason Aronson, 1977. . *
Hezekiah ben Manoah Hezekiah ben Manoah, or Hezekiah bar Manoah, was a French rabbi and Bible commentator of the 13th century. He is generally known by the title of his commentary, Chizkuni ( he, חזקוני). In memory of his father, who lost his right hand through ...
. ''Hizkuni''. France, circa 1240. In, e.g., Chizkiyahu ben Manoach. ''Chizkuni: Torah Commentary''. Translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk, volume 3, pages 830–46. Jerusalem: Ktav Publishers, 2013. . *
Naḥmanides Moses ben Nachman ( he, מֹשֶׁה בֶּן־נָחְמָן ''Mōše ben-Nāḥmān'', "Moses son of Nachman"; 1194–1270), commonly known as Nachmanides (; el, Ναχμανίδης ''Nakhmanídēs''), and also referred to by the acronym Ra ...
. ''Commentary on the Torah''. Jerusalem, circa 1270. In, e.g., ''Ramban (Nachmanides): Commentary on the Torah.'' Translated by Charles B. Chavel, volume 3, pages 455–83. New York: Shilo Publishing House, 1974. . *
Zohar The ''Zohar'' ( he, , ''Zōhar'', lit. "Splendor" or "Radiance") is a foundational work in the literature of Jewish mystical thought known as Kabbalah. It is a group of books including commentary on the mystical aspects of the Torah (the five ...
br>3:112a–115b
Spain, late 13th Century. In, e.g., ''The Zohar''. Translated by Harry Sperling and Maurice Simon. 5 volumes. London: Soncino Press, 1934. *
Bahya ben Asher Bahya ben Asher ibn Halawa (, 1255–1340) was a rabbi and scholar of Judaism, best known as a commentator on the Hebrew Bible. He is one of two scholars now referred to as Rabbeinu Behaye, the other being philosopher Bahya ibn Paquda. Biogra ...
. ''Commentary on the Torah''. Spain, early 14th century. In, e.g., ''Midrash Rabbeinu Bachya: Torah Commentary by Rabbi Bachya ben Asher''. Translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk, volume 5, pages 1845–77. Jerusalem: Lambda Publishers, 2003. . * Jacob ben Asher (Baal Ha-Turim). ''Rimze Ba'al ha-Turim''. Early 14th century. In, e.g., ''Baal Haturim Chumash: Vayikra/Leviticus''. Translated by Eliyahu Touger, edited, elucidated, and annotated by Avie Gold, volume 3, pages 1295–318. Brooklyn: Mesorah Publications, 2000. . *Jacob ben Asher. ''Perush Al ha-Torah''. Early 14th century. In, e.g., Yaakov ben Asher. ''Tur on the Torah''. Translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk, volume 3, pages 986–1003. Jerusalem: Lambda Publishers, 2005. . *
Isaac ben Moses Arama Isaac ben Moses Arama ( 1420 – 1494) was a Spanish rabbi and author. He was at first principal of a rabbinical academy at Zamora (probably his birthplace); then he received a call as rabbi and preacher from the community at Tarragona, and later ...
. ''Akedat Yizhak (The Binding of Isaac)''. Late 15th century. In, e.g., Yitzchak Arama. ''Akeydat Yitzchak: Commentary of Rabbi Yitzchak Arama on the Torah''. Translated and condensed by Eliyahu Munk, volume 2, pages 673–83. New York, Lambda Publishers, 2001. .


Modern

* Isaac Abravanel. ''Commentary on the Torah''. Italy, between 1492 and 1509. In, e.g., ''Abarbanel: Selected Commentaries on the Torah: Volume 3: Vayikra/Leviticus''. Translated and annotated by Israel Lazar, pages 253–301. Brooklyn: CreateSpace, 2015. . * Obadiah ben Jacob Sforno. ''Commentary on the Torah''. Venice, 1567. In, e.g., ''Sforno: Commentary on the Torah''. Translation and explanatory notes by Raphael Pelcovitz, pages 626–37. Brooklyn: Mesorah Publications, 1997. . * Moshe Alshich. ''Commentary on the Torah''.
Safed Safed (known in Hebrew language, Hebrew as Tzfat; Sephardi Hebrew, Sephardic Hebrew & Modern Hebrew: צְפַת ''Tsfat'', Ashkenazi Hebrew pronunciation, Ashkenazi Hebrew: ''Tzfas'', Biblical Hebrew: ''Ṣǝp̄aṯ''; ar, صفد, ''Ṣafad''), i ...
, circa 1593. In, e.g., Moshe Alshich. ''Midrash of Rabbi Moshe Alshich on the Torah''. Translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk, volume 2, pages 772–90. New York, Lambda Publishers, 2000. . *Avraham Yehoshua Heschel. ''Commentaries on the Torah''. Cracow, Poland, mid 17th century. Compiled as ''Chanukat HaTorah''. Edited by Chanoch Henoch Erzohn. Piotrkow, Poland, 1900. In Avraham Yehoshua Heschel. ''Chanukas HaTorah: Mystical Insights of Rav Avraham Yehoshua Heschel on Chumash''. Translated by Avraham Peretz Friedman, pages 238–40. Southfield, Michigan:
Targum Press Menucha Publishers is an Orthodox Jewish English-language publishing company based in Brooklyn, New York. Originally founded as a distributor for Targum Press, in 2011 after Targum's shutdown, Menucha established itself as an independent publish ...
/
Feldheim Publishers Feldheim Publishers (or Feldheim) is an American Orthodox Jewish publisher of Torah books and literature. Its extensive catalog of titles includes books on Jewish law, Torah, Talmud, Jewish lifestyle, Shabbat and Jewish holidays, Jewish history, b ...
, 2004. . * Thomas Hobbes. '' Leviathan'', 3:40. England, 1651. Reprint edited by
C. B. Macpherson Crawford Brough Macpherson (1911–1987) was an influential Canadian political scientist who taught political theory at the University of Toronto. Life Macpherson was born on 18 November 1911 in Toronto, Ontario. After graduating from the Univ ...
, pages 503–04. Harmondsworth, England: Penguin Classics, 1982. . * Shabbethai Bass. ''Sifsei Chachamim''. Amsterdam, 1680. In, e.g., ''Sefer Vayikro: From the Five Books of the Torah: Chumash: Targum Okelos: Rashi: Sifsei Chachamim: Yalkut: Haftaros'', translated by Avrohom Y. Davis, pages 530–87. Lakewood Township, New Jersey: Metsudah Publications, 2012. * Chaim ibn Attar. ''Ohr ha-Chaim''. Venice, 1742. In Chayim ben Attar. ''Or Hachayim: Commentary on the Torah''. Translated by Eliyahu Munk, volume 3, pages 1291–346. Brooklyn: Lambda Publishers, 1999. . * Nachman of Breslov. ''Teachings''. Bratslav, Ukraine, before 1811. In ''Rebbe Nachman's Torah: Breslov Insights into the Weekly Torah Reading: Exodus-Leviticus''. Compiled by Chaim Kramer, edited by Y. Hall, pages 426–37. Jerusalem: Breslov Research Institute, 2011. . * Samuel David Luzzatto (Shadal). ''Commentary on the Torah.'' Padua, 1871. In, e.g., Samuel David Luzzatto. ''Torah Commentary''. Translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk, volume 3, pages 993–1003. New York: Lambda Publishers, 2012. . * Yehudah Aryeh Leib Alter. ''Sefat Emet''.
Góra Kalwaria Góra Kalwaria (; "Calvary Mountain", yi, גער, ''Ger'') is a town on the Vistula River in the Masovian Voivodeship, in east-central Poland. It is situated approximately southeast of Warsaw and has a population of around 12,109 (as of 2019). ...
(Ger), Poland, before 1906. Excerpted in ''The Language of Truth: The Torah Commentary of Sefat Emet''. Translated and interpreted by
Arthur Green Arthur Green ( he, אברהם יצחק גרין, born March 21, 1941) is an American scholar of Jewish mysticism and Neo-Hasidic theologian. He was a founding dean of the non-denominational rabbinical program at Hebrew College in Boston, where he ...
, pages 209–15. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1998. . Reprinted 2012. . *Alexander Alan Steinbach. ''Sabbath Queen: Fifty-four Bible Talks to the Young Based on Each Portion of the Pentateuch'', pages 103–06. New York: Behrman's Jewish Book House, 1936. *Isaac Mendelsohn. ''Slavery in the Ancient Near East'', pages 117ff. New York: Oxford University Press, 1949. (The 50 shekels of was a reasonable price for an adult male slave.) * Gordon J. Wenham. "Leviticus 27:2–8 and the Price of Slaves." ''
Zeitschrift für die Alttestamentliche Wissenschaft The ''Zeitschrift für die Alttestamentliche Wissenschaft'' (''ZATW''/''ZAW'') is an academic German journal established in 1881. It is concerned with theological, linguistic and historical criticism of the Hebrew Bible. Formerly, it represented a ...
'', volume 90 (1978): pages 264–65. *Gordon J. Wenham. ''The Book of Leviticus'', pages 324–43. Grand Rapids, Michigan:
William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company is a religious publishing house based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Founded in 1911 by Dutch American William B. Eerdmans (November 4, 1882 – April 1966) and still independently owned with William's daughte ...
, 1979. . *Lionel E. Moses
"Is There an Authentic Triennial Cycle of Torah Readings?"
New York: Rabbinical Assembly, 1987. OH 137.1987b. In ''Responsa: 1980–1990: The Committee on Jewish Law and Standards of the Conservative Movement''. Edited by David J. Fine, pages 77, 90. New York: Rabbinical Assembly, 2005. . (implications of an injunction to read the curses before the end of Passover for a triennial Torah reading cycle). *Avram Israel Reisner
"A Halakhic Ethic of Care for the Terminally Ill."
New York: Rabbinical Assembly, 1990. YD 339:1.1990a. In ''Responsa: 1980–1990: The Committee on Jewish Law and Standards of the Conservative Movement''. Edited by David J. Fine, pages 467, 477, 497 n. 32. New York: Rabbinical Assembly, 2005. . (God's role in illness and healing, and the implications for our duty to seek medical care). * Pinchas H. Peli. ''Torah Today: A Renewed Encounter with Scripture'', pages 151–54. Washington, D.C.: B'nai B'rith Books, 1987. . *
Mark S. Smith Mark Stratton John Matthew Smith (born December 6, 1956) is an American biblical scholar, anthropologist, and professor. Early life and education Born in Paris to Donald Eugene Smith and Mary Elizabeth (Betty) Reichert, Smith grew up in Washin ...
. ''The Early History of God: Yahweh and the Other Deities in Ancient Israel'', page 100. New York: HarperSanFrancisco, 1990. . *
Harvey J. Fields Harvey J. Fields (1935–2014) was an American Reform rabbi. He served as the rabbi of Holy Blossom Temple in Toronto, the largest synagogue in Canada, from 1978 to 1982. He then served as the rabbi of Wilshire Boulevard Temple, the oldest synagog ...
. ''A Torah Commentary for Our Times: Volume II: Exodus and Leviticus'', pages 150–61. New York: UAHC Press, 1991. . * Walter C. Kaiser Jr., "The Book of Leviticus," in ''The New Interpreter's Bible'', volume 1, pages 1175–91. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1994. . *Judith S. Antonelli. "Mother Nature." In ''In the Image of God: A Feminist Commentary on the Torah'', pages 322–28.
Northvale, New Jersey Northvale is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 4,640,Jason Aronson, 1995. . *
Ellen Frankel Ellen Frankel (born 1951) was the Editor-in-Chief of the Jewish Publication Society (JPS) from 1991 until 2009, and also served as CEO of the JPS for 10 years. She retired in 2009 to pursue her own writing and scholarly projects, serving as JPS's f ...
. ''The Five Books of Miriam: A Woman's Commentary on the Torah'', pages 191–93. New York:
G. P. Putnam's Sons G. P. Putnam's Sons is an American book publisher based in New York City, New York. Since 1996, it has been an imprint of the Penguin Group. History The company began as Wiley & Putnam with the 1838 partnership between George Palmer Putnam and J ...
, 1996. . *
W. Gunther Plaut Wolf Gunther Plaut, (November 1, 1912 – February 8, 2012) was an American Reform rabbi and writer who was based in Canada. Plaut was the rabbi of Holy Blossom Temple in Toronto for several decades and since 1978 was its senior scholar. L ...
. ''The Haftarah Commentary'', pages 318–26. New York: UAHC Press, 1996. . *Sorel Goldberg Loeb and Barbara Binder Kadden. ''Teaching Torah: A Treasury of Insights and Activities'', pages 220–25. Denver: A.R.E. Publishing, 1997. . *
Elliot N. Dorff Elliot N. Dorff (born 24 June 1943) is an American Conservative rabbi. He is a Visiting Professor of Law at UCLA School of Law and Distinguished Professor of Jewish theology at the American Jewish University (formerly the University of Judaism) in C ...
and
Aaron L. Mackler Aaron L. Mackler is Associate Professor of Theology at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and an ordained Conservative Rabbi. He is an author in the fields of bioethics and Jewish law. He was editor of ''Life and Death Responsibilit ...

"Responsibilities for the Provision of Health Care."
New York: Rabbinical Assembly, 1998. YD 336:1.1998. In ''Responsa: 1991–2000: The Committee on Jewish Law and Standards of the Conservative Movement''. Edited by Kassel Abelson and David J. Fine, pages 319, 321 note 2. New York: Rabbinical Assembly, 2002. . (God's role in illness and healing, and the implications for our duty to provide medical care). *Elizabeth Bolton. "''Mir Zaynen Do'' — We Are Here." In ''The Women's Torah Commentary: New Insights from Women Rabbis on the 54 Weekly Torah Portions''. Edited by Elyse Goldstein, pages 246–52.
Woodstock, Vermont Woodstock is the shire town (county seat) of Windsor County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2020 census, the town population was 3,005. It includes the villages of Woodstock, South Woodstock, Taftsville, and West Woodstock. History Chart ...
: Jewish Lights Publishing, 2000. . *Frank H. Gorman Jr. “Leviticus.” In ''The HarperCollins Bible Commentary''. Edited by
James L. Mays James Luther Mays (July 14, 1921 – October 29, 2015) was an American Old Testament scholar. He was Cyrus McCormick Professor of Hebrew and the Old Testament Emeritus at Union Presbyterian Seminary, Virginia. He served as president of the Society ...
, pages 164–65. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, revised edition, 2000. . *Lainie Blum Cogan and Judy Weiss. ''Teaching Haftarah: Background, Insights, and Strategies'', pages 396–401. Denver: A.R.E. Publishing, 2002. . * Michael Fishbane. ''The JPS Bible Commentary: Haftarot'', pages 203–09. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 2002. . *
Robert Alter Robert Bernard Alter (born 1935) is an American professor of Hebrew and comparative literature at the University of California, Berkeley, where he has taught since 1967. He published his translation of the Hebrew Bible in 2018. Biography Rober ...
. ''The Five Books of Moses: A Translation with Commentary'', pages 660–72. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 2004. . *Jacob Milgrom. ''Leviticus: A Book of Ritual and Ethics: A Continental Commentary'', pages 317–33. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2004. . *Baruch J. Schwartz. "Leviticus." In ''The Jewish Study Bible''. Edited by Adele Berlin and Marc Zvi Brettler, pages 273–80. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004. . *Hanna Gracia Yerushalmi. "Haftarat Bechukotai: Jeremiah 16:19–17:14." In ''The Women's Haftarah Commentary: New Insights from Women Rabbis on the 54 Weekly Haftarah Portions, the 5 Megillot & Special Shabbatot''. Edited by Elyse Goldstein, pages 151–58. Woodstock, Vermont: Jewish Lights Publishing, 2004. . *Antony Cothey
“Ethics and Holiness in the Theology of Leviticus.”
'' Journal for the Study of the Old Testament'', volume 30 (number 2) (December 2005): pages 131–51. *''Professors on the Parashah: Studies on the Weekly Torah Reading'' Edited by Leib Moscovitz, pages 225–30. Jerusalem:
Urim Publications Urim Publications, an independent publisher of Jewish interest books, is based in Jerusalem, with an outlet in Brooklyn, New York. Established in 1997 by Tzvi Mauer, Urim publishes approximately fifteen books per year on various topics related to ...
, 2005. . *Calum Carmichael. ''Illuminating Leviticus: A Study of Its Laws and Institutions in the Light of Biblical Narratives''.
Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic, and the 30th most populous city in the United States with a population of 585,708 in 2020. Baltimore was d ...
:
Johns Hopkins University Press The Johns Hopkins University Press (also referred to as JHU Press or JHUP) is the publishing division of Johns Hopkins University. It was founded in 1878 and is the oldest continuously running university press in the United States. The press publi ...
, 2006. . *Bernard J. Bamberger. “Leviticus.” In ''The Torah: A Modern Commentary: Revised Edition''. Edited by W. Gunther Plaut; revised edition edited by David E.S. Stern, ''The Torah: A Modern Commentary: Revised Edition''. Revised edition edited by David E.S. Stern, pages 864–82. New York: Union for Reform Judaism, 2006. . *
Esther Jungreis Esther Jungreis (April 27, 1936 – August 23, 2016, 19 Menachem Av, 5776) was a Jewish, Hungarian-born, American author, and public speaker. She was the founder of the international Hineni organization in the United States. A Holocaust survivor ...
. ''Life Is a Test'', page 224. Brooklyn: Shaar Press, 2007. . *
James L. Kugel James L. Kugel (Hebrew: Yaakov Kaduri, יעקב כדורי; born August 22, 1945) is Professor Emeritus in the Bible Department at Bar Ilan University in Israel and the Harry M. Starr Professor Emeritus of Classical and Modern Hebrew Literature at ...
. ''How To Read the Bible: A Guide to Scripture, Then and Now'', pages 291, 302, 346–49, 609–10. New York: Free Press, 2007. . *Christophe Nihan. ''From Priestly Torah to Pentateuch: A Study in the Composition of the Book of Leviticus''. Coronet Books, 2007. . *
Tamara Cohn Eskenazi Tamara Cohn Eskenazi is The Effie Wise Ochs Professor of Biblical Literature and History at the Reform Jewish seminary Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles. She was the first woman hired by the Hebrew Union College-Jewi ...
and Andrea L. Weiss, editors. ''The Torah: A Women's Commentary'', pages 765–86. New York: URJ Press, 2008. . *Ted D. Manby
“An Exegetical Study of Leviticus 26: Mosaic Covenantal Laws, Blessings, and Curses with Implications for the Reading of Old Testament Canonical Books.”
Master's thesis, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2008. *Roy E. Gane. "Leviticus." In ''Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary''. Edited by
John H. Walton John H. Walton (born 1952) is an Old Testament scholar and Professor at Wheaton College. He was a professor at Moody Bible Institute for 20 years. He specializes in the Ancient Near Eastern backgrounds of the Old Testament, especially Genesis ...
, volume 1, pages 323–26. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2009. . * Reuven Hammer. ''Entering Torah: Prefaces to the Weekly Torah Portion'', pages 189–92. New York: Gefen Publishing House, 2009. . *Sarah Pessin. “‘Less Is More’ and the Gift of Rain: The Value of Devaluation in Behukotai and Cixous's Desire-That-Gives: Parashat Behukotai (Leviticus 26:3–27:34).” In ''Torah Queeries: Weekly Commentaries on the Hebrew Bible''. Edited by Gregg Drinkwater, Joshua Lesser, and David Shneer; foreword by Judith Plaskow, pages 179–83. New York: New York University Press, 2009. . *Stuart Lasine
“Everything Belongs to Me: Holiness, Danger, and Divine Kingship in the Post-Genesis World.”
''Journal for the Study of the Old Testament'', volume 35 (number 1) (September 2010): pages 31–62. *Jeffrey Stackert. “Leviticus.” In ''The New Oxford Annotated Bible: New Revised Standard Version with the Apocrypha: An Ecumenical Study Bible''. Edited by
Michael D. Coogan Michael D. Coogan is lecturer on Hebrew Bible/Old Testament at Harvard Divinity School, Director of Publications for the Harvard Semitic Museum, editor-in-chief of Oxford Biblical Studies Online, and professor emeritus of religious studies at Ston ...
, Marc Z. Brettler,
Carol A. Newsom Carol A. Newsom (born July 4, 1950) is an American biblical scholar, historian of ancient Judaism, and literary critic. She is the Charles Howard Candler Professor Emerita of Old Testament at the Candler School of Theology and a former senior fe ...
, and Pheme Perkins, pages 180–83. New York: Oxford University Press, Revised 4th Edition 2010. . *
William G. Dever William Gwinn Dever (born November 27, 1933, Louisville, Kentucky) is an American archaeologist, Old Testament scholar, and historian, specialized in the history of the Ancient Near East and the ancient kingdoms of Israel and Judah in biblical ...
. ''The Lives of Ordinary People in Ancient Israel: When Archaeology and the Bible Intersect'', pages 188, 244, 291. Grand Rapids, Michigan:
William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company is a religious publishing house based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Founded in 1911 by Dutch American William B. Eerdmans (November 4, 1882 – April 1966) and still independently owned with William's daughte ...
, 2012. . * Shmuel Herzfeld. "If You Want To Sleep at Night, Give Away Your Pillow." In ''Fifty-Four Pick Up: Fifteen-Minute Inspirational Torah Lessons'', pages 184–89. Jerusalem: Gefen Publishing House, 2012. . * Jonathan Sacks. ''Covenant & Conversation: A Weekly Reading of the Jewish Bible: Leviticus: The Book of Holiness'', pages 401–33. Jerusalem: Maggid Books, 2015. . *Jonathan Sacks. ''Lessons in Leadership: A Weekly Reading of the Jewish Bible'', pages 175–80. New Milford, Connecticut: Maggid Books, 2015. . *Jonathan Sacks. ''Essays on Ethics: A Weekly Reading of the Jewish Bible'', pages 207–11. New Milford, Connecticut: Maggid Books, 2016. . *
Shai Held Shai Held (born July 2, 1971) is a rosh yeshiva (Rabbinic dean) and Chair in Jewish Thought at Mechon Hadar. He founded Mechon Hadar in 2006 with Rabbis Elie Kaunfer and Ethan Tucker. Education Held attended Ramaz High School and studied ...
. ''The Heart of Torah, Volume 2: Essays on the Weekly Torah Portion: Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy'', pages 81–89. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 2017. . *Steven Levy and Sarah Levy. ''The JPS Rashi Discussion Torah Commentary'', pages 106–09. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 2017. .


External links


References


Texts


Masoretic text and 1917 JPS translationHear the parashah chanted


Commentaries


Academy for Jewish Religion, New YorkAkhlah: The Jewish Children's Learning NetworkAleph Beta AcademyAmerican Jewish University — Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies

Ascent of SafedBar-Ilan UniversityChabad.orgeparsha.comG-dcastJewish Theological SeminaryLearningTorah.orgMechon HadarMiriam AflaloMyJewishLearning.comOhr SameachOzTorah, Torah from AustraliaOz Ve Shalom — Netivot ShalomPardes from JerusalemProfessor James L. KugelProfessor Michael CarasikRabbi Dov LinzerRabbi Jonathan SacksRabbiShimon.comRabbi Shmuel HerzfeldReconstructionist JudaismShiur.comTeach613.org, Torah Education at Cherry HillTheTorah.comTorah from DixieTorah.orgTorahVortUnion for Reform JudaismUnited Synagogue of Conservative JudaismYeshivat Chovevei TorahYeshiva University
{{Weekly Torah Portions Weekly Torah readings in Iyar Weekly Torah readings from Leviticus Hebrew words and phrases in the Hebrew Bible