BEHAR/BECHUKOTAI
Leviticus 25:1-27:34
Reading #4 - Leviticus 25:39-26:9
My Thoughts:
In the verses 26:3-5 we learn from Hashem that if we follow His Commandments that even more blessings will come to us. We will have rain, crops growing and bearing fruit and bread to eat. And in verses 6-8 we receive even more promises if we follow Torah. We will have peace in the Land, no animal attacks and a special power over our enemies! What beautiful rewards Hashem has in store for us for simply following His instructions! Do you think these are available today? I do. I can see a big difference when I am obedient. Things in life go so much easier. I feel His Presence around me and good things happen to me and my family. And in the reverse when I am disobedient it seems like I am on my own. It’s lonely and sometimes scary. It is a negative feeling that only by repenting and obeying again -- do I feel peace. How about you?
Challenge:
In verses 26:1-2 we have a strong reminder about idols and Sabbaths. When the Israelites were going into their Land they were going to meet up with a lot of false worship and other gods. Our G-d, Elohim, wanted to make sure this didn't happen. Because what happens when people worship idols and forget Sabbath? They “stray” away from Hashem! They lose that strong Presence from Him. It only brings disaster! So my challenge for you today, in a very dark and scary world is to remember who you worship. Remember Hashem is your one and only Elohim. And He sets aside a special day for us to spend with Him -- the Shabbat. So, YOU set aside that day for Him! Start right now!
Reading #4 - Leviticus 25:39-26:9
25:39 “‘If your brother has grown poor among you, and sells himself to you, you shall not make him to serve as a slave. 40 As a hired servant, and as a temporary resident, he shall be with you; he shall serve with you until the Year of Jubilee. 41 Then he shall go out from you, he and his children with him, and shall return to his own family, and to the possession of his fathers. 42 For they are my servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt. They shall not be sold as slaves. 43 You shall not rule over him with harshness, but shall fear your Elohim.
44 “‘As for your male and your female slaves, whom you may have from the nations that are around you, from them you may buy male and female slaves. 45 Moreover, of the children of the aliens who live among you, of them you may buy, and of their families who are with you, which they have conceived in your land; and they will be your property. 46 You may make them an inheritance for your children after you, to hold for a possession. Of them you may take your slaves forever, but over your brothers the children of Israel you shall not rule, one over another, with harshness.
47 “‘If an alien or temporary resident with you becomes rich, and your brother beside him has grown poor, and sells himself to the stranger or foreigner living among you, or to a member of the stranger’s family, 48 after he is sold he may be redeemed. One of his brothers may redeem him; 49 or his uncle, or his uncle’s son, may redeem him, or any who is a close relative to him of his family may redeem him; or if he has grown rich, he may redeem himself. 50 He shall reckon with him who bought him from the year that he sold himself to him to the Year of Jubilee. The price of his sale shall be according to the number of years; he shall be with him according to the time of a hired servant. 51 If there are yet many years, according to them he shall give back the price of his redemption out of the money that he was bought for. 52 If there remain but a few years to the year of jubilee, then he shall reckon with him; according to his years of service he shall give back the price of his redemption. 53 As a servant hired year by year shall he be with him. He shall not rule with harshness over him in your sight. 54 If he isn’t redeemed by these means, then he shall be released in the Year of Jubilee: he and his children with him. 55 For to me the children of Israel are servants; they are my servants whom I brought out of the land of Egypt. I am Hashem your Elohim.
26:1 “‘You shall make for yourselves no idols, and you shall not raise up a carved image or a pillar, and you shall not place any figured stone in your land, to bow down to it; for I am Hashem your Elohim.
2 “‘You shall keep my Sabbaths, and have reverence for my sanctuary. I am Hashem.
3 “‘If you walk in my statutes and keep my commandments, and do them, 4 then I will give you your rains in their season, and the land shall yield its increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. 5 Your threshing shall continue until the vintage, and the vintage shall continue until the sowing time. You shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely.
6 “‘I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and no one will make you afraid. I will remove evil animals out of the land, neither shall the sword go through your land. 7 You shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword. 8 Five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall chase ten thousand; and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.
