Judaism does not really believe in human rights. Or at least in the concept as generally understood today: namely that I have a right to certain things. People claim everything from the right to vote to the right to employment on the basis of human rights, but the Torah has a different attitude. The whole of this week’s double Parshah is full of the idea that we really don’t have an absolute right to anything. We have no right to the land, no absolute right to own property or to control other human beings. We don’t have a right to make a profit on our money or in certain years to even sell our produce for gain. Even our very existence as a nation is not absolute and can be taken away from us. So Judaism doesn’t really hold that we have rights at all. What we clearly do have is responsibilities, to G-d but mostly to others. We do have responsibilities to our slaves, our employees and the poor. We do have duties to our business partners and customers and responsibility to the land. In short, Judaism has human responsibilities instead of human rights and there is an important difference between these two ideas. Human rights is essentially a selfish concept about the individual. It means that I have claims on others to do or not do, certain things. I can demand people act in a certain way for my benefit. Human responsibilities, on the other hand, is an essentially altruistic concept. It requires me to behave in a certain way to others. Rather than demanding that other people think about my needs, it asks that I am sensitive to their desires and requirements. It may seem that this is but semantics, but in reality there is a world of difference between the two concepts. A culture of human rights leads to litigation, unwillingness to compromise and an ever increasing list of demands. A culture of human responsibilities, on the other hand, leads to co-operation true, sensitivity to others and real protection for the vulnerable. One leads to atomised selfish individuals, the other to community. As we celebrate Yom Yerushalayim this week this important lesson may be of benefit to us. The Jewish people have a strong claim to Jerusalem. Yet it may be that our best argument in this regard is not historical right but practical responsibility. If we behave in a manner that is beneficial and fair for all Jerusalem’s inhabitants, this may be the best claim we can make.
ALIYAH BY ALIYAH SYNOPSIS
Rishon The laws of the Sabbatical year and the Jubilee.
Sheni The reward for keeping Shemitah.. Return of land in the Jubilee.
Shelishi Laws of houses in cities. Prohibition of interest.
Revi’i Laws of slavery. The reward for keeping the mitzvot.
Chamishi The punishment for disobeying the Torah.
Shishi Valuations of donations to the Sanctuary
Shevi’i Redemption of vows and bans.
Haftorah Jeremiah: 16;19-17;14: the sins of Israel.
Sidra Statistics
Parshiot Behar-Behukotai
· has 57+78 = 135 verses;
· are the 9th & 10th in Exodus, 32nd & 33rd in the Torah
· 10th & 7th longest in Leviticus, 50th & 45th longest in the Torah
· has 14 pos + 22 neg = 36 mitzvot.
· Leviticus has:
· 859 verses, 10 Parshiot,
· 95 pos + 152 neg = 247 mitzvot
PAST PARSHAH PUZZLE
Maternal Saviour
Don't kill a mother and it's kid on the same day.
PARSHAH PUZZLE
Everlasting Purchase.
WEEKLY HALAKHA
On Yom Yerushalayim one should have a festive meal and say Hallel to celebrate
the miracles that occured during the six day war.
