Torah Portion Summary
The last reading from the book of Leviticus is called Bechukotai, which means “in my statutes.” The name comes from the first verse of the reading, which begins with the words “If you walk in My statutes” (Leviticus 26:3). This last reading from Leviticus promises blessings and rewards for Israel if they will keep the Torah but punishment and curses if they break the commandments of the Torah. The last chapter discusses laws pertaining to vows, valuations, and tithes. In most years, synagogues read Bechukotai together with the preceding portion, Behar.
Parashat Bechukotai (בְּחֻקּתַי) begins with the promise that if we will walk in the LORD's statutes (chukkot) and commandments (mitzvot) and perform them, then we will enjoy material blessings and dwell securely in the promised land. Moreover the LORD Himself will make His dwelling with us and will walk among us as our God. We shall then truly be am segulah (עַם סְגֻלָּה) - a treasured people among all the nations of the earth.
Haftarh Portion Summary
In the Haftarah for Bechukotai, we see the prophet Jeremiah trying desperately to appeal to the Jewish people before the coming judgment and destruction of the Temple by the Babylonians in 586 B.C. Jeremiah cites Israel's idol worship, neglect of the shemittah commandment (Sabbatical year), and the general loss of trust in the LORD.
Jeremiah contrasts the future behavior of the nations in the Millennial Kingdom with the behavior of the Jewish people. "To You the nations will come from the distant parts of the earth" and confess the worthlessness of their fathers' gods. But the Jews refuse to give up their idolatry, even in the face of the teshuvah (repentance) of the nations!
Another reason for the coming judgment is that the Jewish people abandoned the commandment of shemittah (the refraining of the Jewish farmer from working his land during the seventh year). In fact, the 70 years of Babylonian captivity were punishment meted out for the 70 sabbatical years Israel failed to observe from the time they entered the land to the destruction of the first Temple (i.e., 490 years).
Jeremiah then sets up the contrast between trusting in man and trusting in the LORD. "Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD" (Jer. 17:5). By failing to trust in the LORD's provision during the sabbatical year, the Jews demonstrate that their heart departed from the LORD. They shall be parched and uninhabited in their places. On the other hand, the only acceptable response light of God's inevitable judgment is heartfelt repentance: Jer 17:7, "Blessed is he who trusts in the LORD, Whose trust is the LORD alone."
The one trusting in the LORD is like "a tree transplanted by water that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit" (Jer. 17:8; Psalm 1:3).
Nonetheless, since heart is deceitful "above everything else" and "incurably bad" (אָנוּשׁ), Jeremiah wonders what can be done to change the people's direction. God answers by saying that He searches the heart and tests the mind, "to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds" (Jer. 17:10). Those who attempt to secure wealth by unjust means will be proven to be a fool (נָבָל). Jeremiah responds by exclaiming, "A glorious throne set on high from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary. O LORD, the hope of Israel (מִקְוֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל), all who forsake you shall be put to shame; those who turn away from you shall be written in the earth, for they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living water" (Jer. 17:12-13). The haftarah ends with an appeal for healing and salvation:
"Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed;
save me, and I shall be saved,
for you are my praise." (Jer. 17:14)
B'rit Chadashah Portion Summary
The reading from Matthew's gospel concerns the "parable of the tenants." A certain "master of a house" planted a vineyard, leased it to tenants, and then left for another country. When the season for harvest drew near, the master sent his servants to the tenants to receive payment, but the tenants beat one, killed another, and stoned another. The master then sent more servants, who were treated likewise by the tenants. Finally, the Master sent his own son to them, saying, "They will respect my son." But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.' And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him."
Yeshua then asks his listeners (the chief priests and Pharisees), "When the Master of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?" To which they answered, "He will put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons." Yeshua then reminded them that His rejection by the Jewish leaders was in fact prophesied (Psalm 118:22), and that the kingdom of God would be taken away from them and given to a people producing its fruits.
In other words, the Master of the House is the God of Israel, the tenants are the Jewish people, the servants of the Master are the prophets sent to the Jews, and the son of the Master is the Son of God, who was "thrown out of the vineyard and killed" by the tenants. The people producing the fruits of the Kingdom of God are those who honor the Son of God, Yeshua the Mashiach, who, though they be broken, shall not be crushed when the judgment at the end of the age arrives.
On the other hand, the parable can equally be understood as a sober warning for those who merely profess faith in the Messiah as well. Yeshua is likewise a master of a house who planted a vineyard and left for another country, and one day he will return to take account of those servants to whom he entrusted his vineyard... Those who are imposters in his service will ultimately be rejected from the Kingdom of God.
| All Portions this week
(LINK) |
| Torah | Haftarah | B'rit Chadashah |
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| Leviticus 26:3-27:34 | Jeremiah 16:19-17:14 | Matthew 22:1-14 |
"Chazak, chazak, ve-nit chazek"
Be strong, be strong, and let us be strengthened!