Parashat Behar

Parashat Behar

By Rav Yosef Zvi Rimon

Founder and Board Chairman, JobKatif

Parashat Behar begins with the Mitzvah of Shmitah, the seventh year of a seven year cycle where G-d commands us to cease all work from our fields. We are not to plow or harvest for a year, and we must let them stand as a free for all.

Many people suggest this is just another one of the forms of charity we are commanded to give. But how could G-d truly command us to leave our source of income for an entire year when may become poverty-stricken in turn?

Credits: Richard Lewis

I heard from my teacher and Rabbi, Rav Lichtenstien that Shmitah is not about impoverishing the economic status of the needy, but rather this teaches us an important lesson. The owners of the field are forced to stop harvesting for a year and therefore they can’t give. The fruit grows on its own, and anyone can come and take from the land. The poor can therefore provide for their families by taking from this owner-less field during this year. They then no longer feel dependent on others. The idea of Shmitah is therefore to help people come to a place where they know what it means to provide for themselves.

Hothouse in Gush Katif. Credits: Richard Lewis

We, at JobKatif work on the same principle. We use the money that we get from donors to help the displaced families from Gush Katif start their own companies so that they can provide for their families in a more honorable way. We are able to do all this through the support and partnerships of our donors.

Thank you all for your continuous support for JobKatif!

Shabbat Shalom.