Tzedek is Outward and Mostly Self-Reflective

Parshat Behar-Bechukosai

by Rabbi Avi Billet

The Torah describes the concept of leasing land, which will be returned at the Yovel year. How people use that land during their lease is very much dependent on their own skills and talents. Will they farm the land? Build a manufacturing plant? Hire workers and pay a living wage? Create opportunities for employees to bring out their own talents? 

 The Torah goes on to describe the needy Jew, and our responsibility to him. 

 25:35: If he becomes destitute, וְהֶֽחֱזַ֣קְתָּ בּ֔וֹ גֵּ֧ר וְתוֹשָׁ֛ב וָחַ֖י עִמָּֽךְ (you shall support him, whether stranger or resident, and he shall live with you). 

The first point is that it doesn’t matter who the person is. Whether GER or a TOSHAV – YOU have to give him CHIZUK. Encourage him. Give a kind word. Don’t turn him away or turn him off. וחי עמך means that you, the Jewish people, can never become guilty of losing someone to other influences or paths. 

 Even this instruction begs us to ask: Is anything foolproof? Will there be 100% retention rate? Is it possible to prevent EVERYONE from falling through the cracks?

How Many Holidays Are During Sukkos?

I was privileged to present this material - in a much expanded way - for Torah In Motion on 4/30/2026

The class is available online https://torahinmotion.org/classes/parshat-emor-how-many-holidays-are-there-in-tishrei-the-strange-phenomenon-of-the-holiday

or on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XW_ZetzHvrw

If you choose to watch - I highly recommend speeding up the video to 1.5 or 1.75 speed 😇

Parshat Emor

by Rabbi Avi Billet 

The holiday we mostly call Sukkos is mentioned in the Torah five times. 

Shmos 23:16 – “And the holiday of the ingathering at the צאת (end/beginning) of the year, when you gather your doing from the field.” 

Shmos 34:22 – “And the holiday of ingathering at the תקופת (time) of the year.” 

[Many commentaries note that the words צאת and תקופת refer to a time of the year when the agricultural season comes to its conclusion, which is as the fields are closing up in advance of the winter, after the ingathering/harvest.]

In both of those cases, the Torah does not give a date, does not tell us how many days, and only mentions the concept of “ingathering” as it calls the festival “Chag HaAsif” – essentially the Jewish version of Thanksgiving.