Parshat B'har
by Rabbi Avi Billet
It is worthy to note that one of the most famous quotations from the Torah that has been adopted as part of American history was actually originally used, in a sense, in a proper context.
“As the Bell was created to commemorate the golden anniversary of Penn's Charter, the quotation "Proclaim Liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof," from Leviticus 25:10, was particularly apt. For the line in the Bible immediately preceding "proclaim liberty" is, "And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year." What better way to pay homage to Penn and hallow the 50th year than with a bell proclaiming liberty?" - http://www.ushistory.org/libertybell/
The proclamation of Liberty (in Hebrew “Dror”) was specifically during the Yovel (Jubilee) year, once every 50 years, when slaves went free and property was returned to original owners (for a fair market price). The Talmud (Rosh Hashana 9b) notes that the word “Dror” refers to freedom,
