As I type this, rain drops are cascading onto the greening lawns in South Minneapolis and, undoubtedly, in other nearby areas. (I hear it will snow up north today, but let's not talk about that.) The rain couldn't be more perfectly timed. In this last portion of the book of Leviticus, Bechukotai (the second half of a double portion with Parashat Behar), God tells us that if we follow God's laws and commandments faithfully, our reward will be rain. Rain? That seems like a strange reward. But wait! God doesn't just say there will be rain, but that the rains will fall at the right time, allowing the earth to grow produce and the trees to bear fruit. Nature will flourish (Leviticus 26:3-5). (Remember that ever-greener grass in Minneapolis?) But God doesn't stop there. With produce, with fruits and vegetables, we will have our fill of food and we'll live in safety. God will grant peace in the land.
That last bit is the key. If we have enough to eat (not just us, but the whole world), there will be peace. How do we get enough to eat? When the world functions the way its supposed to and the rains fall in their appointed times. How do we get that to happen? By following God's commandments. Well, as Reform Jews, what does that mean for us? A lot of things, of course. Rashi and Ibn Ezra explain that following God's laws means studying, doing, and teaching. Sforno takes this one step further and says that studying, doing, and teaching help us fulfill God's intention that we are created in God's image, after God's likeness. We are partners in Creation with God and we have an obligation to act like God in the world. Behave in a way that represents God well - feed the hungry, take care of the environment, take a break (on Shabbat, of course), help make peace - and God will bless us so that each person has enough and can live in peace.
As we finish Leviticus, the third book of Torah, we say, "Chazak, chazak, v'nitchazeik - Be strong, be strong, and together we will be strengthened." We're all in this together; let's act accordingly. Shabbat Shalom!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment