Parasha Thoughts
By Rabbi Yosef Shemtov
This week’s Torah portion, Behar, talks about the mitzva of Shemita – the Sabbatical year. All agricultural work must stop during the seventh year. The reason for this mitzva is that we should realize that our sustenance is from G-d. Even though we need to toil and work to make money, the success ultimately comes from the Almighty. It is interesting to note that the Torah teaches the law to not cheat in business right in the middle of the laws of Shemita. What’s the connection between Shemita and not cheating?
Perhaps we can say Shemita teaches us to have faith and trust in Hashem. We should not be afraid to stop working our land. If we have faith, there is no reason to cheat. Those who don’t have faith and think their income is only a consequence of their work tend to cheat.
May Hashem help us have the ability to increase our faith day by day.
Shabbat Shalom