Parshah through the Mediator’s Lens: Behar-Bechukotai

This week’s double Torah portion, Behar-Bechukotai (Leviticus 25:1–27:34), presents insights into justice, fairness, and societal balance; concepts at the heart of mediation and dispute resolution.

A Brief Overview of Behar-Bechukotai

The portion of Behar introduces the revolutionary concepts of the Sabbatical Year (Shemitah) and the Jubilee Year (Yovel). Every seventh year, the land is to lie bare, and in the fiftieth year, ancestral lands return to their original owners, and slaves go free. These laws reflect a deep societal commitment to equity, rest, and restoration, emphasizing the temporary nature of ownership and the need for economic resets.

Bechukotai closes the book of Leviticus with a powerful “if-then” proposition: if the Israelites follow God’s commandments, they will be blessed; if not, they will face severe consequences. It ends with laws regarding vows and the redemption of sacred things.

The Conflict: Economic Inequality and Debt Forgiveness

One of the most striking tensions in Behar is the requirement to release debts and return land during the Jubilee year. This mandate disrupts the natural accumulation of wealth and power, ensuring that no individual or family remains permanently dispossessed (imagine this in today’s world). However, this system also creates friction; those who have acquired land or wealth may feel unjustly stripped of their gains, while those in debt may struggle with the uncertainty of relying on communal resets.

This conflict arises from competing values: economic stability versus social equity. On one hand, long-term ownership fosters security and investment. On the other, unchecked accumulation leads to systemic inequality, where the poor remain trapped in cycles of hardship. The Torah’s solution is radical: forcing a reset, reminding society that land ultimately belongs to G-d, and that human transactions must reflect divine justice.

A Modern Application: Property Disputes and Restorative Mediation

In contemporary legal practice, disputes over property—whether family inheritance issues, landlord-tenant disagreements, or business ownership rights—often mirror the dynamics in Behar. One party may feel a deep connection to property based on legacy or emotional investment, while the other may rely on it for livelihood and security.

Mediation, inspired by the Torah’s values, seeks not to erase these tensions but to balance them through transparency, fairness, and an acknowledgment of each party’s dignity. The Jubilee laws remind us that ownership is never absolute; it’s conditional and communal. They call upon us to center restoration over retribution. In practical terms, this means:

1. Recognizing the Human Element – The Jubilee year acknowledges that financial hardship is not always a result of personal failure but of systemic forces. Modern mediators can apply this by considering context, ensuring that resolutions account for external pressures rather than solely individual responsibility.
2. Balancing Stability and Equity – Just as the Torah does not abolish ownership but regulates it, mediators can craft solutions that preserve financial agreements while integrating fairness. This might involve structured repayment plans, temporary relief measures, or negotiated settlements that prevent long-term harm.
3. Encouraging Trust and Renewal – The Torah’s economic resets foster trust in divine provision. In mediation, trust-building is crucial—whether through transparent communication, restorative justice models, or agreements that allow for future renegotiation.

Final Thought

Behar-Bechukotai challenges us to consider not just how we resolve disputes, but why. Is the goal mere finality, or is it restoration of dignity, balance, and community trust?

As mediators, we are not just neutral third parties—we are builders of shalom, peace. By rooting our practice in Torah principles, we strive to offer more than settlement: we offer redemption, in the spirit of the Jubilee.

Shabbat Shalom.

—

Each week, Ari Sliffman, a Jewish legal mediator in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania discusses the week’s Parshah “through the lens of a mediator.” Ari focuses on one or two sections of the Parshah and discuss how a mediator could have assisted with the relevant conflict.