We’ve got your back D’var Torah Parshat Bechukotai

Liluei Nishmat (for the raising of the soul in the next world) of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai author of the Zohar whose Yahrtzeit we commemorate this Sunday Lag’Baomer

In his weekly column on the parsha former chief Rav of England Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks makes note of how in this weeks parsha, in the midst of one of the harshest curses against the Jewish people, the sages found a beautiful message about how we should relate to our fellow Jewish brethren. This message I believe we can also ultimately extend to the rest of humanity as well.

The curse describes how  GOD “ will bring despair into the hearts of those of you [Bnei Yisrael} who survive in enemy territory. Just the sound of a windblown leaf will put them to running, and they will run scared as if running from a sword! They will fall even when no one is chasing them! They will stumble over each other…..” (Vayikra 26:36-37 trans. from the website of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks). The Sages however, taught to read the part of the verse “They will stumble over each other,” as they will stumble because of one another teaching that all Jews are responsible for one another.

While we don’t need to take on the mission of taking the responsibility to help every Jew across the globe it is important for us to help our fellow Jews in any way we can. We can do this with things as small as taking responsibility to help our families with different errands.

Additionally we can extend this mission of responsibility to help not only our own people but the rest of humanity as well. GOD willing this sense of responsibility will lead us to act to help others around us bringing us one step closer to the era of the Moschiach may he come speedily in our days.

Good Shabbos, Shabbat Shalom Gut Shabbes and have a very enjoyable Lag Baomer