Shabbat Behar & Behukotai – The Good the Bad and the Ugly
The book of the Torah called Vayikra or Leviticus, is also called the Book of Purity.
It deals with the relationship between human beings and God. And the rituals we should follow to ensure that we think of Hashem in our daily lives. And the role of the priesthood in ancient times in mediating between us and God. But it also deals with how we should relate to other people by giving us a list of laws that encourage us to be better and more conscious of what we do to others. How we treat other human beings is as important as how we relate to God.
Towards the end of the book comes what is called the Tochecha, the Rebuke. A list of all the good things that can come about if we behave well. And a longer list of the awful things that will happen if we allow idolatry and corruption to rule. It is as if the Torah is saying, “I know you are going to do wrong things and make mistakes. And as a result, you’re going to suffer. And life may well be terrible as a result. And in some communities, the custom is to read these curses very quickly in a low-key and hushed voice.
And yet, despite all the awful things that may happen to us and in fact did, there is hope. We should know that it’s also possible to make life better by being a good person and helping others. I don’t think this is meant to be a guarantee that if we’re good the world then automatically life will be better for us and if we’re bad it will be worse. But it is about the best approach to life we should have. It is up to us to make our lives more tolerable no matter what goes on around us if we have the right approach to life which is to focus on the positive.
The Torah is talking to the Israelites in general, to the nation. And that is why it ends with the promise that despite our going off the tracks, in the end, God will never completely abandon us and will ensure we survive. “Despite all this, even when they are in the lands of their enemies, I will neither reject or obliterate them nor cancel my covenant with them”(Leviticus 26:44). We will survive.
This is the national message. But how are we expected to respond in our own lives? For this, we need to turn to the book of Kohelet, Ecclesiastes. It starts very cynically by asking what’s the point of life. We’re all going to suffer to some degree, and we will die. So why bother? The book points out all the negative aspects of life, which is what we humans tend to do. We tend to see the cup half empty instead of half full. All the things that go wrong rather than right.
But Ecclesiastes says seven times that the most important thing is to be positive, to look at the good things in life. Even if part of your body may be in pain at this moment, think of the parts of your body that are working well. Think of the good things you have done in life. If you are surrounded by unpleasant negative people, look for people who are positive and good. Count your blessings as they say. There is so much good in this world, although often it seems so negative, and so many are willing to help. That is where we should look for support and comfort.
Rabbi Jeremy Rosen lives in New York. He was born in Manchester. His writings are concerned with religion, culture, history and current affairs – anything he finds interesting or relevant. They are designed to entertain and to stimulate. Disagreement is always welcome.`
