Leviticus 25:1-26:2

Torah Portion Behar is all about hitting the pause button every now and then with ideas like the Sabbatical Year and the Jubilee Year at the forefront. These concepts aren’t simply routine breaks; they are magnificent cycles of rest and release that suggest a deeper understanding of life and spirituality.

The Sabbatical Year, or Shmita, proposes that every seventh year the land rests, echoing the seventh day of creation. It isn’t just about agriculture. It emphasizes trust, letting go, and recognizing something bigger than ourselves at play. Can you imagine planning your life rhythm to allow for that kind of reset?

Then there’s the Jubilee Year that follows every seventh cycle of Shmita. Every 50th year brings about the release of debts and return of property, fostering an atmosphere of equality and starting afresh. It’s a powerful reflection of liberty, reminding us of the importance of community and restoration. This profound principle gives us a glimpse of how society can reflect inclusion and fairness.

Historically, these teachings came amidst a time when Israelites were transitioning from slavery to a community governed by divine principles. Picture the challenges and hope in pioneering a new social order rooted in ethical living and justice. These laws spoke directly to their hearts and can definitely resonate with our modern quest for a balanced and just society.

Socially, Behar provides a blueprint for a system where everyone has a chance to thrive. It challenges us to think about how we engage with the world today, especially when it comes to examining our practices around fairness, generosity, and responsibility. How might we implement these principles in our communities and personal lives to create a society that’s fairer and more compassionate?

Embracing the lessons from Behar could very well act as a catalyst for personal and communal transformation. It prompts us to ask ourselves if there are setups in our lives that need a reset or areas where fairness could lead to real freedom for ourselves and others.

Messianic Insights: Finding Messiah Yeshua in Behar

Torah Portion Behar doesn’t stop with rules and cycles; it’s rich with Messianic insights that resonate deeply for followers of Yeshua. These stories and laws offer glimpses into the mission and legacy of the Messiah.

The Jubilee year, signaling a time of release and restoration, is a vivid picture of redemption—a concept central to Yeshua’s teachings. The idea of complete freedom, debts forgiven, and slaves being set free resonates with Yeshua’s role as redeemer. How could this ancient tradition be a precursor to the hope and liberation brought by the Messiah?

“The Spirit of ADONAI is upon me; therefore he has anointed me to announce Good News to the poor; he has sent me to proclaim freedom for the imprisoned and renewed sight for the blind, to release those who have been crushed, to proclaim a year of the favor of ADONAI.” After closing the scroll and returning it to the shammash, he sat down; and the eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on him. He started to speak to them: “Today, as you heard it read, this passage of the Tanakh was fulfilled!”
(Luke 4:18-21 CJB)

Alongside is the understanding of Sabbath rest. For believers, this is more than just ceasing work. It’s about finding true rest in Yeshua. The Sabbath Year, where land and people alike come to a standstill, portrays a spiritual rest—a rest that Yeshua invites all to enter.

Moreover, Behar’s principles of land and liberty draw direct lines to Yeshua’s proclamation of good news to the poor, liberty to captives, and sight to the blind. These aren’t just prophetic parallels; they’re evidence of how He came to embody the ideals of charity, equity, and grace.

So he answered them by saying, “Go, tell Yochanan what you have been seeing and hearing: the blind are seeing again, the lame are walking, people with tzara`at are being cleansed, the deaf are hearing, the dead are being raised, the Good News is being told to the poor…
(Luke 7:22 CJB)

Behar challenges us to see beyond the law and embrace its spirit. Yeshua’s life and teachings transform these old principles into living actions. It serves as a spiritual archetype, pushing us toward deeper love, forgiveness, and community. For believers, this means living out these truths actively.

Can you see how these themes find life in Yeshua’s revolutionary message? Behar tells of a divine setup, echoing with hopes of justice and redemption. Followers are encouraged to see Yeshua as the fulfillment of these ancient insights, guiding them towards meaningful faith in action.

Living the Message: Life Applications for Followers of Yeshua

Engaging with the teachings of Behar offers a chance for genuine reflection on how we live out our faith in everyday life. These aren’t just historical laws but rather timeless principles we can incorporate into our daily walk with Yeshua.

The Sabbatical and Jubilee principles challenge us to value rest and release. In a fast-paced world, these concepts remind us of the importance of slowing down, trusting God with our resources, and releasing burdens that hold us down. Could your life be in need of this divine pause, offering renewal not just physically but spiritually?

Practically, this might mean reevaluating how we deal with people and resources. Showing mercy, forgiving debts—literal and emotional—and practicing generosity with others reflect those same values. These actions mirror Yeshua’s call to love our neighbors and open paths to deeper communal ties.

Embracing Behar’s message means seeing every opportunity to restore and uplift those around us. These principles of generosity, rest, and freedom serve as a roadmap for navigating life’s challenges, turning faith into tangible actions that benefit both ourselves and our communities. Imagine the changes that can come from living these truths with intentionality.

Messianic communities today have a unique chance to embody these values collectively. By committing to practices rooted in equity and compassion, they can showcase the love and redemption supposedly fulfilled in Yeshua.

Reflecting on the impact of Behar shows us that its message about societal fairness and personal redemption still speaks loudly today. Can we utilize this wisdom to challenge and inspire our path forward in faith?

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Dale Solberg is a guest writer at Messianic Torah Portion offering a commentary and devotional thoughts from a Messianic Perspective on each week’s Torah reading. His views and opinions do not necessarily reflect those of The Messianic Light. You can reach Dale at dale@messianictorahportion.com.

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are taken from the Complete Jewish Bible, Copyright © 1998 and 2016 by David H. Stern. Used by permission. All copyrights reserved worldwide.

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