Miller's Musings Parshas Behar-Bechukosai: What You Worrying About!

בס''ד

There are many elements of Judaism that could be described as pivotal to our beliefs, but trust and faith in G-d is surely universally accepted as central to life as a Torah Jew.  The mitzvah of Shemitta, where all land is left fallow every seven years, is in essence an exercise in fostering that faith and reliance on Hashem.  By abstaining from any form of cultivation of your crops, one is inevitably internalising the lesson that everything is ultimately from G-d, and if He decrees that this gift He has bestowed should be left untouched, then so be it.  The Torah verbalises that which every Jew would say when it came to the sixth year, questioning “What will we eat in the seventh year?”.  But this does leave us with a question as to why this concern would arise in the sixth year, when the land would still be plentiful and no lack of agriculture has yet occurred?

When does a person worry about money?  Is it only when they have none, or is it even when they have plenty?  The answer to this question is rooted in an understanding of the psyche of many people.  There are some that no matter how much they have now, they always fear for what they will have in the future.  Despite, as things stand, having more than enough, they are nonetheless anxious for what lies in store for them.  These are the people the Torah refers to.  These are the people, says Reb Elyashiv zt’l, that even in the sixth year, when the produce is abundant and the storehouses are full, still ask “what will we eat in the seventh year?”.  Those who lack the deep faith we are required to have, will show who they truly are, even when there is nothing lacking at all.  

Irrespective of our claims that we know all livelihood comes only from Hashem, if we honestly examine our thoughts and deeds, we may question if this is truly so.  Do we not at times show profound worry and concern when the future seems uncertain?  Do we not rue missed opportunities for profit and despair at our financial losses?  And even when it is all going well, are we still not on occasion apprehensive about what may be around the corner for us? All these feelings are perfectly understandable, yet are clearly the result of a certain lack of belief.  If we truly believed, as we should, that it is all entirely determined by Hashem, then whatever befell us would be deemed as for the best and whatever lay ahead could be relied upon to be exactly what we need.  We must strengthen this conviction within ourselves and begin to live a life free from such concerns that are simply not for us. 

*May Shabbos imbue us with the faith that we need*

                                                               

לעילוי נשמת לאה בת אברהם 

לעילוי נשמת שרה יעל בת גרשון

לרפואת אלימלך יהושע אהרון בן דבורה רבקה