Main| Watching| Full English Text| Summary| Torah for Today| Chanting Practice| Reading Practice| Themes and Values

Summary

This is the last parasha in the Book of Leviticus. It begins with God telling the Israelites that if they observe God’s laws “my laws – B’chukotai”, they will be blessed with prosperity. Their lands will be fertile, there will be peace in their land, and they will defeat their enemies.  However, if they do not obey God’s laws, they will be cursed by God. There will be illness, they will be defeated and occupied by their enemies, their land will not produce. However, as bad as things get, God won’t forsake the Israelites, and will wait for them to return to the way of God.

The portion ends with rules about the different types of gifts that people could give to the sanctuary – money or property.

Torah Portion in English

3) If you follow My laws and faithfully observe My commandments, 4)I will grant your rains in their season, so that the earth shall yield its produce and the trees of the field their fruit. 5) Your threshing shall overtake the vintage, and your vintage shall overtake the sowing; you shall eat your fill of bread and dwell securely in your land.

6) I will grant peace in the land, and you shall lie down untroubled by anyone; I will give the land respite from vicious beasts, and no sword shall cross your land. 7) You shall give chase to your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword. 8) Five of you shall give chase to a hundred, and a hundred of you shall give chase to ten thousand; your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.  9) I will look with favor upon you, and make you fertile and multiply you; and I will maintain My covenant with you. 10) You shall eat old grain long stored, and you shall have to clear out the old to make room for the new. 11) I will establish My abode in your midst, and I will not spurn you. 12)I will be ever present in your midst: I will be your God, and you shall be My people. 13) I the Lord am your God who brought you out from the land of the Egyptians to be their slaves no more, who broke the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect.

Getting to Know my Parasha

What Does my Parasha Say?

  1. What things will happen if we obey the commandments?
  2. What are the consequences of not following the Laws given by God?
  3. Will God forget the people, even as they do evil?
  4. What does it mean “grant peace in the land”.