Parasha: Behar-Bechukotai

Parasha: Behar-Bechukotai
Leviticus 25:1–27:34

“I will grant you rains in their seasons, so that the earth shall yield its produce and the trees of the field their fruit.”

— Leviticus 26:4

This reward for being faithful to the commandments of the Torah is a difficult one. We know, empirically, that the cycles of weather act independent of human behavior, and we rightfully reject those who claim a natural disaster was caused by some kind of moral permissiveness disfavored by a certain group. But yet, there is truth to this statement to this reward. While our weather isn’t dependent on the strict following of the Torah commandments, we know that the Torah leads us to values, and one of those commandments, Bal Tashchit, do not waste/destroy is a call for us to be mindful of how our actions impact the environment of the world in which we live. So while tomorrow or next week’s forecast won’t be affected by our actions, this reward serves as a reminder that the long term health of our climate and the ability of those in agricultural occupations to provide for our needs is clearly impacted by our actions, and the commandments of the Torah help lead us to taking care of our precious world.

— Rabbi Daniel Plotkin