Ilustration Credit: Elad Lifshitz, Dov Abramson Studio
In This Week’s Parashah: מָה בַּפָּרָשָׁה
Full Parashah Reading: Vayikra 19:1-20:27
- God commands Benei Yisrael to be holy because God is holy.
- The parashah lists many different mitzvot that touch on different aspects of life:
- Farmers should leave a corner of their fields unharvested. People who are poor, or from far away places, can come and gather what they need.
- If you’re a boss, pay your workers right away. If you work in business, use precise measurements. If you’re a judge, treat everyone fairly.
- Vulnerable populations get extra protection. You can’t place a stumbling block in front of a person who is blind, or curse a person who is deaf. Elderly people should get extra respect.
- Some more general rules for good behavior include not gossiping, not taking revenge, and letting people know when they are doing something wrong.
- The parashah also includes rules that are not obviously interpersonal: don’t worship idols, wait three years to eat from a new fruit tree, don’t crossbreed animals or crops, and only eat kosher animals.
-------------------
