Behar - Bexukotai (BeHar: Leviticus 25:1 - 26:2; BeXukotai: Leviticus 26:3 - 27:34)

This week's Torah reading is in fact the combination of two portions. These two portions are often combined, since the system of dividing the Torah into portions is designed so that there will be enough portions for all of the Sabbaths of the year. The weekly portion is not read on holidays that come out on the Sabbath, and therefore, when there is a year during which many holidays do, some portions are joined together to that the Torah will still be completed during the year.

BeHar, literally "at Mount (Sinai)", is thus named because it begins with instructions God gives to Moses at Mount Sinai.

BeXukotai, literally "in my laws", is thus named because it begins a promises of prosperity to the people if they act according to God's laws.

BeHar: The portion begins with laws given to Moses at Mount Sinai, instructions as to the laws of the seventh year, which is called Shmitta, during which it is prohibited to work the land because it too deserved its rest. In addition, after every seven Shmitta years, there is the fiftieth year, the Yovel, when all lands return to their original owners. God promises that if the people are observant of the Shmitta, the sixth year will be prosperous and they will have no trouble with sustaining themselves during the seventh year as well.

If a man is in a desperate financial situation, his fellow Israelites must treat him well, and are forbidden to take interest from him. If a man is sold to slavery under such circumstances, he and his family are to be released in the fiftieth year. God explains that the Israelites are permanent slaves of God only and not of any human.

BeXukotai: The portion begins with a promise of prosperity for those who keep God's laws. However, if they do not, they will be punished severely, inflicted with plagues, war, hunger, destruction and exile. God promises that he will ultimately redeem his people.

The portion then gives the rules concerning different dedications to God by the people - the worth of sacrifices that are to be brought, the way to calculate the worth of land dedicated based on the number of years left until the fiftieth year, and what animals and produce may be dedicated. The portion ends by concluding that these are the laws that God gave Moses at Mount Sinai.

BeXukotai is the last portion in the Book of Leviticus. When read in the synagogue, at the end of every one of the books of the Pentateuch, the entire congregation rises and says: xazak xazak venitxazek, "strong, strong, and we will be stronger!".