Shabbat Behar

Shabbat, 17 Iyar 5784 / May 25, 2024

Day 511 Readings

Torah: Parshat Behar, 7th Portion Vayikra (Leviticus) 25:47-26:2

Leviticus 25

English Standard Version

Redeeming a Poor Man

47 “If a stranger or sojourner with you becomes rich, and your brother beside him becomes poor and sells himself to the stranger or sojourner with you or to a member of the stranger's clan, 48 then after he is sold he may be redeemed. One of his brothers may redeem him, 49 or his uncle or his cousin may redeem him, or a close relative from his clan may redeem him. Or if he grows rich he may redeem himself. 50 He shall calculate with his buyer from the year when he sold himself to him until the year of jubilee, and the price of his sale shall vary with the number of years. The time he was with his owner shall be rated as the time of a hired worker. 51 If there are still many years left, he shall pay proportionately for his redemption some of his sale price. 52 If there remain but a few years until the year of jubilee, he shall calculate and pay for his redemption in proportion to his years of service. 53 He shall treat him as a worker hired year by year. He shall not rule ruthlessly over him in your sight. 54 And if he is not redeemed by these means, then he and his children with him shall be released in the year of jubilee. 55 For it is to me that the people of Israel are servants.[a] They are my servants whom I brought out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.

Leviticus 6:2

26 “‘You are not to make yourselves any idols, erect a carved statue or a standing-stone, or place any carved stone anywhere in your land in order to bow down to it. I am Adonai your God.

2 “‘Keep my Shabbats, and revere my sanctuary; I am Adonai.

Haftarah B’har: Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) 32:6–27

Jeremiah 32:6-27

English Standard Version

6 Jeremiah said, “The word of the Lord came to me: 7 Behold, Hanamel the son of Shallum your uncle will come to you and say, ‘Buy my field that is at Anathoth, for the right of redemption by purchase is yours.’ 8 Then Hanamel my cousin came to me in the court of the guard, in accordance with the word of the Lord, and said to me, ‘Buy my field that is at Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, for the right of possession and redemption is yours; buy it for yourself.’ Then I knew that this was the word of the Lord.

9 “And I bought the field at Anathoth from Hanamel my cousin, and weighed out the money to him, seventeen shekels of silver. 10 I signed the deed, sealed it, got witnesses, and weighed the money on scales. 11 Then I took the sealed deed of purchase, containing the terms and conditions and the open copy. 12 And I gave the deed of purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah son of Mahseiah, in the presence of Hanamel my cousin, in the presence of the witnesses who signed the deed of purchase, and in the presence of all the Judeans who were sitting in the court of the guard. 13 I charged Baruch in their presence, saying, 14 ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Take these deeds, both this sealed deed of purchase and this open deed, and put them in an earthenware vessel, that they may last for a long time. 15 For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Houses and fields and vineyards shall again be bought in this land.’

Jeremiah Prays for Understanding

16 “After I had given the deed of purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah, I prayed to the Lord, saying: 17 ‘Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you. 18 You show steadfast love to thousands, but you repay the guilt of fathers to their children after them, O great and mighty God, whose name is the Lord of hosts, 19 great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose eyes are open to all the ways of the children of man, rewarding each one according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds. 20 You have shown signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, and to this day in Israel and among all mankind, and have made a name for yourself, as at this day. 21 You brought your people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs and wonders, with a strong hand and outstretched arm, and with great terror. 22 And you gave them this land, which you swore to their fathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey. 23 And they entered and took possession of it. But they did not obey your voice or walk in your law. They did nothing of all you commanded them to do. Therefore you have made all this disaster come upon them. 24 Behold, the siege mounds have come up to the city to take it, and because of sword and famine and pestilence the city is given into the hands of the Chaldeans who are fighting against it. What you spoke has come to pass, and behold, you see it. 25 Yet you, O Lord God, have said to me, “Buy the field for money and get witnesses”—though the city is given into the hands of the Chaldeans.’”

26 The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 27 “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?

B’rit Hadashah suggested readings for Parashah B’har: Luke 4:16–21; 1 Corinthians 7:21–24; Galatians 6:7–10

Luke 4:16-21

English Standard Version

Jesus Rejected at Nazareth

16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. 17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,    because he has anointed me    to proclaim good news to the poor.He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives    and recovering of sight to the blind,    to set at liberty those who are oppressed,19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”

20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

1 Corinthians 7:21-24

English Standard Version

21 Were you a bondservant[a] when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) 22 For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ. 23 You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men. 24 So, brothers,[b] in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God.

Galatians 6:7-10

English Standard Version

7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

BIBLE Study together

Isaiah 29-30

English Standard Version

The Siege of Jerusalem

1 Ah, Ariel, Ariel,    the city where David encamped!Add year to year;    let the feasts run their round.2 Yet I will distress Ariel,    and there shall be moaning and lamentation,    and she shall be to me like an Ariel.[a]3 And I will encamp against you all around,    and will besiege you with towers    and I will raise siegeworks against you.4 And you will be brought low; from the earth you shall speak,    and from the dust your speech will be bowed down;your voice shall come from the ground like the voice of a ghost,    and from the dust your speech shall whisper.

5 But the multitude of your foreign foes shall be like small dust,    and the multitude of the ruthless like passing chaff.And in an instant, suddenly,6     you will be visited by the Lord of hostswith thunder and with earthquake and great noise,    with whirlwind and tempest, and the flame of a devouring fire.7 And the multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel,    all that fight against her and her stronghold and distress her,    shall be like a dream, a vision of the night.8 As when a hungry man dreams, and behold, he is eating,    and awakes with his hunger not satisfied,or as when a thirsty man dreams, and behold, he is drinking,    and awakes faint, with his thirst not quenched,so shall the multitude of all the nations be    that fight against Mount Zion.

9 Astonish yourselves[b] and be astonished;    blind yourselves and be blind! Be drunk,[c] but not with wine;    stagger,[d] but not with strong drink! 10 For the Lord has poured out upon you    a spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes (the prophets),    and covered your heads (the seers).

11 And the vision of all this has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed. When men give it to one who can read, saying, “Read this,” he says, “I cannot, for it is sealed.” 12 And when they give the book to one who cannot read, saying, “Read this,” he says, “I cannot read.”

13 And the Lord said: “Because this people draw near with their mouth    and honor me with their lips,    while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men,14 therefore, behold, I will again    do wonderful things with this people,    with wonder upon wonder; and the wisdom of their wise men shall perish,    and the discernment of their discerning men shall be hidden.”

15 Ah, you who hide deep from the Lord your counsel,    whose deeds are in the dark,    and who say, “Who sees us? Who knows us?” 16 You turn things upside down! Shall the potter be regarded as the clay, that the thing made should say of its maker, “He did not make me”; or the thing formed say of him who formed it,    “He has no understanding”?

17 Is it not yet a very little while    until Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field,    and the fruitful field shall be regarded as a forest?18 In that day the deaf shall hear    the words of a book,and out of their gloom and darkness    the eyes of the blind shall see.19 The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the Lord,    and the poor among mankind shall exult in the Holy One of Israel.20 For the ruthless shall come to nothing    and the scoffer cease,    and all who watch to do evil shall be cut off,21 who by a word make a man out to be an offender,    and lay a snare for him who reproves in the gate,    and with an empty plea turn aside him who is in the right.

22 Therefore thus says the Lord, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob:

“Jacob shall no more be ashamed,    no more shall his face grow pale.23 For when he sees his children,    the work of my hands, in his midst,    they will sanctify my name;they will sanctify the Holy One of Jacob    and will stand in awe of the God of Israel.24 And those who go astray in spirit will come to understanding,    and those who murmur will accept instruction.”

Isaiah 30

Do Not Go Down to Egypt

1 “Ah, stubborn children,” declares the Lord,“ who carry out a plan, but not mine, and who make an alliance,[e] but not of my Spirit,    that they may add sin to sin; 2 who set out to go down to Egypt,    without asking for my direction, to take refuge in the protection of Pharaoh    and to seek shelter in the shadow of Egypt! 3 Therefore shall the protection of Pharaoh turn to your shame,    and the shelter in the shadow of Egypt to your humiliation. 4 For though his officials are at Zoan    and his envoys reach Hanes, 5 everyone comes to shame    through a people that cannot profit them, that brings neither help nor profit,    but shame and disgrace.”

6 An oracle on the beasts of the Negeb.

Through a land of trouble and anguish,    from where come the lioness and the lion,    the adder and the flying fiery serpent, they carry their riches on the backs of donkeys,    and their treasures on the humps of camels,    to a people that cannot profit them.

7 Egypt's help is worthless and empty;    therefore I have called her    “Rahab who sits still.”

Luke 23:26-31

English Standard Version

The Crucifixion

26 And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus. 27 And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him. 28 But turning to them Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ 30 Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ 31 For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

ESV Readings

Scripture

Psalm 144

English Standard Version

My Rock and My Fortress

Of David.

1 Blessed be the Lord, my rock,    who trains my hands for war,    and my fingers for battle;

2 he is my steadfast love and my fortress,    my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge,    who subdues peoples[a] under me.

3 O Lord, what is man that you regard him,    or the son of man that you think of him?

4 Man is like a breath;    his days are like a passing shadow.

5 Bow your heavens, O Lord, and come down!    Touch the mountains so that they smoke!

6 Flash forth the lightning and scatter them;    send out your arrows and rout them!

7 Stretch out your hand from on high;    rescue me and deliver me from the many waters,    from the hand of foreigners,

8 whose mouths speak lies    and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

9 I will sing a new song to you, O God;    upon a ten-stringed harp I will play to you,

10 who gives victory to kings,  who rescues David his servant from the cruel sword.

11 Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners, whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

12 May our sons in their youth    be like plants full grown, our daughters like corner pillars    cut for the structure of a palace;

13 may our granaries be full, providing all kinds of produce; may our sheep bring forth thousands    and ten thousands in our fields;

14 may our cattle be heavy with young, suffering no mishap or failure in bearing;[b]may there be no cry of distress in our streets!

15 Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall!    Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord!

Numbers 30

Obadiah 1:1-14

1 Timothy 1

English Standard Version

Greeting

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope,

2 To Timothy, my true child in the faith:

Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Warning Against False Teachers

3 As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, 4 nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship[a] from God that is by faith. 5 The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 6 Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.

8 Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, 9 understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, 10 the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers,[b] liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound[c] doctrine, 11 in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.

Christ Jesus Came to Save Sinners

12 I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, 13 though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, 14 and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. 16 But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. 17 To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever.[d] Amen.

18 This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, 19 holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith, 20 among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.