Rabbi Howard Morrison

In a conventional Jewish calendar year, last week's portion of Bhar and this week's portion of Bechukotai are read as a single unified portion. In a leap year, with four additional weeks on the calendar, they are split into separate Shabbat Torah readings. As many of you heard last week from Caren Leinwand, ever since my Bar Mitzvah, with the exception of Covid, I have always chanted Bhar, my Bar Mitzvah portion publicly, until last week. Instead of reading it, I lived it and walked it.

Bhar, Leviticus chapter 25, mentions Israel 20 times. Bechuotai, chapter 26, mentions Israel 23 times. As a unified double parsha, Israel is mentioned 43 times int total, more references than anywhere else in Torah.

Take a few examples from today's reading:

"Vee'Shavtem La'Vetach B'Artzchem - You shall dwell securely in your land (Lev 26:5)." Clearly, this has not happened yet. However, our Sages understand this verse to mean that within the Jewish people, there will be unity. Since the horrors of October 7, there indeed has been more unity within the Jewish people. 21 people from Beth Emeth saw this to be true from May 14-22.

"V'Natati Shalom B'Artzchem - I will grant peace in the Land (Lev. 26:6)." The very next verse - How does it differ from the previous one? Our Sages understand this verse to mean that there will be peace in the land between Jews and her non-Jewish neighbors. Clearly, this is not the case yet. Our Arab Israeli bus driver loves living in Israel. He could not get the same rights anywhere else. He served in the IDF. His two sons are currently serving in Gaza. Yet, we also met a woman from his Moshav who does not get it, even with direct evidence as to the horrors just a 45-minute bus ride away.

My friends - I am not going to retrace our solidarity mission step by step, like a journal or diary. I have done that for us. You can find nine daily blogs with pictures on the shul website. What I will share is how we fulfilled our three goals:

We went to Israel to bear witness, and we did. We saw two safe houses from inside where unspeakable horrors took place. We saw the Nova music festival site, where unspeakable horrors took place. We went to hostage square and saw families and friends who are mourning terrible loss and who want their loved ones taken hostage brought home. A democracy with diverse opinions - We took note that almost every Israeli wants the same - Bring them home now and uproot Hamas. We beared witness to the resolve and resilience from IDF soldiers in their early 20's enjoying a barbecue we made for them. We beared witness from the IDF units we saw at Castel, at Mt. Herzl cemetery and other places.  They are all committed to their mission and purpose.

We went to Israel to learn the truth from impacted families, and we did. We heard live and in person a mother speak about her son who is still a hostage. Is he dead? alive? How can one begin to understand a mother's pain? We heard live and in person two elderly parents whose daughter was murdered while protecting her two young children. How can one begin to understand the pain of these parents and grandparents? We visited a relocated Kibbutz, now temporarily called a vertical Kibbutz in a Tel Aviv skyscraper whose community was attacked on October 7. We met with people who cannot go back home right now. How can one begin to understand the pain of individuals and families who cannot live the pioneer style they were dedicated to in planting a Kibbutz lifestyle? Even in our hotel, we met some individuals for whom the hotel is now their temporary home because they have been evacuated, at least for now.

We went to Israel to simply offer some help and we did. We pruned at a vineyard. We got a farm ready for the growth of tomatoes. We packed and boxed fruits and vegetables. We made a hundred submarine chicken salad sandwiches which were delivered same day for IDF soldiers serving in Gaza. We packed all kinds of beans at Pantry Packers to be shipped to hungry Israelis all over the country.

In Bechukotai, we read: "I will remember my covenant with Jacob . . . with Isaac . . . with Abraham, and I will remember the land (Lev. 26:42)." This is the only verse in the entire Torah where the land itself is personified. We are commanded to treat the actual land of Israel with the same love and respect as we would a fellow human being.

My friends - I felt safer in Israel than I do in parts of Toronto. I felt safer in Israel than I did in parts of New York city, when I visited my son in February. We all know that the situation for Jews all over in the Diaspora world is fraught with danger right now. I was still away when a neighboring girls' Yeshiva was shot up on a Shabbat. I was still away when a Jewish boy was bullied and afraid to attend his Faywood Arts School. However, we need to assume that same resolve and resilience that 21 of us witnessed in Israel. Do not be afraid to be Jewish in public. Careful - Yes! Afraid - No! Walk with Israel a week from tomorrow. Wear your bracelets, your dog tags, your tie, your Kippa, your Tzizit.

We Jews are a small minority. But truth is on our side, and we are not totally alone. Some TV personalities actually get it - Dr.Phil, Bill Maher, Megyn Kelly, Mark Levin, Jerry Seinfeld, Douglas Murray, amongst others.

If we need any inspiration boost, take into your hearts, souls, and minds, the three word postscript when we complete reading a book of the Torah: "Chazak Chazak V'Nitchazek - Be of strength, be of strength, and let us be strengthened together."

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Howard Morrison