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Torah: Leviticus 25:1-27:34
Haftarah: Jeremiah 16:19-17:14
Besorah: John 11:1-37

This week’s Torah portion Behar/Bechukotai (Leviticus 25:1–27:34), is a double portion that closes the book of Vayikra (Leviticus) with a deep call to trust, obedience, and covenant renewal.

In Behar, God introduces the laws of Sh’mittah (the sabbatical year) and Yovel (the Jubilee year)—radical systems of rest, release, and restoration. Bechukotai outlines the blessings for obedience and the consequences of covenant disobedience, ultimately leading us into the hopeful promise of God’s mercy and restoration.

The Haftarah from Jeremiah 16:19–17:14 echoes these themes of trust, judgment, and healing. And the Besorah from John 11:1–37 invites us into one of the most moving moments of Yeshua’s ministry—the raising of Lazarus.

Each section challenges us with this question: Where is your trust? In the land? In your strength? Or in the God who brings life out of death, rest out of burden, and restoration out of ruin?

You can download a printable copy of this portion along with study and reflection questions at the end of this post!

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Torah Portion Behar/Bechukotai: Leviticus 25:1–27:34

Understanding the Portion

In Behar, God commands the Israelites to give the land rest every seventh year (Leviticus 25:2–7), and to celebrate a Jubilee every fifty years (Leviticus 25:8–17), during which all land returns to its original owner and all Israelite slaves go free. These commands were deeply counter-cultural and required radical trust in God’s provision.

Land could not be permanently sold because “the land is Mine” (Leviticus 25:23). People could not be treated as property because “they are My servants” (Leviticus 25:42). Everything—land, labor, economics—was to reflect God’s ownership and justice.

Bechukotai outlines two paths: blessings for walking in God’s statutes, and consequences for rejecting them. The list of blessings is rich—rain in season, peace in the land, fruitfulness, and God’s presence. The warnings are sobering—disease, famine, exile. But even after judgment, God promises:

“Yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them… for I am Adonai their God”.

Leviticus 26:44

The book concludes with instructions about vows and offerings, reminding us that holiness is not just about obeying God, but keeping our word to Him.

A Little Nugget

In Leviticus 25:10, the Torah commands:

“Proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants.”

This verse is engraved on the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia. But its context is about divine justice—economic reset, social restoration, and personal freedom. True liberty begins not with human systems, but with acknowledging God as the rightful King.

Application

Behar / Bechukotai confronts us with the call to trust and obedience in a culture of control. The sabbatical and Jubilee years required people to let go—of productivity, of possessions, of power. Can we rest in God’s provision? Can we release debts, forgive wrongs, and trust that God restores what we surrender?

And when we face hardship, Bechukotai reminds us that God disciplines those He loves—not to crush, but to correct and restore. His covenant mercy is stronger than our failures.

When the Land Rests, So Do We

The laws of Sh’mittah and Yovel are not just agricultural—they are deeply spiritual. They teach us that God is not a taskmaster; He is a Redeemer. He builds rhythms of rest into His creation because He knows we are dust.

In a world that praises nonstop hustle, God commands: stop. Let the land rest. Let the slaves go free. Let debts be canceled. Why? Because He is enough. The land is not our provider—He is. Our work is not our identity—He is. And even our failures are not final—He is the God who restores.

In Bechukotai, He warns of the consequences of forgetting this truth—but He never closes the door. Even in exile, He promises to remember the covenant.

This is good news: we are never beyond the reach of redemption. And the ultimate Jubilee is still ahead, when Messiah returns and makes all things new.

But until then, He calls us to live in trust—not control.
To release—not hoard.
To forgive—not cling.
To rest—not strive.

Every Shabbat is a mini-Jubilee. Every act of release—a small resurrection. Every choice to rest is a declaration that God—not our effort—is our security.

So as the land rests, so do we—because the One who made the land is faithful to provide, to restore, and to redeem.

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Haftarah: Jeremiah 16:19–17:14

Understanding the Portion

Jeremiah speaks to a generation steeped in idolatry, warning of impending judgment. But he also speaks with hope:

“O Adonai, my strength, my fortress, my refuge in the day of affliction…”.

Jeremiah 16:19

In chapter 17, the prophet draws a sharp contrast between those who trust in man and those who trust in the Lord.

“Cursed is the one who trusts in man… Blessed is the one who trusts in Adonai, whose confidence is in Him”.

17:5–7

This echoes the message of Bechukotai—blessing and cursing are tied not to outcomes, but to the object of our trust.

He also warns that the heart is deceitful and only God can truly search and heal it. But the passage ends with a prayer of restoration:

“Heal me, Adonai, and I will be healed; save me, and I will be saved, for You are my praise.”

Trust Beyond the Surface

Jeremiah speaks to a people who have placed their trust in idols, alliances, and their own strength. God’s word through the prophet cuts to the heart:

“Cursed is the one who trusts in man… Blessed is the one who trusts in Adonai.”

This isn’t just a call to avoid idolatry—it’s an invitation to rest our hope in the only One who sees the whole story. Trust in people will always disappoint. Trust in ourselves will always fall short. But trust in God anchors us like a tree planted by water—resilient in drought, fruitful in dry seasons.

Jeremiah knew that exile was coming, but he also knew that healing could only come from the Lord. His prayer is ours: “Heal me, and I will be healed; save me, and I will be saved.” Our hearts may falter, but God never does.

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Besorah: John 11:1–37

A Closer Look

This section of John brings us into the heartache of death—and the hope of resurrection. Lazarus, a friend of Yeshua, becomes ill. His sisters send for Yeshua, confident in His healing power. But Yeshua delays, and Lazarus dies.

When Yeshua finally arrives, both Martha and Mary say the same thing:

“If You had been here, my brother would not have died.”

These are words of faith and frustration. They believed He could heal—but they didn’t yet grasp that He is the resurrection and the life.

Yeshua weeps—not just out of sorrow, but as a response to the brokenness of sin and death. This is the heart of our Messiah: holy, compassionate, and moved by our suffering.

What follows in the next verses (beyond this week’s portion) is the raising of Lazarus—a picture of the greater Jubilee to come: the final release from death, the restoration of life, the glory of God displayed in the face of Yeshua.

Application

Where are you tempted to believe that God has delayed too long? That healing, freedom, or restoration is too late? The story of Lazarus reminds us that God’s timing is not our own—but it is never too late for resurrection.

Just as the land rested and was restored in the Jubilee, and just as God promised to restore His people even in exile, so too is He faithful to bring life out of death in us.

Hope in the Delay

Martha and Mary knew Yeshua could heal. What they didn’t know was that He could raise the dead. When He delayed, they thought it was too late. But the delay wasn’t denial—it was preparation for something greater.

Yeshua meets their grief not with indifference, but with tears. He enters into their pain, even knowing that resurrection is coming. And in doing so, He shows us the heart of our Messiah—present in our sorrow, powerful in our waiting, and sovereign in our story.

If you feel like God is late—remember Lazarus. The silence of God is not the absence of God. The wait is not wasted. And resurrection is never out of reach when Yeshua is near.

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Hebrew Lesson for the Week: Gimel (ג)

This week we turn to the third letter of the Hebrew alphabet: Gimel (ג).

Sound: “G” as in “good”
Numerical Value: 3
Appearance: A figure leaning forward in motion—like a person walking.

How Gimel Is Written

ג

Spiritual Meaning of Gimel

Gimel is associated with giving, movement, and bridging. The root word gamal means “to give,” “to nourish,” or “to recompense.” In Jewish tradition, Gimel represents the giver running after the receiver, symbolized by the next letter, Dalet (ד), which represents the poor or humble.

• Gomel chasadim (גומל חסדים): One who performs acts of lovingkindness.
• Gadol (גדול): Greatness—true greatness lies in giving.

Gimel reminds us that God is our ultimate Giver, and that we are called to reflect His generosity—not just in charity, but in mercy, time, and presence.

Application

This week, reflect on:

• Where is God asking you to release or give, trusting that He will restore?
• How can you move toward someone in need—not just materially, but spiritually or emotionally?
• Are you living like a vessel of God’s generosity, or guarding what was meant to flow?

Let Gimel move you to action, compassion, and Jubilee-hearted living.

Hebrew Course

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Tree of Life (TLV) – Scripture taken from the Holy Scriptures, Tree of Life Version*. Copyright © 2014,2016 by the Tree of Life Bible Society.  Used by permission of the Tree of Life Bible Society.

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