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26 Iyyar 5785 - May 24, 2025

Shabbat Mevarchim - Parshat Behar-Bechukotai

Rabbi's Reflections

-The Strength of Letting Go-

Parshat Behar-Bechukotai introduces us to one of the most radical and spiritually demanding mitzvot in the Torah — the mitzvah of Shemitah, the sabbatical year. As the Torah commands: “Six years you may sow your field and six years you may prune your vineyard and gather in the yield. But in the seventh year the land shall have a sabbath of complete rest, a sabbath of the Lord. You shall not sow your field or prune your vineyard” (Vayikra 25:3–4).

The Shemitah year challenges everything we assume about success, control, and security. To cease working the land for an entire year means surrendering our grasp on the very means of our livelihood. It seems counterintuitive—perhaps even reckless—to stop working and producing for such a long period. And yet, it is precisely in this surrender that the Torah locates holiness and trust. What the Torah asks of us is not merely agricultural—it is deeply existential. It demands that we loosen our grip on control and embrace a life lived in rhythm with something greater than ourselves.

An insight from Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev, in his Kedushat Levi, helps reframe the entire perspective on this mitzvah. Says the Kedushat Levi, when the land lies fallow for a year, it may appear like a time of loss and limitation. But in truth, it is a year of great spiritual opportunity—a time to connect with the Divine Root of creation, when all nature is on pause and open to the flow of blessing from above. By allowing the land to rest for a year, the human being surrenders that most fundamental of instincts—the need to control. The act of not working the land becomes an act of trust, of humility, and of profound inner strength.

What emerges from this teaching is a deeply countercultural truth: rest and surrender are not weakness, but profound spiritual power. Sometimes, the greatest growth happens not when we push harder, but when we stop pushing altogether—when we step back, breathe, and allow a different kind of growth to take place. In the quiet pause of Shemitah, something invisible begins to move. We shift from human doing to human being. We align ourselves with the rhythm of creation rather than trying to dominate it.

Indeed, in a world obsessed with constant productivity and control, the Shemitah year offers a bold and beautiful counterpoint. It teaches us that stepping back is sometimes the holiest move forward. That doing nothing—for a reason—is itself a sacred act. That true abundance comes not from the illusion of self-sufficiency, but from the courage to trust. This Shabbat, let us consider this question: In what areas of my life do I need to let go? Where do I need to rest? And where, in that space, might I finally hear the quiet voice of God beckoning blessing into my life?

Shabbat Shalom!

-Rabbi Dan

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CTI Condolences

CTI extends its deepest condolences to the Ledeen family on the passing of Michael Ledeen, of blessed memory.

CTI extends its deepest condolences to the Sutter family on the passing of Marcia and Stephen Sutter of blessed memory.

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Shmira, watching over the deceased, is a sacred mitzvah. If you would like to find out more information about how CTI engages shmira, or think you might be interested in participating in this mitzvah, please contact Larry Smith, CTI's Shmira Coordinator at lsmith@egsanalytics.com, or (512) 923-3964. 

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