The relationship between the people of Israel and God is illustrated scripturally through several metaphors: the relationship of a father and his son; the relationship of a king and his people; and even the romantic relationship between a man and a woman. Each of these metaphors appears in specific contexts.
King Solomon’s “Song of Songs” is based on the metaphor of a romantic relationship, describing the historical processes that the people of Israel went through in their relationship with God over the generations, to illustrate the foundation of love and the covenant that persists in every situation.
Meanwhile, when God sent Moses to Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt, to command him to release the Israelites from slavery, He used the metaphor of a father and son: “My firstborn son, Israel,” expressing commitment, responsibility, and concern.
However, there is another, relatively rare, metaphor that appears only once in the five books of the Torah. This is the metaphor of master and servants. On the surface, this metaphor, especially to a person of the 21st century, may not seem appealing at all. It appears in this week’s portion, Behar, and it is worth examining the specificity of its inclusion in this portion. First, it should be noted that the metaphor appears only once in the Torah and indicates that this is not the religious motivation we should aspire to.
God did not declare at Mount Sinai, “I am the Lord, your Master,” but rather “I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery” – I am the God who cared for you, treated you well, and redeemed you, as stated in several verses beforehand: “You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself.”
The appropriate religious motivation is for a person to feel gratitude to God for the kindness and abundance He has bestowed upon him/her. Nevertheless, the metaphor of master and servants does exist, but in what context?
This week’s portion primarily deals with two commandments: shmita, the sabbatical year; and yovel, the jubilee. The sabbatical year occurs in the Land of Israel every seventh year. During that year, the agricultural obligation is to leave one’s land fallow and open it to people and to animals.
The produce grown in shmita year is considered holy, and all agricultural activity – including plowing, planting, pruning, and harvesting – is forbidden. It is designated for consumption only.
The jubilee commandment is similar to that of the sabbatical year: Every 50th year, the agricultural obligation in the Land of Israel is to leave one’s land as during the sabbatical year. However, in the jubilee year, the egalitarian aspect extends to two additional areas.
The first area is the redemption of lands. In ancient Israel, people lived on the land inherited from their ancestors and did not sell it unless they encountered severe economic difficulties. In the jubilee year, all sold land returns to its original owners. Thus, the economic reality returns to its original state, where every person has land inherited from his/her ancestors and sustains himself/herself from it.
The second area in which the egalitarian aspect is expressed in the jubilee year is regarding servants. A person who was sold into slavery never went into that state willingly. However, the phenomenon of slavery did not only exist as a result of the despicable trade of slaves. There were those who fell into such dire straits that they preferred to sell themselves into slavery as long as they could survive. In the jubilee year, all Israelite slaves go free and return to their families and homes as free people. Thus, the Babylonian Talmud describes the beginning of the jubilee year:
The jubilee year
From Rosh Hashanah until Yom Kippur [of the jubilee year], the slaves eat and drink and rejoice, and their crowns are on their heads. Once Yom Kippur arrives, the court blows the shofar, and the slaves are dismissed to their homes (Tractate Rosh Hashanah).
The reason that the Torah gives for the release of the slaves in the jubilee year is as follows: “For they are My servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt; they shall not be sold as slaves” (Leviticus 25:42).
God stipulates that we are His servants – only to release us from the yoke of another person. Servitude to God is not degradation; it is the path to freedom. When we recognize that we are all God’s servants, we understand that we do not have the right to dominate others. When we internalize our servitude to God, true equality among human beings can be achieved. ■
The writer is rabbi of the Western Wall and Holy Sites.