We read the joint sedra of Behar and Bechukotai. It opens with a discussion of the laws of shemitta - the sabbatical year which occurred every seven years. The land had to lie fallow for the entire year.

After seven shemitta years, the jubilee occurred in the fiftieth year. In the jubilee year, or Yovel, the shofar was sounded on Yom Kippur as well as Rosh Hashanah.

Apart from not working on the land, other significant events took place in Yovel - slaves had to be set free and certain types of land that had been sold since the previous Yovel had to be returned to the original owner. Effectively, land sold in Israel was sold on a lease which expired in Yovel. The sale price was fixed accordingly.

The Almighty wanted the holy Land of Israel not to be bought and sold for speculative or even normal commercial considerations. One was only allowed to sell land in the first place, owing to dire financial straits.

We are also obliged to look after the poor and those suffering financial hardship. One should lend money, interest-free, to someone in need. One should also help someone by giving them a job or doing business with them or even setting them up in business! Bechukotai is mainly a series of blessings if we observe the Torah and words of rebuke if we do not. This latter portion - called the "Tochecha" - is read in an undertone. As the sedra concludes the book of Vayikra, leyening ends with the traditional "chazak".

This week we "catch up" with Israel as they read Behar alone last week and read Bechukotai this week.

Sunday is Yom Yerushalayim - Jerusalem Day - the 45th anniversary of the re-unification of Jerusalem during the Six-Day War. Rosh Chodesh Sivan occurs on Tuesday. Thus this is Shabbat Mevorchim. Shavuot occurs next Motzei Shabbat (Sunday and Monday).

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