BEBY Blasts

Shalom Everyone,
 
This past Thursday was Lag Ba'Omer - the 33rd day of the Omer (the period between Pesach and Shavuot). There are a two main things that traditionally happened on this day.

1. Rabbi Akiva's students were dying because of a plague and on Lag Ba'Omer the plague ended.
2. Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai was a student of Rabbi Akiva who survived the plaque. Years later, he died on Lag Ba'Omer. Just before he passed away, he told his students that they should make a celebration out of the day.

Those two events seem completely disconnected, but there is something so important that connects them: 

The Talmud tells us that the reason most of Rabbi Akiva's students died in the plague is because they didn't show each other respect. Even though they were all scholars, they would never listen to each other if they had different opinions. On Lag Ba'Omer they stopped dying because they finally learned the most important lesson in the whole Torah - as Rabbi Akiva had taught them: VeAhavta L'Rei'acha Kamocha - ואהבת לרעך כמוך - Love others the way you love yourself. Just like we all want others to hear out opinions, we need to want to hear other peoples' opinions - even if we disagree.

Rabbi Shimon said that every Jew, no matter who they are should come together and celebrate because that was the whole purpose of all of his teachings - to bring about
Ahavat Yisrael - a Love of Israel. 

In past years, hundreds of thousands of people from all different backgrounds came together celebrate in Meron, the town in Israel where Rabbi Shimon is burried. They also lit big bonfires to symbolize how we should each let our
inner fire shine brightly.

With Lag Ba'Omer in mind, let's all come together and
let our souls shine!

Shavuot is two weeks away and we are looking to celebrate all middle and high school grad from our Beth Emeth community. Let us know if you are graduating so we can celebrate you and your accomplishments!

The Bnai Mitzvah Experience continues on Sunday with an in-person tour of Beth Emeth.

The Anne Frank exhibit from the Anne Frank house in Amsterdam is is open to tour for members 
Mondays - Thursdays from 1 - 4pm.

SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE PROGRAMMING AND REGISTRATION INFORMATION!

Parshat Behar - A Time to Rest
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Parshat Behar takes place over a year after leaving Egypt and getting the Torah. It begins by telling us that everything in the parshah was also taught to Moshe at Mount Sinai - the moment when we ALL experienced hearing HaShem's voice. The parshah goes on to tell us about Shemita and Yovel - special holidays in the land of Israel when we are supposed to let the land rest from planting new crops. HaShem then promises that no one will go hungry and that there will always be enough food for everyone during the years of Shemita and Yovel.

Just like HaShem gave people Shabbat - a day off at the end of the work week, HaShem gave the Land of Israel Shemita. (Fun fact: THIS YEAR is a Shemita year and many farmers, even now, leave their fields alone and don't harvest the food that regrows naturally, instead letting whomever wants come and take freely.)

The end of the Parshah then reminds us that HaShem took us out of slavery, that everything in our lives comes from HaShem, and that we need to remember both to work hard, but also to keep Shabbat - and make sure that we take time to rest after that hard work. In that way - by both working hard, trusting HaShem, and taking time to rest ourselves and the land, we will feel the most connected to HaShem, Israel, freedom and life!

Discussion Questions:

1. Why is it important to let the land rest?

2. If Shemita on applies to land in Israel, how is it still important to people who live outside of Israel (like us)?

3. If you owned a farm in Israel, do you think you would keep Shemita? Why?
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Beth Emeth Bais Yehuda Synagogue
100 Elder Street
Toronto, ON M3H 5G7