Parashat Behar

Behar (בְּהַר — Hebrew for “On the Mount”)

Ironically for the next two weeks I won’t be able to transcribe Hillel’s #snapchatorah because I’ll be in Israel. So I’m giving a run at writing a D’var Torah that connects to modern life. In short Behar tells the laws of the Shmita and limits on debt slavery.

Shmita is the 7th year of the 7 year agricultural cycle, in which the land is not worked on (Plowing, planting, harvesting). Similar to the lessons we learn from the weekly Shabbat, I believe we should take a rest period in our lives even if we are not farmers. When I was younger I did not like shabbat, because that meant not being able to watch TV; missing Saturday morning cartoons. Now I look forward to the break of no Email, notifications, or any other distraction. I have a mini vacation every week where I can truly unwind and get off the grid. I’d burn out if I worked without breaks, as would any founder no matter how much passion and caffeine he or she had.

Another example of taking a planned rest is in the Gym. Bodybuilders use a rest day in order to get the best long term results. During rest is when the muscle is repaired and gets stronger. If you are always breaking down the muscle, you won’t grow. If you were driving would you floor it until you went out of gas? What would your chances be of stopping right where a gas station is? From bodybuilding, farming, driving, work, we all need rest periods to be at our best.