Bechukotai

Hello,

This week's parshah is Bechukotai, the concluding portion of the book of Vayyikra (Leviticus).

Bechukotai begins with a promise of great national reward for fullfilling Gd’s commandments.

The portion continues with a warning of devastating national punishment for failure to perform the commandments. This warning, which appears twice in the Torah, is called the "Tochacha," the "Rebuke." It is traditionally read in a slightly lower, slightly faster voice than is used for the regular Torah reading, to demonstrate our desire to avoid the warning’s horrible punishments. (For more on this practice, see Megilah 25b.)

The Torah portion, concluding a book that focussed on holiness, ends with a discussion of the highest holiness – holiness which emanates from us, when we dedicate items or money for service of Gd in the Beit haMikdash (Temple).

Have a great day,
Mordechai