Behar-Bechukotai
Fidget Spinners and the Parshah
Dear Friend,
Have you been to the playground lately? You must have noticed that the kids have little contraptions whirring on their fingers. Yes, fidget spinners (and their cousins, fidget cubes) have taken the (juvenile) world by storm, infiltrating classrooms and parks, and even appearing at the dinner table.
What does all this cycling have to do with Judaism?
Well, this week’s Torah portion is all about cycles—the seven-year Shemittah (Sabbatical) cycle, followed by the 50-year Yovel (Jubilee) cycle.
Life, however, is not a merry-go-round (or a fidget spinner). Even as the seasons repeat themselves, we don’t get off exactly where we get on. Time is not a cycle, but a spiral. So, will you be spiraling upward or downward? For that, we have the continuation of the Parshah, which gives us guidelines for honest and productive communal life. As long as we aspire to live in accordance with G‑d’s wishes and help others, we can be assured that we will be propelled ever higher and higher.
Enjoy your read!
The Chabad.org Editorial Team
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