Freedom: Being G-d's Servant - Parsha Behar

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Freedom: Being G-d's Servant: Parsha Behar

The different categories of servants in the Torah, and their symbolism and relevance even nowadays in our spiritual service of G-d.

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Aaron L. Raskin

Rabbi Aaron L. Raskin is the official Chabad emissary to downtown Brooklyn, rabbi of Congregation B’nai Avraham in Brooklyn Heights, New York and Dean of Brooklyn Heights Jewish Academy. He is the author of the books, “Thank You God for Making Me a Woman", "Letters of Light", "By Divine Design", and "Guardian of Israel", and the co-author of "The Rabbi & The CEO".

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4 Comments

Anonymous May 14, 2015

still confused.... Ok, but this does not apply to the "amah avriah", right? Our purpose here is to elevate the material world and transform our own animal souls. How do Moshe's 120 years represent all of eternity? Is "all eternity" synonymous with the 6000 years?? Do we have to expire to bring Moshiach? Are we not married to G-d through our Torah study and mitzvos performance? Are we only "married" when we finally die? And where is the hope that death will be swallowed forever with the coming of Moshiach? So depressing ! Reply

Rabbi Raskin Bklyn Hts. NY May 13, 2015

Dear Anonymous,

1) In exodus 21:6 - it says that "the slave will remain- le'olam"- meaning forever,
however, in leviticus 25:10 regarding jubilee it says "he shall return to his family" , so our sages say that this is referring to a slave hence the maximum time of a jewish slave is 50 years.
2) Kalos; literally means expiring of the soul. Everything wants to return to its source. The soul in the body is limited in its connection to G-d and when it recognizes the greatness of G-d, wants to shed itself of the body and return to its source.

with blessings for success! Reply

Anonymous May 13, 2015

Confused with the Rab Tzvi story only I understood the idea of 120 x 50=6000 and I understood Rav Tzvi was blessing his rav to live 120 years as Moshe but how is it that 120 represents forever, l'olam, or that Jubilee (50) is called l'olam, forever, if what we are speaking of is actually not forever at all but the very limited time of the 6000 Exile years? Also, regarding the word "kalus" and its meaning why does the soul need to yearn to "truly expire" in order to become One with G-d? Reply

Avshalom G 65807 May 5, 2013

Behar In this world of self rights, self sufficiency, self entitlement etc. etc., this timely message of "servanthood," is paramount in understanding our purpose as servants to our Holy Master. The joys of servanthood far out-weigh anything Egypt could ever offer, and put us face to face in the light of our King. At the fifth level, I could not help but think of the Song of Shlomo, and the exhuberance of being His bride.

Profound, insightful, and a wonderful teaching, on a subject that is often forgotten in our world today.

Thank you Rabbi! Reply

Freedom: Being G-d's Servant: Parsha Behar

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