Behar/Bechukotai
Torah Portion: Leviticus 25:1-27:34
Leviticus 27:1-15
27:1 Hashem spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them, ‘When a man consecrates a person to Hashem in a vow, according to your valuation, 3 your valuation of a male from twenty years old to sixty years old shall be fifty shekels of silver, according to the shekel of the sanctuary. 4 If she is a female, then your valuation shall be thirty shekels. 5 If the person is from five years old to twenty years old, then your valuation shall be for a male twenty shekels, and for a female ten shekels. 6 If the person is from a month old to five years old, then your valuation shall be for a male five shekels of silver, and for a female your valuation shall be three shekels of silver. 7 If the person is from sixty years old and upward; if he is a male, then your valuation shall be fifteen shekels, and for a female ten shekels. 8 But if he is poorer than your valuation, then he shall be set before the priest, and the priest shall assign a value to him. The priest shall assign a value according to his ability to pay.
9 “‘If it is an animal of which men offer an offering to Hashem, all that any man gives of such to Hashem becomes holy. 10 He shall not alter it, nor exchange it, a good for a bad, or a bad for a good. If he shall at all exchange animal for animal, then both it and that for which it is exchanged shall be holy. 11 If it is any unclean animal, of which they do not offer as an offering to Hashem, then he shall set the animal before the priest; 12 and the priest shall evaluate it, whether it is good or bad. As the priest evaluates it, so it shall be. 13 But if he will indeed redeem it, then he shall add the fifth part of it to its valuation.
14 “‘When a man dedicates his house to be holy to Hashem, then the priest shall evaluate it, whether it is good or bad. As the priest evaluates it, so it shall stand. 15 If he who dedicates it will redeem his house, then he shall add the fifth part of the money of your valuation to it, and it shall be his.
Today's Meditation:
Today, we read about dedicating people, animals, and houses to Hashem. I’m not sure exactly what this meant, but here are instructions on how to do it. It makes me think. Do we dedicate everything we have to Hashem? Do we dedicate our children, our spouses, our homes, our jobs, and our belongings to Him? Or do we believe we earned it all through our hard work and initiative? When we bought the house we live in, we had some special friends come over, anoint it with oil, walk the property boundaries, and dedicate it to Hashem. I believe this house has been set apart for Him. And now that we are selling it and moving it, I pray that a family who loves Hashem will continue to know it is really His and belongs to Him.
Today’s Challenge:
Today, I challenge you to reflect on the things in your life that you own. Your home, kids, family, and material items. If you haven’t already dedicated them to Hashem, then do so today. Take time to pray and even to anoint your children, your home, etc., with oil. Give it all to Hashem and thank Him for all He has given you.
