Behar-Bechukotai (בְּהַר – “on the mountain”, בְּחֻקֹּתַי – “in My laws”)
Leviticus 25:1 – 27:34 and Jeremiah 16:19-17:14
The parashah Behar-Bechukotai teaches the laws of Yovel [1] and Shemitah [2], reminding that the land belongs to God and must be cultivated with respect. It speaks of blessings linked to obedience and curses in case of transgression, reaffirming constant faithfulness to His covenant. The Haftarah of Jeremiah emphasizes the importance of trusting in God rather than wealth or power. Man, as the guardian of the land, must use it with wisdom, faith, and fairness.
Jeremiah 17:7
בָּרוּךְ הַגֶּבֶר, אֲשֶׁר יִבְטַח בַּה’; וְהָיָה ה’, מִבְטַחוֹ.
Blessed is the man who trusts in God, and whose hope is in Him.
This trust is reflected in the way the land is cultivated at Kibbutz Sde Eliyahu. This kibbutz practices organic farming and uses insects [3] to control pests and ensure pollination in greenhouses and open fields.
In this religious kibbutz, a synagogue, a beit midrash, a regional religious school, an ulpan, and a volunteer program provide a setting for life and learning based on Jewish traditions. Students alternate between three days of work and three days of study, benefiting from dormitories, break rooms, and dedicated living spaces.
Sde Eliyahu, located 5 kilometers south of Beit She’an in the Valley of Springs, 200 meters below sea level, was founded in May 1938 by a group of young German Jews following the Choma U’Migdal model (חומה ומגדל – palisade and tower). This method, used under the British Mandate, allowed rapid establishment of secure agricultural settlements by erecting a watchtower and wooden palisade overnight. The name of the kibbutz honors Rabbi Eliyahu Guttmacher [4], a 19th-century figure who supported religious Zionism.
[1] Yovel (Jubilee): planned for 5802 (2041-2042), a jubilee year celebrated every 50 years with the release of lands and slaves.
[2] Shemitah (sabbatical year): planned for 5789 (2028-2029) and 5796 (2035-2036), observed every 7 years with land rest and debt cancellation.
[3] In 1983, the kibbutz created the company Sde Eliyahu Biological Control Insectaries, now BioBee, which distributes its products internationally. This company develops biological pest control techniques, uses sterile insect technology, and provides bumblebees for pollination.
[4] Originally from Poland, Eliyahu Guttmacher (1795-1874) was a rabbi and kabbalist, a precursor of religious Zionism. He encouraged Jewish agricultural settlement in the Land of Israel as a path to redemption.
