Parshas Behar: Honesty is the Best Policy

Our Torah portion this week, Parshas Behar, Vayikra (Leviticus) 25:1 - 26:2, as well as the Haftorah, Yirmiyahu (Jeremiah) Chapter 32, focuses on laws related to land management, real estate and property transactions. Following God's rules in these areas produces abundance and liberty; not following God's rules in these areas produces destitution and servitude.

Verse 25:14, You shall not defraud one another, conveys the overall principle.

Cheating, defrauding, lying and deceiving happen as a matter of course in modern business. Online scams. biased news, false medical and scientific research studies, and yes, the ultimate lie that gets repeated over and over in the relentless pursuit of profit - it's not alive until it's born.

We're back to that again because a human being that believes this lie is set up to believe every other lie. The baby in the womb is alive at conception and it is a mental delusion to deny this in the face of scientific proof to the contrary, as well as many biblical references to relational and sentient human life in the womb.

The pro-life movement works on many fronts to secure the right to life of every human being from conception to natural death. This idea of life as an intrinsic right beginning at conception comes from Genesis 9:6, “He who spills the blood of man within man shall have his blood spilt, for in the image of God made He man. And you, be fruitful, and multiply; swarm in the earth, and multiply therein.”

We've been sharing this message of life giving Torah in Jewish communities since 2007. Along the way, we've been given unique opportunities to introduce ourselves to our pro-life allies, a way to build positive relationships between morally centered Jews, Christians and secularists.

Our work continues with a blessed invitation to participate in the upcoming Pro-Life Partners Foundation Celebration of Life Conference taking place on June 21, 22, and 23 in Washington DC. This is a chance to present life affirming Judaism to many dedicated pro-life activists and to make new friends who will learn about our work here and in Israel.

We consider our attendance at the conference to be in the spirit of Pikuach Nefesh, the concept that saving a human life is more important than any other law in Judaism, including the normative Sabbath observance. The 3 day conference includes a rally at the Lincoln Memorial. To learn more about the event, visit https://celebratelifeconference.com

Thank you for reading and sharing this newsletter and welcome to our new subscribers.

Cecily Routman

May there be abundant peace from Heaven, and good life upon us and upon all Israel. Amen.