Rabbi Tzvi Y. Kook (zatza"l) my Rebbe often said "The Portions in the Torah have themes that come in pairs." He meant that EVEN the Torah was meant to be like life – best experienced in pairs, in harmony of couples.

 

Actually the Portions Behar (read last Shabbat in Israel but this wek in the Diaspora) and Bechukotai (reading that THIS WEEK in Israel – but next week in our Exile outside of Israel) are often read together.

 

In the Soncino Chumash – translation in English – footnote to Chapter 26 sentence 46 –tells us that Most of Bechukotai is the "subscription" (summation) of most of Leviticus – the whole Third book of the Torah-Five.

In a way the first Two Books of the Torah are a pair – the Story of Creation and the experience of Israelites from Abraham thru Exodus from Egypt.

It seems to be that the NEXT two BOOKS – Vayikra and Bamidbar – are BEYOND the story of "begetting a world of miracles" and are ACTUALLY "LIVING a WORLD of MIRACLES".

You could say this week we read the midpoint of the "HOW TO be close to the Almighty with soon to start the FOURTH BOOK of the Torah-Five 

which is the Story of the Israelites WORKING OUT the DETAILS of becoming CLOSE to the Almighty.

 

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz