Behar/Bechukotai

This weeks double Torah portions of Behar-Bechukotai, led me on a path of discovery as we consider the power of sevens.

On the seventh year (as discussed in this weeks readings) we have Shmitta where we allow the ground to lie fallow and rest.

“Seven, sevens” and we have the cycle of 49 years after which we have the Yovel year (also mentioned this week) and that has even more to consider regarding ownership and use of land.

There are 7 days of the week and on the 7th day, we rest.

There were seven branches of the Temple Menorah.

Blood was sprinkled seven times in the Temple.

Seven days of nidah in the laws of family purity.

We mourn and sit for the seven days of shiva.

There are seven days of celebration (sheva brachot) for a bride and groom.

Seven aliyot where read the Torah.

Seven mitzvoth required on Sukkot.

Seven major days of celebration in Jewish calendar.

When a boy is born, he has to complete a whole cycle, one week, seven days, before we can perform the brit milah.

The significance of the number “seven” is woven throughout our lives and experience.

According to Scientific American, in a survey of over 30,000 people asking them to share their favourite number. Number seven came in first place.

The Daily Mail in the UK shared that in an online poll of over 44,000 participants, again, number seven came in first.

Alex Bellos is the London author who conducted the study and he explained his theory as to why:

‘The reason why a reverence for the number seven is a constant throughout human history can never be known, but to me the only credible reason is because of its unique numerical properties.

'Of the numbers between 1 and 10 seven is the most arithmetically special.

'It is the only number that cannot be multiplied or divided with other numbers in the group. For example, the numbers from 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 can be doubled and still sit within the group.

But within Judaism, we venerate the number seven for a far more spiritual reason.

Although Mr Bellos is right and seven does have unique numerical properties, in Judaism it represents the whole. Completion on so many levels.

I would like to propose that the letter zayin with it’s numerical value of 7 is itself an important clue as to why seven is used so often in our laws, in the Torah and is held in such high esteem.

Zayin, beginning the word Zachor - Remember.

Remember the Shabbat to keep it holy.

Remember our history and the Josephs dreams with seven years of plenty and then seven years of famine.

Remember to alway return to God as on Shabbat Shuva, the Shabbat before Rosh Hashanah has the word Shuv (return) seven times.

Remember the seven mitzvoth in the Shema which we say upon rising, before sleep, and on our deathbed.

Remember the fall of Jericho as we encircled the walls seven times.

Remember our holy land Israel with it’s seven species.

I read through this weeks Torah readings and the number seven jumped out at me. It encouraged me to research more on a whim. And by rediscovering so many sevens within our Torah and our tradition, it reminded me of so many aspects of our faith that I was overwhelmed with how many different areas were covered with such a simple exercise.

It reminded me of our history of the Temple, the priests, the battles of our ancestors, the love of our land.

It reminded me of our prayers, our traditions and the life cycle events of birth and death.

I researched our sevens and I remembered how intertwined our lives and our faith really is.

Zachor.

Shabbat Shalom.