Parashat Behar
בְּהַר · Leviticus 25:1 to 26:2, portion 9 of 10 in the book of Leviticus.
Next reading
Saturday 22 May 2027
15 Iyar 5787
In Israel and abroad
The year after
What happens in Behar
At Mount Sinai the laws of the land are given: every seventh year the fields rest, and after seven times seven years comes the jubilee, when land goes back to its first owners and Hebrew servants go free. The portion forbids cheating in trade and charging a fellow Israelite interest, and sets out how land and houses are redeemed and how to support a relative who has grown poor. It ends with a ban on idols and the keeping of Shabbat.
וַיְדַבֵּר ה׳ אֶל־מֹשֶׁה בְּהַר סִינַי לֵאמֹר
“And the LORD spoke unto Moses in mount Sinai, saying:”
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Reading this Shabbat?
Candle-lighting and havdalah times for every major city in Israel are on the Shabbat times pages, and the festival calendar lives under Jewish holidays.
Frequently asked questions
When is Parashat Behar read in 2027?+
On Shabbat 22 May 2027 (15 Iyar 5787), in Israel and in the Diaspora alike. The year after, it is read on 20 May 2028.
What is Parashat Behar about?+
At Mount Sinai the laws of the land are given: every seventh year the fields rest, and after seven times seven years comes the jubilee, when land goes back to its first owners and Hebrew servants go free. The portion forbids cheating in trade and charging a fellow Israelite interest, and sets out how land and houses are redeemed and how to support a relative who has grown poor. It ends with a ban on idols and the keeping of Shabbat.
Why is Behar sometimes read together with Bechukotai?+
Most years have fewer free Shabbatot than portions: a festival that falls on Shabbat takes that Shabbat's reading, and a year without a second month of Adar is about four weeks shorter. So some neighbouring portions are read together, and Behar with Bechukotai is one of those pairs.