Torah Portion of the Week

Bechukotai בחקותי

Leviticus 26:3–27:34

Parshat Bechukotai ('In My Statutes') is the dramatic conclusion of Leviticus. It opens with a magnificent vision of blessing — rain in its season, abundant harvests, peace, victory over enemies, and God's dwelling among His people — contingent on walking in God's statutes and keeping His commandments. This is followed by the Tochachah (Admonition), one of the most fearsome passages in all of Scripture: a cascading series of punishments — disease, defeat, famine, exile, desolation — if Israel abandons the covenant. Yet even within the curses, God promises never to utterly destroy them or break His covenant. The parsha then turns to vows and valuations — the monetary equivalents for people, animals, houses, and fields dedicated to the Temple — and the tithes of produce and livestock, closing the entire Book of Leviticus.

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1 of 6

The Blessings of Obedience

ברכות השמיעה

Leviticus 26:3–26:13

If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments: I will give your rains in their season, the earth will yield its produce, the trees will bear fruit, your threshing will last until vintage and your vintage until sowing. You will eat your bread to satisfaction and dwell securely in the land. I will grant peace — no sword shall pass through your land. You will chase your enemies: five of you will chase a hundred, a hundred will chase ten thousand. I will turn toward you, make you fruitful, and establish My covenant. I will place My dwelling among you, and My soul will not reject you. I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be My people.

2 of 6

The Tochachah — Escalating Consequences

התוכחה — עונשים מדורגים

Leviticus 26:14–26:39

But if you do not listen to Me and do not keep all these commandments — if you reject My statutes and your soul abhors My judgments — I will bring upon you terror, consumption, and burning fever. Your enemies will eat your crops. If you still do not listen, I will punish you seven times more: your sky will be like iron and your earth like copper. If you walk contrary to Me, I will strike you seven times more: wild animals, plague, the sword. And if despite all this you still walk contrary to Me, I will walk contrary to you in fury — you will eat the flesh of your sons and daughters. I will destroy your high places, lay waste your cities, scatter you among the nations. The land will enjoy its sabbaths while it lies desolate.

3 of 6

The Promise of Remembrance

הבטחת הזכירה

Leviticus 26:40–26:46

Yet even in exile, if they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their forefathers — their treachery and their walking contrary to God — then God will remember His covenant with Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham, and will remember the land. Even when they are in the land of their enemies, God will not reject them or destroy them utterly, nor break His covenant with them. He will remember for their sake the covenant of the ancestors whom He brought out of Egypt before the eyes of the nations, to be their God. These are the statutes, judgments, and laws that the Lord gave between Himself and the children of Israel on Mount Sinai through Moses.

4 of 6

Vows and Valuations of Persons

נדרים והערכת אדם

Leviticus 27:1–27:8

When a person makes a special vow offering based on the 'valuation' (erekh) of a person to the Lord, fixed values are assigned by age and gender: a male aged 20-60 is valued at fifty silver shekels; a female at thirty. From age 5-20: twenty shekels for a male, ten for a female. From one month to five years: five shekels for a male, three for a female. Age sixty and above: fifteen for a male, ten for a female. If the person is too poor to pay the valuation, he stands before the priest, who sets a value according to his means.

5 of 6

Valuations of Animals, Houses, and Fields

הערכת בהמות, בתים ושדות

Leviticus 27:9–27:25

If the vow involves an animal fit for offering, it becomes holy and may not be exchanged — if one tries to substitute, both animals become holy. An unclean animal is assessed by the priest; to redeem it, add a fifth. A house dedicated to God is assessed by the priest; to redeem it, add a fifth. For fields: an inherited field is valued based on its seed requirement and the years remaining to the Jubilee. To redeem, add a fifth. If the field is not redeemed and is sold to another, it cannot be redeemed and at the Jubilee becomes consecrated to the Lord like a devoted field, passing to the priests. A field that was purchased (not inherited) reverts to its original owner in the Jubilee.

6 of 6

Devoted Things and Tithes

חרמים ומעשרות

Leviticus 27:26–27:34

A firstborn animal already belongs to God and cannot be consecrated as a vow. Anything devoted (cherem) to the Lord — whether person, animal, or field — is most holy and cannot be sold or redeemed; a devoted person cannot be ransomed but must be put to death. Every tithe of the land — of seed or fruit — is holy to the Lord. If one redeems a tithe, he adds a fifth. For animal tithes, every tenth animal passing under the rod is holy — no selection of good or bad, no substitution. The book closes: 'These are the commandments which the Lord commanded Moses for the children of Israel on Mount Sinai.'

Prophetic Reading

Haftarah הפטרה

Jeremiah 16:19–17:14

ירמיהו

Jeremiah contrasts those who trust in man (cursed) with those who trust in God (blessed like a tree by water), echoing the parsha's blessings and curses for keeping or breaking God's covenant.

Full Text

Parshat Bechukotai

Leviticus 26:3–27:34 · 78 verses

First Aliyah

ראשוןLeviticus 26:3–26:5

Chapter 26

פרק 26

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3 אִם בְּחֻקֹּתַי תֵּלֵכוּ וְאֶת מִצְוֺתַי תִּשְׁמְרוּ וַעֲשִׂיתֶם אֹתָֽם

4 וְנָתַתִּי גִשְׁמֵיכֶם בְּעִתָּם וְנָתְנָה הָאָרֶץ יְבוּלָהּ וְעֵץ הַשָּׂדֶה יִתֵּן פִּרְיֽוֹ

5 וְהִשִּׂיג לָכֶם דַּיִשׁ אֶת בָּצִיר וּבָצִיר יַשִּׂיג אֶת זָרַע וַאֲכַלְתֶּם לַחְמְכֶם לָשֹׂבַע וִֽישַׁבְתֶּם לָבֶטַח בְּאַרְצְכֶֽם

3 If you follow My laws and faithfully observe My commandments,

4 I will grant your rains in their season, so that the earth shall yield its produce and the trees of the field their fruit.

5 Your threshing shall overtake the vintage, and your vintage shall overtake the sowing; you shall eat your fill of bread and dwell securely in your land.

3 אִם בְּחֻקֹּתַי תֵּלֵכוּ וְאֶת מִצְוֺתַי תִּשְׁמְרוּ וַעֲשִׂיתֶם אֹתָֽם

3 If you follow My laws and faithfully observe My commandments,

4 וְנָתַתִּי גִשְׁמֵיכֶם בְּעִתָּם וְנָתְנָה הָאָרֶץ יְבוּלָהּ וְעֵץ הַשָּׂדֶה יִתֵּן פִּרְיֽוֹ

4 I will grant your rains in their season, so that the earth shall yield its produce and the trees of the field their fruit.

5 Your threshing shall overtake the vintage, and your vintage shall overtake the sowing; you shall eat your fill of bread and dwell securely in your land.

Second Aliyah

שניLeviticus 26:6–26:9

Chapter 26

פרק 26

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6 וְנָתַתִּי שָׁלוֹם בָּאָרֶץ וּשְׁכַבְתֶּם וְאֵין מַחֲרִיד וְהִשְׁבַּתִּי חַיָּה רָעָה מִן הָאָרֶץ וְחֶרֶב לֹא תַעֲבֹר בְּאַרְצְכֶֽם

7 וּרְדַפְתֶּם אֶת אֹיְבֵיכֶם וְנָפְלוּ לִפְנֵיכֶם לֶחָֽרֶב

8 וְרָדְפוּ מִכֶּם חֲמִשָּׁה מֵאָה וּמֵאָה מִכֶּם רְבָבָה יִרְדֹּפוּ וְנָפְלוּ אֹיְבֵיכֶם לִפְנֵיכֶם לֶחָֽרֶב

9 וּפָנִיתִי אֲלֵיכֶם וְהִפְרֵיתִי אֶתְכֶם וְהִרְבֵּיתִי אֶתְכֶם וַהֲקִימֹתִי אֶת בְּרִיתִי אִתְּכֶֽם

6 I will grant peace in the land, and you shall lie down untroubled by anyone; I will give the land respite from vicious beasts, and no sword shall cross your land.

7 You shall give chase to your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.

8 Five of you shall give chase to a hundred, and a hundred of you shall give chase to ten thousand; your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.

9 I will look with favor upon you, and make you fertile and multiply you; and I will maintain My covenant with you.

6 I will grant peace in the land, and you shall lie down untroubled by anyone; I will give the land respite from vicious beasts, and no sword shall cross your land.

7 וּרְדַפְתֶּם אֶת אֹיְבֵיכֶם וְנָפְלוּ לִפְנֵיכֶם לֶחָֽרֶב

7 You shall give chase to your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.

8 Five of you shall give chase to a hundred, and a hundred of you shall give chase to ten thousand; your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.

9 וּפָנִיתִי אֲלֵיכֶם וְהִפְרֵיתִי אֶתְכֶם וְהִרְבֵּיתִי אֶתְכֶם וַהֲקִימֹתִי אֶת בְּרִיתִי אִתְּכֶֽם

9 I will look with favor upon you, and make you fertile and multiply you; and I will maintain My covenant with you.

Third Aliyah

שלישיLeviticus 26:10–26:46

Chapter 26

פרק 26

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10 וַאֲכַלְתֶּם יָשָׁן נוֹשָׁן וְיָשָׁן מִפְּנֵי חָדָשׁ תּוֹצִֽיאוּ

11 וְנָתַתִּי מִשְׁכָּנִי בְּתוֹכְכֶם וְלֹֽא תִגְעַל נַפְשִׁי אֶתְכֶֽם

12 וְהִתְהַלַּכְתִּי בְּתוֹכְכֶם וְהָיִיתִי לָכֶם לֵֽאלֹהִים וְאַתֶּם תִּהְיוּ לִי לְעָֽם

13 אֲנִי יְהֹוָה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם מִֽהְיֹת לָהֶם עֲבָדִים וָאֶשְׁבֹּר מֹטֹת עֻלְּכֶם וָאוֹלֵךְ אֶתְכֶם קֽוֹמְמִיּֽוּת

14 וְאִם לֹא תִשְׁמְעוּ לִי וְלֹא תַעֲשׂוּ אֵת כׇּל הַמִּצְוֺת הָאֵֽלֶּה

15 וְאִם בְּחֻקֹּתַי תִּמְאָסוּ וְאִם אֶת מִשְׁפָּטַי תִּגְעַל נַפְשְׁכֶם לְבִלְתִּי עֲשׂוֹת אֶת כׇּל מִצְוֺתַי לְהַפְרְכֶם אֶת בְּרִיתִֽי

16 אַף אֲנִי אֶֽעֱשֶׂה זֹּאת לָכֶם וְהִפְקַדְתִּי עֲלֵיכֶם בֶּֽהָלָה אֶת הַשַּׁחֶפֶת וְאֶת הַקַּדַּחַת מְכַלּוֹת עֵינַיִם וּמְדִיבֹת נָפֶשׁ וּזְרַעְתֶּם לָרִיק זַרְעֲכֶם וַאֲכָלֻהוּ אֹיְבֵיכֶֽם

17 וְנָתַתִּי פָנַי בָּכֶם וְנִגַּפְתֶּם לִפְנֵי אֹיְבֵיכֶם וְרָדוּ בָכֶם שֹֽׂנְאֵיכֶם וְנַסְתֶּם וְאֵין רֹדֵף אֶתְכֶֽם

18 וְאִם עַד אֵלֶּה לֹא תִשְׁמְעוּ לִי וְיָסַפְתִּי לְיַסְּרָה אֶתְכֶם שֶׁבַע עַל חַטֹּאתֵיכֶֽם

19 וְשָׁבַרְתִּי אֶת גְּאוֹן עֻזְּכֶם וְנָתַתִּי אֶת שְׁמֵיכֶם כַּבַּרְזֶל וְאֶֽת אַרְצְכֶם כַּנְּחֻשָֽׁה

20 וְתַם לָרִיק כֹּחֲכֶם וְלֹֽא תִתֵּן אַרְצְכֶם אֶת יְבוּלָהּ וְעֵץ הָאָרֶץ לֹא יִתֵּן פִּרְיֽוֹ

21 וְאִם תֵּֽלְכוּ עִמִּי קֶרִי וְלֹא תֹאבוּ לִשְׁמֹעַֽ לִי וְיָסַפְתִּי עֲלֵיכֶם מַכָּה שֶׁבַע כְּחַטֹּאתֵיכֶֽם

22 וְהִשְׁלַחְתִּי בָכֶם אֶת חַיַּת הַשָּׂדֶה וְשִׁכְּלָה אֶתְכֶם וְהִכְרִיתָה אֶת בְּהֶמְתְּכֶם וְהִמְעִיטָה אֶתְכֶם וְנָשַׁמּוּ דַּרְכֵיכֶֽם

23 וְאִם בְּאֵלֶּה לֹא תִוָּסְרוּ לִי וַהֲלַכְתֶּם עִמִּי קֶֽרִי

24 וְהָלַכְתִּי אַף אֲנִי עִמָּכֶם בְּקֶרִי וְהִכֵּיתִי אֶתְכֶם גַּם אָנִי שֶׁבַע עַל חַטֹּאתֵיכֶֽם

25 וְהֵבֵאתִי עֲלֵיכֶם חֶרֶב נֹקֶמֶת נְקַם בְּרִית וְנֶאֱסַפְתֶּם אֶל עָרֵיכֶם וְשִׁלַּחְתִּי דֶבֶר בְּתוֹכְכֶם וְנִתַּתֶּם בְּיַד אוֹיֵֽב

26 בְּשִׁבְרִי לָכֶם מַטֵּה לֶחֶם וְאָפוּ עֶשֶׂר נָשִׁים לַחְמְכֶם בְּתַנּוּר אֶחָד וְהֵשִׁיבוּ לַחְמְכֶם בַּמִּשְׁקָל וַאֲכַלְתֶּם וְלֹא תִשְׂבָּֽעוּ

27 וְאִם בְּזֹאת לֹא תִשְׁמְעוּ לִי וַהֲלַכְתֶּם עִמִּי בְּקֶֽרִי

28 וְהָלַכְתִּי עִמָּכֶם בַּחֲמַת קֶרִי וְיִסַּרְתִּי אֶתְכֶם אַף אָנִי שֶׁבַע עַל חַטֹּאתֵיכֶֽם

29 וַאֲכַלְתֶּם בְּשַׂר בְּנֵיכֶם וּבְשַׂר בְּנֹתֵיכֶם תֹּאכֵֽלוּ

30 וְהִשְׁמַדְתִּי אֶת בָּמֹֽתֵיכֶם וְהִכְרַתִּי אֶת חַמָּנֵיכֶם וְנָֽתַתִּי אֶת פִּגְרֵיכֶם עַל פִּגְרֵי גִּלּוּלֵיכֶם וְגָעֲלָה נַפְשִׁי אֶתְכֶֽם

31 וְנָתַתִּי אֶת עָֽרֵיכֶם חׇרְבָּה וַהֲשִׁמּוֹתִי אֶת מִקְדְּשֵׁיכֶם וְלֹא אָרִיחַ בְּרֵיחַ נִיחֹֽחֲכֶֽם

32 וַהֲשִׁמֹּתִי אֲנִי אֶת הָאָרֶץ וְשָֽׁמְמוּ עָלֶיהָ אֹֽיְבֵיכֶם הַיֹּשְׁבִים בָּֽהּ

33 וְאֶתְכֶם אֱזָרֶה בַגּוֹיִם וַהֲרִיקֹתִי אַחֲרֵיכֶם חָרֶב וְהָיְתָה אַרְצְכֶם שְׁמָמָה וְעָרֵיכֶם יִהְיוּ חׇרְבָּֽה

34 אָז תִּרְצֶה הָאָרֶץ אֶת שַׁבְּתֹתֶיהָ כֹּל יְמֵי הׇשַּׁמָּהֿ וְאַתֶּם בְּאֶרֶץ אֹיְבֵיכֶם אָז תִּשְׁבַּת הָאָרֶץ וְהִרְצָת אֶת שַׁבְּתֹתֶֽיהָ

35 כׇּל יְמֵי הׇשַּׁמָּהֿ תִּשְׁבֹּת אֵת אֲשֶׁר לֹֽא שָׁבְתָה בְּשַׁבְּתֹתֵיכֶם בְּשִׁבְתְּכֶם עָלֶֽיהָ

36 וְהַנִּשְׁאָרִים בָּכֶם וְהֵבֵאתִי מֹרֶךְ בִּלְבָבָם בְּאַרְצֹת אֹיְבֵיהֶם וְרָדַף אֹתָם קוֹל עָלֶה נִדָּף וְנָסוּ מְנֻֽסַת חֶרֶב וְנָפְלוּ וְאֵין רֹדֵֽף

37 וְכָשְׁלוּ אִישׁ בְּאָחִיו כְּמִפְּנֵי חֶרֶב וְרֹדֵף אָיִן וְלֹא תִֽהְיֶה לָכֶם תְּקוּמָה לִפְנֵי אֹֽיְבֵיכֶֽם

38 וַאֲבַדְתֶּם בַּגּוֹיִם וְאָכְלָה אֶתְכֶם אֶרֶץ אֹיְבֵיכֶֽם

39 וְהַנִּשְׁאָרִים בָּכֶם יִמַּקּוּ בַּֽעֲוֺנָם בְּאַרְצֹת אֹיְבֵיכֶם וְאַף בַּעֲוֺנֹת אֲבֹתָם אִתָּם יִמָּֽקּוּ

40 וְהִתְוַדּוּ אֶת עֲוֺנָם וְאֶת עֲוֺן אֲבֹתָם בְּמַעֲלָם אֲשֶׁר מָֽעֲלוּ בִי וְאַף אֲשֶׁר הָֽלְכוּ עִמִּי בְּקֶֽרִי

41 אַף אֲנִי אֵלֵךְ עִמָּם בְּקֶרִי וְהֵבֵאתִי אֹתָם בְּאֶרֶץ אֹיְבֵיהֶם אוֹ אָז יִכָּנַע לְבָבָם הֶֽעָרֵל וְאָז יִרְצוּ אֶת עֲוֺנָֽם

42 וְזָכַרְתִּי אֶת בְּרִיתִי יַעֲקוֹב וְאַף אֶת בְּרִיתִי יִצְחָק וְאַף אֶת בְּרִיתִי אַבְרָהָם אֶזְכֹּר וְהָאָרֶץ אֶזְכֹּֽר

43 וְהָאָרֶץ תֵּעָזֵב מֵהֶם וְתִרֶץ אֶת שַׁבְּתֹתֶיהָ בׇּהְשַׁמָּהֿ מֵהֶם וְהֵם יִרְצוּ אֶת עֲוֺנָם יַעַן וּבְיַעַן בְּמִשְׁפָּטַי מָאָסוּ וְאֶת חֻקֹּתַי גָּעֲלָה נַפְשָֽׁם

44 וְאַף גַּם זֹאת בִּֽהְיוֹתָם בְּאֶרֶץ אֹֽיְבֵיהֶם לֹֽא מְאַסְתִּים וְלֹֽא גְעַלְתִּים לְכַלֹּתָם לְהָפֵר בְּרִיתִי אִתָּם כִּי אֲנִי יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיהֶֽם

45 וְזָכַרְתִּי לָהֶם בְּרִית רִאשֹׁנִים אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵֽאתִי אֹתָם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם לְעֵינֵי הַגּוֹיִם לִהְיוֹת לָהֶם לֵאלֹהִים אֲנִי יְהֹוָֽה

46 אֵלֶּה הַֽחֻקִּים וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִים וְהַתּוֹרֹת אֲשֶׁר נָתַן יְהֹוָה בֵּינוֹ וּבֵין בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּהַר סִינַי בְּיַד מֹשֶֽׁה

10 You shall eat old grain long stored, and you shall have to clear out the old to make room for the new.

11 I will establish My abode in your midst, and I will not spurn you.

12 I will be ever present in your midst: I will be your God, and you shall be My people.

13 I the ETERNAL am your God, who brought you out from the land of the Egyptians to be their slaves no more, who broke the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect.

14 But if you do not obey Me and do not observe all these commandments,

15 If you reject My laws and spurn My rules, so that you do not observe all My commandments and you break My covenant,

16 I in turn will do this to you: I will wreak misery upon you—consumption and fever, which cause the eyes to pine and the body to languish; you shall sow your seed to no purpose, for your enemies shall eat it.

17 I will set My face against you: you shall be routed by your enemies, and your foes shall dominate you. You shall flee though none pursues.

18 And if, for all that, you do not obey Me, I will go on to discipline you sevenfold for your sins,

19 And I will break your proud glory. I will make your skies like iron and your earth like copper,

20 So that your strength shall be spent to no purpose. Your land shall not yield its produce, nor shall the trees of the land yield their fruit.

21 And if you remain hostile toward Me and refuse to obey Me, I will go on smiting you sevenfold for your sins.

22 I will loose wild beasts against you, and they shall bereave you of your children and wipe out your cattle. They shall decimate you, and your roads shall be deserted.

23 And if these things fail to discipline you for Me, and you remain hostile to Me,

24 I too will remain hostile to you: I in turn will smite you sevenfold for your sins.

25 I will bring a sword against you to wreak vengeance for the covenant; and if you withdraw into your cities, I will send pestilence among you, and you shall be delivered into enemy hands.

26 When I break your staff of bread, ten women shall bake your bread in a single oven; they shall dole out your bread by weight, and though you eat, you shall not be satisfied.

27 But if, despite this, you disobey Me and remain hostile to Me,

28 I will act against you in wrathful hostility; I, for My part, will discipline you sevenfold for your sins.

29 You shall eat the flesh of your sons and the flesh of your daughters.

30 I will destroy your cult places and cut down your incense stands, and I will heap your carcasses upon your lifeless fetishes. I will spurn you.

31 I will lay your cities in ruin and make your sanctuaries desolate, and I will not savor your pleasing odors.

32 I will make the land desolate, so that your enemies who settle in it shall be appalled by it.

33 And you I will scatter among the nations, and I will unsheath the sword against you. Your land shall become a desolation and your cities a ruin.

34 Then shall the land make up for its sabbath years throughout the time that it is desolate and you are in the land of your enemies; then shall the land rest and make up for its sabbath years.

35 Throughout the time that it is desolate, it shall observe the rest that it did not observe in your sabbath years while you were dwelling upon it.

36 As for those of you who survive, I will cast a faintness into their hearts in the land of their enemies. The sound of a driven leaf shall put them to flight. Fleeing as though from the sword, they shall fall though none pursues.

37 With no one pursuing, they shall stumble over one another as before the sword. You shall not be able to stand your ground before your enemies,

38 But shall perish among the nations; and the land of your enemies shall consume you.

39 Those of you who survive shall be heartsick over their iniquity in the land of your enemies; more, they shall be heartsick over the iniquities of their forebears;

40 And they shall confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their forebears, in that they trespassed against Me, yea, were hostile to Me.

41 When I, in turn, have been hostile to them and have removed them into the land of their enemies, then at last shall their obdurate heart humble itself, and they shall atone for their iniquity.

42 Then will I remember My covenant with Jacob; I will remember also My covenant with Isaac, and also My covenant with Abraham; and I will remember the land.

43 For the land shall be forsaken of them, making up for its sabbath years by being desolate of them, while they atone for their iniquity; for the abundant reason that they rejected My rules and spurned My laws.

44 Yet, even then, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them or spurn them so as to destroy them, annulling My covenant with them: for I the ETERNAL am their God.

45 I will remember in their favor the covenant with the ancients, whom I freed from the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations to be their God: I, the ETERNAL .

46 These are the laws, rules, and instructions that GOD established, through Moses on Mount Sinai, with the Israelite people.