Parshas Behar: Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh - The Price Of Tea In Eretz Yisroel
Parshas Behar starts with the mitzva of Shmita, but instead of the usual introduction Vayidaber Hashem El Moshe it adds "Behar Sinai". Hashem told Moshe on Har Sinai. Rashi asks the famous question of "Mah Inyan Shmita Eitzel Har Sinai", what does Shmita have to do with har Sinai? He answers that this teaches us that every single mitzva and all their details were given on Har Sinai. The Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh asks why did the Torah choose Shmita as an example from all the other mitzvos to teach us this lesson?
He answers that the next pasuk tells us that this mitzva will begin when we arrive to Eretz Yisroel, "Asher Ani Nosein Lachem", the land that Hashem has given us. The Torah is teaching us that the reason why we received the great gift of Eretz Yisroel, was because we received the Torah on Har Sinai. Eretz Yisroel is gift that is totally dependent on keeping the Torah.
Moreover says the Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh, the Rambam (Hilchos Zchia 3:11) says that the Lav of Lo Sichanem assurs one to give a free gift to an Akum. Bnei Yisroel before Matan Torah has a din of an Akum and it was assur for Hashem to bequeath us with the gift of Eretz Yisroel. Only after Har Sinai were we able to be Zocheh to receive the land of Hashem.
Today we are once again Zocheh to dwell in Hashem's land. We must remember that this is a gift from Hashem. And we must also remember that this gift comes with strings attached, namely Kiyum HaMitzvos. Without that we are not entitled to it.
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