Parashat Behar
Leviticus 25:1–26:2

By Jen Smith, Guest Blogger

In Parashat Behar we are instructed to assist someone who is struggling. Rashi explains that this means we should help them before they hit rock bottom, as it would require much more effort to help them recover afterward. This seems straightforward, so why does Rashi feel the need to explain it? Rashi uses an analogy: if a load is slipping off a donkey’s back, one person can fix it while it’s slipping, but if it falls, it might take five people to lift it back up.

But why do we need an analogy to illustrate such a basic principle?

We read a while back in Terumah (Exodus 25:1-27:19) that we must assist someone struggling under their burdens, even if we dislike the person (and/or their burden). Rashi explains that the Torah emphasizes this caveat because it is human nature not to jump to assist a rival, and when we do, it might be to make the person beholden to us, rather than helping them regain independence without strings (like guilt, for example) attached. This may be one of the reasons the Torah commands us to help our rivals as much as we would help our friends; not just to ensure that those in need are able to get back on their feet, but so that we may perform the mitzvah of assisting regardless of our personal feelings.

Parashat Behar focuses on helping before someone falls. While part of me might want to wait until a person hits rock bottom before helping, making them completely dependent on me, this is the wrong approach. Rashi clarifies his position based on the phrases “u’moto yado imoch” (“and his hand falters or slips within your proximity”) and “v’hechezakto bo” (“you shall hold on to him”), that the Torah emphasizes assisting while the person is still slipping. At this stage, they might need support, but perhaps not total rehabilitation.

I find there is one last hurdle that I can’t seem to clear: If we rush to help our neighbor before they hit “rock bottom,” do we rob them of the opportunity to enjoy the confidence that comes from overcoming such a difficult challenge?  How do we know when someone really needs the help, rather than just giving up easily because they’re sure someone will come to the rescue?  Last night, I decided that I’d take Rashi up on his advice as it pertains to helping my daughter with math homework (does anything involving “helping with math homework” end well?)  When I thought the struggle was too much, or her tone was too desperate, I jumped in to help. Later when I was tucking her in for the night, my daughter said this: When you just rush in to help, it’s like you are saying you don’t believe that I can do it on my own. Just like that, the student became the teacher!

By providing the analogy of the slipping load, Rashi helps us understand the importance of timely assistance. Just as it is easier to adjust a slipping load before it falls, it is more effective and compassionate to help a person before they reach their lowest point. This approach not only alleviates immediate suffering but also preserves the individual’s dignity and independence. Our challenge is in our timing and in remembering that even if our personal “loads” may not be slipping now, our moment will most definitely come. May we all have the strength to assist others, and to accept help ourselves, as we move together toward the light.

Shabbat Shalom.