Parashat Behar-Bechukotai - Leviticus 25:1-27:34

http://www.ushistory.org/libertybell/
Tradition tells of a chime that changed the world on July 8, 1776, with the Liberty Bell ringing out from the tower of Independence Hall summoning the citizens of Philadelphia to hear the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence by Colonel John Nixon.
The Pennsylvania Assembly ordered the Bell in 1751 to commemorate the 50-year anniversary of William Penn's 1701 Charter of Privileges, Pennsylvania's original Constitution. It speaks of the rights and freedoms valued by people the world over. Particularly forward thinking were Penn's ideas on religious freedom, his liberal stance on Native American rights, and his inclusion of citizens in enacting laws.
The Liberty Bell gained iconic importance when abolitionists in their efforts to put an end to slavery throughout America adopted it as a symbol.
As the Bell was created to commemorate the golden anniversary of Penn's Charter, the quotation "Proclaim Liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof," from Leviticus 25:10, was particularly apt. For the line in the Bible immediately preceding "proclaim liberty" is, "And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year." What better way to pay homage to Penn and hallow the 50th year than with a bell proclaiming liberty?

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
~Is there a difference in the two translations of the Hebrew d'ror, 'release' and 'liberty'?
~How is the fiftieth year to be made kadosh, hallowed/set aside/made sacred?

Dr. Ellen Frankel, The Five Books of Miriam
Our daughters ask: Are sabbatical and jubilee years intended for Israelite women as well as men?
Huldah the Preacher answers: Yes, God addresses both men and women concerning these laws. Every Israelite is to observe them, as it is written: "You, your male and female slaves" (25:6). During the sabbatical year, all Israelites are to cease cultivating their fields and vienyards in order to allow "a year of complete rest for the land" (25:4).

Jami Ingledue, "The Mental Workload of a Mother"
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/the-mental-workload-of-a-mother_us_59765076e4b0c6616f7ce447
Often the most tiring aspect of this work is being the “Knower of All the Things.” So often the mom is the one who holds all of the behind-the-scenes knowledge about all of the many things involved in raising a kid. The one who plans, who notices, who anticipates, who researches, who worries. This is often referred to as “the mental load.”
“The mental load” is not just one job though: it is pervasive. It applies to nearly all aspects of raising kids and managing a household. EVERYTHING.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
~Practically speaking, how does the concept of sabbatical apply to the parent(s) responsible for the mental load? How do you juggle the load and get the release you need?
~Every seventh year is a sabbatical, and after every seven sabbaticals is a jubilee year. What kind of release or liberty do you think of when you hear the word 'sabbatical'?
~What would you do with release time?

Etz Hayim Torah Commentary
What is the modern reader to make of these threats and promises, aware of the fact that righteous people are not always rewarded and that wicked people are not invariably punished? We can see them as a vision of what the world will be like when it truly becomes God's kingdom. Or we can see them as a collective assurance: When most members of a community follow God's ways, the community as a whole will prosper even if some innocent individuals suffer illness or injustice. Alternatively, we can understand these verses as addressed to a still immature Israelite nation, not mature enough to do good for its own sake, capable of responding only to promises of reward and threats of punishment...
When will the people be able to live securely? When there is enough food for everyone, so that no one is driven to crime or violence for lack of food. Ultimately, then, the question of whether our society will be blessed with peace or cursed with violence depends on how we share our resources.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
~How do you respond to the commentator's depiction of the Israelites as an immature nation, capable only of responding to reward and punishment? How does it resonate with you as a parent?
~Do you agree with the concept of transferring behavioral motivation from external to internal?
~How does this fit in with the concept of free will?
~Do you agree with the overall conclusion, to paraphrase Senator Paul Wellstone z"l, that "we all do better when we all do better"?