A Welfare State or a free economy

Parsha and its Implementation - BeHar - Rabbi Eliezer Shenvald – 5779

In Parashat Behar there is a concentration of mitzvot that reflect a balanced socioeconomic perception of the Torah. It begins with the commandment of "Shmita", which requires to stop the work of the land once every seven years, and that the fruit of the field be abandoned to all who seek it (Vayikra 25:6). A mitzvah that balances the absolute private ownership of man over the fruits of his field and makes them on this year, property of all. As a form of social equality. In this year there is also a shmita on money and the cancellation of debts. Following these, comes the Jubilee commandment which takes place once every fifty years (Vayikra 25:7). In this year there is a general release of the slaves to freedom that expresses the limitation of slavery and domination over each other. Landowners who were forced to sell over the years, get back their properties; back to their original owners, a kind of social justice that maintains the connection of the property to its original family in a balanced manner.

The Torah creates an opportunity for a renewed economic beginning and prevents uncontrolled real estate ownership of property by the financiers, from an approach that the land is not entirely owned by the buyer:

   וְהָאָ֗רֶץ לֹ֤א תִמָּכֵר֙ לִצְמִתֻ֔ת כִּי־לִ֖י הָאָ֑רֶץ..

But the land must not be sold beyond reclaim, for the land is Mine… (Vayikra 25:23)

Later, the Torah also determines the possibility of "redeeming" and returning to its owners. Land that was sold without having a choice, without the buyer being able to prevent the sale (Vayikra 25:25), as well as the prohibition of interest set by a moral halachic framework for the benefit of those in need of a loan - that will be from a basis of mutual responsibility and solidarity and not for profit:

וְכִֽי־יָמ֣וּךְ אָחִ֔יךָ וּמָ֥טָה יָד֖וֹ עִמָּ֑ךְ ... אַל־תִּקַּ֤ח מֵֽאִתּוֹ֙ נֶ֣שֶׁךְ וְתַרְבִּ֔ית׃

"If your kinsman, being in straits, comes under your authority… do not exact from him advance or accrued interest". (Vayikra 25:35-36), thus it also determines that economic growth is based on profit from real assets, from work, from production and from industry, and not from money that generates money, and the commandment of the Hebrew slave, which also enables a kind of slavery for the purpose of rehabilitating offenders and gives existential support for those who come from distressed and needy populations. But it imposes heavy restrictions on it. The subordination of the slave to his master, and the period of slavery. And grants him various social benefits.

Recently, there has been a public debate about the right economic approach to the State of Israel. And a party was created with the approach of "Herut" and an almost absolute free economy, in the spirit of the American liberal approach of the last century. Underlying this approach was a moral flaw in the fact that the state interfered with the individual's property and limited its ability to initiate business and economic actions by means of a set of regulatory laws and claimed as well that their approach freed the economy from its limitations and yielded more economic gains. And the enormous damage caused by communism and socialism (ignoring the depression brought about by capitalism at the beginning of the last century that gave birth to socialism). It also argues that it is not appropriate for the state to force the individual to allocate his money to distressed and needy sectors by collecting compulsory taxes, and to leave the individual with freedom and the choice to give charity according to his wishes.

Since at the head of the party stands a person who observes Torah and mitzvot and most of its electors, the discussion has also spread to the world of Judaism and Halacha. They argue that freedom "Herut" and free will are not only human values ​​but also the values ​​of Torah and Judaism. Some called the taking of money from the individual, by taxation, for the benefit of others as a prohibition of theft and claimed, that the commandments of charity and mutual responsibility are imposed on the community and not on the state.

From our Parasha we learned a chapter in the socio-economic conception of the Torah that does not clearly favor one of the economic patterns on the extremes. It is neither capitalist nor socialist. It is a unique and balanced perception. On the one hand, it involves recognition of private property, and the need to allow the economy to operate with minimal regulatory involvement. And on the other hand, it demands collective responsibility guarantees. 'Israel is a guarantor to each other' a kind of welfare state. It is commanded by charity and benevolence. And also states that it is possible to force the individual to give charity for the poor and the weak classes, against his will.

And demands "charity and justice"- to accept collective responsibility for the weaker sectors and the population in distress and enable them to rehabilitate their economic situation.

It demands from the government system to prevent the strong abuse of the weak and to "save the oppressed immediately," and restrain the unlimited power of the wealthy.

This balance is also required today, considering the needs of a modern market economy.