Parsha Math: Ratios; Bais Kor

RATIOS
ERCHIN ערכין
VaYikra 27

Vow to donate money to the Bais HaMikdash based on valuation of another person
Different valuations based on age and gender

1. Review Chapter 27 and complete the table below
   AGE GROUP MEN WOMEN RATIO
   ONE MONTH – 5 YEARS
   5 YEARS – 20 YEARS
   20 YEARS – 60 YEARS
   60 YEARS AND OVER
2. Then, determine the ratio between genders at each age group
   Apparent from the above Table, the ratio between men and women changes
   Gemara (Erchin 19a) “An old man is not very useful, while an old woman brings blessing into the home (she is still useful). (See Chizkuni)
   Pirkei Avos (5:25) states that a male between 5 years and 20 years enters Torah study on different levels, assessing spiritual milestones at a higher rate.
3. Find other reasons for the change in ratios

PARSHA MATH

BEIS KOR

A “beis kor” is a measurement of area of land. The main place for his measurement is to the Torah law governing redemption of consecrated (to the Bais haMikdash) ancestral land as taught in VaYikra 27:16-18.
Like any property consecrated to the Bais haMikdash Treasury, ancestral lands that have been consecrated are sold, and the proceeds go to the Treasury for use of the Bais haMikdash. Unlike other consecrated property, ancestral lands are not redeemed from the Treasury at true market value, but at a fixed rate based on the land’s size and the number of years remaining to the Yovel (if not redeemed prior to the Yovel, the original owner losses any connection to the land).

The base rate set by the Torah is fifty silver shekels for a field large enough for a kor of barley seed to be planted in that field. The price yielded by this base rate is then pro-rated according to the amount of years remaining to the Yovel. 50 shekels is the amount for each “beis kor.” Each year the amount of the payment decreases an equal amount each year for the 49 years between the Yovel years.

This unit of area, which is known as “beis kor” was determined by Chaza”l to encompass 75,000 square amos, as derived by the following calculation:

1. The courtyard of the Bais haMikdash was an area fit for sowing two seah of barley seed (Eiruvim 23b).
2. The Torah (Shmos 27,18) gives the size of the courtyard as 50 amos by 100 amos or 5,000 square amos.
   
   100 amos
   50 amos
   
   Area = length times width (50 X 100 = 5,000)
3. An area for a single seah is half of the above amount, or 2,500 square amos.
4. A kor equals 30 seah.
5. Thus, a “bais kor” equals 75,000 square amos (30 X 2,500 = 75,000).

בית כור BEIS KOR (MEASUREMENTS)

A Beis Kor is a parcel of land in which a Kor (30 Se'ah) of grain is normally planted. The area of a Beis Kor is 75,000 square Amos, approximately 17,280 square meters (186,000 square feet) or 24,883 square meters (267,837 square feet), depending upon the differing Halachic opinions.
1 KOR = 30 SE'AH
1 EIFAH = 3 SE'AH
1 SE'AH = 6 KAV
1 KAV = 4 LUG
1 LUG = 6 BEITZIM

Example: Consecrated a section of property of one Beis Kor with seven years left until Yovel

Formula: (A) Parcel Size -Land size divided by Beis Kor
(B) Pro-rated percentage of years to Yovel – divide number of years left by 49
(C) Redemption price – Parcel size (A) times (B) pro-rated percentage times 50 silver shekels

This case (A) Parcel Size – 1.0 Beis Kor
(B) Pro-rated percentage – 7 divided by 50 = .14285
(C) Redemption price - (A) 1.0 times (B) .14285 times 50 = 7.1425 silver shekels

Township Sectors
Yellow is one Beis Kor – Blue is one/half Beis Kor

How Much Redemption in the Following Cases?

1. Yosef owns lots 13 & 14. He consecrated the lots to the Bais haMikdash. How much is the redemption cost if 20 years left till the Yovel?
   (A) Parcel Size - How many “beis Kor”? __________________________
   (B) Pro-rated Percentage – Number of years divided by 49 __________________________
   (C) Redemption Price – A times B times 50 silver shekelim _________________________
2. Dovid owns lot 5. He consecrated the lot to the Bais haMikdash.
   How much is the redemption cost if 28 years left till the Yovel? _________________________
3. Laibel owns lots 25 thru 36. He consecrated the lot to the Bais haMikdash.
   How much is the redemption cost if 21 years left till the Yovel? _________________________

An ancient, anonymous song for Shabbos Chanukah, Ichlu Mashmanim, appears in siddurim and is chanted in some communities. The whole composition sings the praises of food, meals, meat dishes, wine and miscellaneous culinary delights to be consumed on that Shabbos and the line ending each stanza goes: “A beis kur sell or lease; rent a beis kur for Shabbos Chanukah!” In his Responsa (137), Mahari of Bruna, a pupil of the Terumas HaDeshen, remarks that no Torah scholar could have written the song as a Chanukah meal is not defined as a se’udas mitzvah. Others even stress that only foolhardy people could have composed it, as evident from its contents (Orchos Chayim, 670:8). On the other hand, some rebbes, such as Rebbe Pinchas of Koritz zt”l, sang it on Shabbos Chanukah and a few scholars attribute it to Rabbi Avraham Ibn Ezra as the initial letters of its lines form Avraham. Those favoring the song were somehow able to lend its contents a spiritual connotation and some surmise that beis kur is used as a pun: In Old French a yard for raising and fattening poultry was called a bas court (“low courtyard” – the final “s” was then, as in certain dialects today, pronounced). The message, then, is “Sell your beis kur” – your field – and rent a bas court for Shabbos Chanukah.