Discuss at Your Shabbos Table

Sefiras HaOmer is the time when Hashem wants each Jew to develop a good heart (see the article above). Here are two important lessons from the parsha related to this topic:

• The parsha teaches: וְלֹא תוֹנוּ אִישׁ אֶת־עֲמִיתוֹ... - A man should not hurt his fellow Jew...(Vayikra 25:17)
  Ask around your Shabbos table: What is this verse referring to?
  Answer: Based on the words of Chaza”l in Gemorah Baba Metzia 58b, Rashi tells us: “כאן הזהיר על אונאת דברים ” - Here, the Torah cautioned us against hurting each other with words.
• The parsha teaches: וְכִי תִמְכְרוּ מִמְכָּר לַעֲמִיתֶךָ אוֹ קָּנֹה מִיַד עֲמִיתֶךָ אַל תּוֹנוּ אִישׁ אֶת אָּחִיו - And when you make a sale to “amisecha” or make a purchase from the hand of “amisecha”, a man should not oppress his brother. (Vayikra 25:14)
  Ask around your Shabbos table: What is the meaning of the word “amisecha”?
  Answer: Onkolos translates it as, “חַבְרְָךְ” (your friend). Combined with the last word of that verse (אְָחִיו) - “his brother”, we see that HaShem wants a person to look at each Jewish person as “his friend” and “his brother.”