Math in the Parsha

“Shabbas Shabboson yi’h’yeh lo’oretz” (VaYikra 25,4)

A total rest should be for the land

During the six years of agricultural pursuits, people rest every seventh day and for Yomim Tovim (holidays). However, the land still does its thing, supplying minerals for the fruit and vegetables, and aiding in their growth. One reason given for Shmitah, is that the refraining form agricultural pursuits during the Shmitah year allows the land to make up for the growth on Shabbosim and Yomim Tovim during those six years

I. Calculate the number of Shabbosim during the six years:

Average yearly Shabbosim ______
Number of non-Shmitah years X ______
Equals ________

II. Calculate the number days of Yom Tovim in Israel during the six years:

Number of Annual Yomim Tovim according to the Torah
Pesach - first and last
Shavuos
Rosh HaShana
Yom HaKippur
Sukkos
Shmini Atzeres _______
Number of non-Shmitah years X ______
Equals ________

III. Add two numbers sums from above

Equals days in one lunar year __________

YOVEL MATH

The Baal haTurim points out that the word יובל appears 14 times in Parshas Behar (Perek 25) corresponding to the fourteen Yovel years declared by Bais Din from the time that the Jews entered Eretz Yisrael under Yehoshua until the 10 tribes (the Northern Kingdom) were exiled in the days of Hoshea ben Elah.

• The Yovel year is declared every 50 years (after seven cycles of 7-year Shmitah years)
• The counting began after the first 14 years or conquering and apportionment of the Land
• Yovel can only be declared when the majority of the nation is living in Eretz Yisrael.
• When the 10 tribes were exiled (Melachim Bais 17,1), thess criteria were no longer met (Arachim 12a)

➢ Melachim Alef 6,1 states the Shlomo built the Bais haMikdash 850 years after the Jews left Mitzraim
➢ Yoma 6a stays the first Bais haMikdash stood for 410 years
➢ 2448 – Jews left Mitzraim and went to Har Sinai
➢ 2488 – After 40 years in the desert the Jews enter Eretz Yisrael
➢ 2503 – First year of the initial Shmitah cycle
➢ 2553 - First Yovel year
➢ 2928 – Shlomo built the first Bai haMikdash
➢ 3205 – The Ten Tribes were exiled out of Eretz Yisrael
➢ 3338 - Bais haMikdash was destroyed

How to determine the number of Yovel years which were declared by the Bais Din?

1. First year the Jews counted for the fifty years of the first Yovel _____________
2. Final year that the criteria was met for counting years for the Yovel _____________
3. Total number of years counted towards the Yovel (subtract answer “2” from “1”) _____________
4. Total number of Yovel years (divide answer 3 by 50 and ignore the remainder) _____________

Fourteen times Yovel is mentioned in Perek 25:
יוֹבֵל pesukim 10, 11, 12
הַיוֹבֵל pesukim 13, 15, 28
בַיֹבֵל pesukim 28, 30, 33
וּבַיֹבֵל pasuk 31
הַיֹבֵל pesukim 40, 50, 52, 54
The Talilel Oros points out an interesting allusion. The word appears six times complete with the letter “ו”; and eight times “deficient” without the letter “ו” which indicates the lacking of the Bais haMikdash.

1. First year the Jews counted for the fifty years of the first Yovel _____________
2. Final year prior to the Bais Mikdash _____________
3. Total number of years counted towards the Yovel (subtract answer “2” from “1”) _____________
4. Total number of Yovel years (divide answer 3 by 50 and ignore the remainder) _____________

1. Total number of years of the Bais haMikdash _____________
2. Total number of Yovel years during the Bais haMikdash (Divide answer “1” by 50 and ignore the remainder) ____________