The first three aliyot of this week’s parasha, Bechukotai, are hard to swallow. We are told that if we follow in the way of the Torah and Mitzvot, the land which we live upon (presumably Israel) will blossom and sustain us eternally. We will never have to be concerned about enemies, famine, or sickness. G-d will walk among us and we will be G-d’s people.

Sounds perfect! Except for the other side of the deal (which is laid out in finer and more painful detail then the positive side). If we do not listen to the commandments of G-d, we might as well pack up and run. We will be plagued by fear and terror, we will be consumed and ruled by our enemies. The skies will give no rain and the land no food. Our children and cattle will be decimated by wild animals, our appetites will never be satiated, and we will eat the flesh of our sons and daughters. And the text goes on, in a language I can only interpret as angry, with threats about why we should not mess with G-d’s laws.

If we interpret this text literally, we read an airtight case for strict piety and submission to Torah. It is not inconceivable that this portion would be used by fanatics to point a finger at people who do not live within their understanding of the law and accuse them of bringing about natural disasters, holocausts, and global warming. Included in the list of accused would most likely be GLBTQ Jews. This line of reasoning (though putrid and enraging) gives cause for the GLBTQ Torah community to focus on Bechukotai and ask, how we can find peace within its harsh message?

Rashi poses the question, what does “chukot,” the root of “Bechukotai”, actually mean in the context of the first verse of the portion? It can’t simply mean “laws” because right after the Torah states, “and keep my commandments,” which would include the laws. Rather, Rashi defines “chukot” as “studying Torah.” More specifically, Rashi teaches that when the Torah states, “If you follow my ‘chukot,’ and keep my commandments” it is teaching, “If you continuously study Torah in order to understand the deeper meaning of the commandments, thus having a deeper understanding of how to cast this world in a Divine light, then we will be golden.”

It is possible to interpret Rashi’s words as G-d pleading with the receivers of Torah to keep it alive and fresh with constant newfound meaning. This is perhaps hinted at by the literal translation of the first phrase, “If you walk in my laws.” Using the verb walk suggests engaging with the laws in a way that creates perpetual movement.

With this new understanding the portion transforms. No longer is G-d making an ultimatum, “It’s my way, or the highway!” If the world was created from and bound with the Torah it would make sense that if the Torah thrives, the world will thrive, and if the Torah freezes, the world will freeze. Reviewing the actual rewards and punishments gives further proof to this as many involve images from the natural world. Therefore, it would be the specific act of challenging the larger Jewish community to explore the gift of the authentic—the natural—Jewish GLBTQ life that gives new breath to the Torah and thus the world.

On Thursday night, May 22nd, we count the 33rd day of the Omer. Known as Lag B’omer, this day represents a bright revelation of light amidst the morbid undertone of the Omer period. In Israel, in a town called Meron, Jews of every flavor gather to celebrate the life of the great mystic Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai. Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai’s greatest contribution, perhaps more legend then reality, is that he brought the Zohar, a foundational Kabbalistic text, to the world. The Zohar sparked a wildfire of progression in the Jewish world, seeding the Chasidic, spiritual, and esoteric movements in Judaism that are still thriving today. Lag B’omer, then, might be a day when we celebrate that Judaism is still alive and expanding; through our lives Torah is breathing and thriving. Connected with this day, we also remember the important message of Rabbi Akivah, “Love your friend, as you would want to be loved yourself.”

The sadness of the Omer is a reminder of 20,000 students who died from a plague which, as legend teaches, was a punishment for the students not loving one another. In our parasha, Rashi teaches that a cardinal sin that will cause the Torah and the Jewish people to perish is when we despise those who are keeping the Torah alive. How important is the message of Rabbi Akivah! The GLBTQ community must be vigilant in their quest for creating an authentic Jewish life and layer it with self-love and respect. We must remind the larger Jewish community to heed the words of Rashi, Rabbi Akivah, and the life message of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai: Torah, and thus the world, thrives in perpetual change and expansion. Echoing the words of the Bechukotai, we all must humble ourselves with acceptance, not condemn ourselves with rejection.

Zvi Bellin is the Outreach Coordinator for Nehirim: GLBT Jewish Culture & Spirituality. He leads workshops and directs retreats that integrate body-heart-mind-soul in a variety of spiritual and religious contexts. Zvi holds an M.A. in Counseling and Guidance from NYU, and is studying for his PhD in Pastoral Counseling at Loyola College, Maryland. Zvi is a 200-hour Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) with the Yoga Alliance. He has worked as a therapist in a number of mental health settings, and has interned as a Psychiatric Chaplain. Zvi’s most recent interests include the spirituality of “dark places” and the formation of meaning outside the “normal and acceptable.” He is a co-founder of the Silver Spring Moishe House, a Jewish community house sponsored by the Forest Foundation. For more information about Nehirim and its many retreats and programs go to www.nehirim.org.