[Avodah] Bechukosai "Seven Wonders of the World"

[Cantor Wolberg via Avodah]

This Torah portion sets forth the blessings that are seen in this world in response to our deeds.  
It then continues with the Tochacha, words of admonition, "If you will not listen to Me and will not perform all of these commandments…"   
Interestingly, there are seven series of seven punishments each. God warns us throughout the portion that He will punish us in "seven ways for your seven sins.  
We are now counting seven days a week for seven weeks; the Torah has just recently given the laws for Shemita — seventh year the land lies fallow and seven periods of seven years, we celebrate the Jubilee year.
 
What is so special about the number seven?  Kabbalah teaches that seven represents the physical world -- 7 days of the week, 7 notes to the diatonic scale, seven continents, etc. 
We wind the T'fillin straps around our forearm seven times.  We sit shiva for seven days. At the wedding we chant 7 blessings (sheva b'rachos) and the wedding is followed by seven days of celebration.  
Even the Torah begins with seven -- the First verse has seven words also containing a total of twenty-eight letters which is seven times four. 
 
Kabbalah also teaches that seven represents wholeness and completion. When we say "Baruch Hashem" we are praising God for something that is hopefully whole and complete.  
The acronym for Baruch Hashem  (Beis, Hay) also equals 7.
Finally, the patriarchs and matriarchs total seven:  Avraham, Yitzchok, Ya’akov, Sarah, Rivka, Rochel, Leah.

(Please don’t write me to say your phone number has seven digits or the rainbow has 7 colors or that there are seven letters in the Roman numeral system or that nitrogen has the atomic number of 7 or that there were
7 dwarfs with Snow White). :-)
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