|
|
Weekly Reading Insights: Ki Teitzei
5783 |
 |
Overview
of the Torah Reading
To be read on Shabbat Ki Teitzei, 9 Elul 5783/Aug.26,
2023
Torah: Deut. 21:10-25:18
Haftorah: Isaiah 54:1-10 (5th of the Seven Haftorahs of
Consolation)
Pirkei Avot: Chapter
1,2
Ki Teitzei is the 6th Reading out of 11 in Deuteronomy
and it contains 5856 letters, in 1582 words, in 110 verses
Overwiev:
Much of Ki Teitzei is a series of laws. The first describes the
process of converting and marrying women captives of war from other nations.
Next are the laws of a firstborn son's inheritance, the punishment of a rebellious
son, burial of a hanged sinner, returning lost articles, helping a Jew's fallen
animal to stand and return its load, the prohibition to wear clothes of the
opposite gender, removing a mother bird before taking her eggs or young, and
placing a guard rail on the roof of a building. This is followed by the prohibition
of planting together different plant species, plowing with different animal
species under one yoke, and wearing a garment of linen and wool. Male Jews are
commanded to wear tzitzit (fringes) on four cornered garments. Next are the
laws of the defamed wife-accused of false virginity or infidelity-and the consequences
when the accusation is proven true or false. Laws regarding betrothal, rape,
incest, bastardry, and marriage to converts from certain nations are also listed.
The Jews are commanded to be modest even at war, both sexually and when relieving
themselves. Jews are forbidden to return runaway slaves (who came to Israel
from elsewhere) to their masters. The Jews are forbidden to be promiscuous,
and to deduct interest from other Jews. They are also required to fulfill vows
on time, allow employees to eat from produce they are working with, and are
explained the laws of divorce and remarriage. A bridegroom is not allowed to
be drafted; a millstone may not be used as security for a loan; and a kidnapper's
punishment is described. The Jews are reminded to be careful about laws of leprosy,
how to take security for loans, and to pay wages on time. Certain close relatives
may not testify against each other; widows and orphans must be treated properly;
forgotten harvested produce must be left in the field for the needy; flogging
by court order must be exact; and animals may not be muzzled when treading grain.
When a man dies leaving his wife childless, his brother or closest kinsman is
commanded to marry her. The laws of such a case are described as well as a situation
where the relative chooses not to marry the widow. Next is the law concerning
a woman who became involved in an assault on her husband. The Jews are reminded
to be honest in their weights and measures, and to remember how Amalek attacked
the Jews when we went out of Egypt.
 An
Essay from
Rabbi Shaul Yosef Leiter, Director of Ascent
(for a free weekly email subscription, click
here)
The Mishnah (part of the teachings, known as the Oral Torah, that
G-d transmitted to Moshe to clarify and expand the Written Torah, on Mount Sinai
3334 years ago) teaches that a virgin (bride) is given twelve months to prepare
herself physically and spiritually for her wedding (Ketuvot 57b).
A very ancient book of Kabbalah, SeferYetzirah, authorship attributed to our
forefather Avraham, explains that every month of the lunar calendar is connected
to a particular constellation. Just as the light of the constellation reaches
earth, so also each of the constellations is a conduit of Divine energy into
the world, giving each month its own individual impact and strength that affects
our lives.
The Ba'al Ha'Hafla'ah [1] taught that the constellation of this month of Elul,
the month that precedes the month of Tishrei, the month of the High Holidays,
is Virgin. He said that the inner meaning of the Mishnah is that the virgin/bride,
i.e. each Jewish person, is given, during the month of Elul, the power to repair
any damage caused by any of our inappropriate actions during the past twelve
months. When we focus on this, we come to the month of Tishrei, whose constellation
is Libra, or Scales, balanced and ready to enter into a deep marriage relationship
with G-d.
Marriage is one of the principal paradigms of this time of the year. It is worthwhile
to examine one of the verses in this week's Torah portion, Ki Teitzei, that
gives us a hint how to be successful for those who are just getting married
now and even for those of us who have been married for a long time.
The verse says "When you build a new house, you should put a railing around
your roof to protect someone from falling" (Devarim/Deuteronomy 22:8).
The expression, "new house" begs to be explained. What difference
is there if it is a new house or an old house? Torah law is that a roof (and
a balcony etc.) needs a railing! The Lubavitcher Rebbe explains that a person's
home is really his wife (Likkutei Sichot, volume 19, page 210).
The wife creates the atmosphere that makes the home. So building a "new
house" is referring to the beginning of a marriage, when a person takes
on the responsibility, not just to create a relationship with their spouse,
but also in relation to the material world, to support the family. We are no
longer an actor in a play. Now our every action is important. We are living
life. In this situation we need to have railings, boundaries, in our relationship
with the world, whether in what we allow ourselves to think about, speak about,
and certainly in our actions. This is the reason the Torah chose the words,
a "new house", because setting up these precautionary spiritual boundaries
in our life is primarily when we are building a new home.
What about those of us who have been married for a while? The same rule applies.
How can we renew our relationships and maintaining, or if need be, bringing
back that feeling of freshness? It is very counter-intuitive. The Torah is telling
us that the secret is not just in how we relate to our spouse, but also how
we relate to the world around us. Renewing our "railings", our boundaries,
taking extra precautions to protect ourselves from the influences of the physical
world is a crucial ingredient in keeping our marriages fresh.
I heard the following from Dayan Ivan Binstock (London, UK). What is needed
for Sheva Brachot, the parties the family and community make for a bride
and groom during the first week after their marriage, besides the bride and
the groom and a minyan [quorum of 10 Jewish men]? You need bread and
wine. When is bread the best? When it is fresh. When is wine the best? When
it is old. The Torah is teaching us that, to keep our marriages fresh, we have
to surround ourselves with the ancient Torah
Shabbat shalom, Shaul
(for a free weekly email subscription, click
here)
For last year's essay by Rabbi Leiter on this week's Reading,
see the archive.
FROM
THE SAGES OF KABBALAH ON KabbalaOnline.org
Specifically, for an overview
of the recommended articles in the columns:
Holy Zohar, Holy Ari, Mystic Classics, Chasidic Masters, Contemporary Kabbalists,
and more, click to Ki
Teitzei
one sample:
The Zohar
.jpg) The
Torah of a United World
From the teachings of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai; translation and commentary by
Shmuel-Simcha Treister, based on Metok MiDevash
The Zohar says: "How unfortunate are those who only eat the straw instead
of the real fruit of Torah..."
Wheat is a mixture of good
and evil, chaff and seed – corresponding respectively to sin and holiness.
The Zohar is teaching us that using logic alone to understand Torah is like
eating straw instead of proper food
To continue, click
here.
For a free email subscription to our weekly anthology, click
here.
For another taste of recommended Kabbalah articles on a variety of subjects,
click to the our
weekly Kabbalah magazine
Back to Top
An
Essay from
Rabbi Shaul Yosef Leiter, Director of Ascent
(for a free weekly email subscription, click
here)
(for a free weekly email subscription, click
here)
For last year's essay by Rabbi Leiter on this week's Reading,
see the archive.
FROM
THE SAGES OF KABBALAH ON KabbalaOnline.org
Specifically, for an overview
of the recommended articles in the columns:
Holy Zohar, Holy Ari, Mystic Classics, Chasidic Masters, Contemporary Kabbalists,
and more, click to Va'etchanan
one sample:
Ascent Lights
.jpg) G-d
Fulfills Righteous Wills
By Shaul Yosef Leiter
Exile can be compared to pregnancy. Just as during pregnancy the discomfort
grows, so too the pain of the exile grows from minute to minute; Just as the
birth of a child is anticipated, so too do we look forward to the end of the
exile which will herald a millennium of revelation.
To continue, click
here.
For a free email subscription to our weekly anthology, click
here.
For another taste of recommended Kabbalah articles on a variety of subjects,
click to the our
weekly Kabbalah magazine
Back to Top
|
