When you Choose Shabbat, you choose to learn that every Shabbat is different and special. This week I learned about Parashat Ki Tietze (כִּי־תֵצֵא), the 49th weekly Torah portion in the annual cycle of Torah readings.
According to Wikipedia, Ki Tietze (כִּי־תֵצֵא), Deuteronomy 21:10 through 25:19, contains 5,856 Hebrew letters, 1,582 words, 110 verses and makes up 213 lines of the Torah scroll. Ki Tietze includes a hodgepodge of miscellaneous laws and ordinances regarding the treatment of a captive of war, inheritance among the sons of two wives, the corpse of an executed person, found property, rooftop safety, prohibited mixtures, sexual offenses, membership in the congregation, camp hygiene, runaway slaves, prostitution, usury, vows, gleaning, kidnapping, repossession, prompt payment of wages, vicarious liability, flogging, treatment of domestic animals, weights and measures and wiping out the memory of Amalek, to name a few.
Rabbi Michael D Klein of Temple Torat Emet offers his insights on this week’s Torah reading, Ki Tietze for Shabbat, September 14, 2024 aka 11 Elul 5784:
“The Sedra Ki Teitze contains more laws of the Torah than any other Sedra. Many of the laws are expansions or specific applications of laws previously stated covering diverse topics – family relationships, divorce, vows, responsibility, work, business ethics, exemptions from military service, and administration of justice. It ends with the commandments to remember Amalek and not forget what he attempted to do and how the Amalekites attacked our most vulnerable when we were rescued by G-d from slavery. What’s the connection?
We are commanded to live a life of Torah in order to fulfill the covenant that is renewed in every generation. As we prepared to enter the Land of Israel, it was incumbent upon Moses to teach and remind the new generation that they were held to the covenant that had been established with G-d by our ancestors and that the gift of the Land of Israel was only ours to keep as long as we kept up our end of the bargain. Amalek, like today’s Hamas, represents the antithesis whose attributes are lawlessness, disrespect for laws, and mindless violence.
Contained in these commandments are both a historical lesson and a warning. Should we choose to become unjust and uncaring like those who attack us with mindless hatred, then we risk becoming like them. As long as we adhere to Torah and love each other and the Land of Israel, we are given the gifts which G-d promises us. The Sedra contains 110 verses which corresponds numerically to the Hebrew word Ah-ly, which means, “to me”.
Rabbi David Feinstein explains that this teaches us that each person must personally accept the goal of accomplishing as many mitzvot in their lifetime as humanly possible and thus helping to fulfill the Brit which is incumbent upon every Jew in their relationship to other Jews and to G-d. We must do so Bsimcha Uvtuv Levav- with joy and gladness of heart to show appreciation of the wonderful gifts given to us each day by Hakadosh Baruch Hu!!! Thus fulfilling each commandment in a positive manner, even negative commandments and prohibitions, become a positive roadmap for living a fulfilling, meaningful and happy life.
Questions for Discussion:
- What does it mean to be “fair” in administering justice?
- Why are there mixtures (Shatnes) mentioned in the Torah?
- Why are keeping promises so important?
- How does this Sedra connect to the message of Elul?
Rabbi Michael D. Klein attended Yeshiva College of South Florida and served as Torah Reader, Hebrew teacher, Chazzan and spiritual leader of various synagogues throughout South Florida. In January 2015 he became Ritual Director, Bnai/Bnot Mitzvah instructor and 7th grade Hebrew instructor for Temple Torat Emet of Boynton Beach. In October 2019 he was accepted into an accelerated track and received his smicha from Yeshiva Adath Wolkowisk and has been the Rabbinic leadership of Temple Torat Emet since August 2020. In September of 2022 he was appointed Rabbinic and Spiritual Advisor of the Florida Region of FJMC.
Choose Shabbat; choose to celebrate, to light candles, sing songs and learn a little Torah.
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