Wiping out Amalek |
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Monday, 09 September 2024 |
In Parshat Ki Tetze, Dvarim
24:17-19, we are commanded to wipe out Amalek:
Remember what Amalek perpetrated
against you on the way when you left Egypt. When he chanced upon you en route,
when you were tired and exhausted, striking down all of the stragglers in your
rear, with no fear of God. It shall be when HaShem, your God, gives you rest
from your enemies all around, in the Land that HaShem, your God gives you as an
inheritance to possess it, you shall wipe out the memory of Amalek from under
the heaven-you shall not forget.
Rav Tzvi Yehuda Kook in his Sichot asks
why Amalek started up with B’nai Yisrael.
His answer is that Amalek is the
opposite of the Kingship of God, the Kingship of Israel, the spirit of Israel,
the Shechina (Divine Presence) of Israel, the holiness of B’nai Israel, the
Land of Israel, the Torah of Israel and everything that belongs to Israel and
therefore God’s war on Amalek is throughout the ages.
Even though we don’t know who Amalek
is genetically today, we have still been suffering from different incarnations
of Amalek in every generation.
Rav Soloveitchik writes in Kol Dodi
Dofek that in the 1930s and 1940s that the Nazis filled the role of Amalek.
Next was Nasser and the Mufti who continued along that path. We must speak out
against them. If we remain silent, I don’t know how we will be judged before
God.
There are two mitzvot connected with
Amalek. One is particular (the lineage of Amalek) and one is national (self
defense).
Rav Soloveitchik brings the
following idea in the name of his father:
1. Wiping out individuals only
applies to the lineage of Amalek, “wipe out the memory of Amalek.”
Today, we don’t know who the lineage
of Amalek is, so this mitzvah is not in effect.
2. When a nation wants to utterly
destroy us, we are commanded to fight that nation. This is considered a
Milchemet Mitzvah, an obligatory war as we read in Parshat Beshalach, Shmot
17:14-16:
God said to Moshe, “Write this as a
remembrance in the Book and recite it in the ears of Yehoshua, that I shall
surely erase the memory of Amalek from under the heavens.” Moshe built an altar
and called its name “HaShem is My Miracle”; and he said, “For the hand is on
the throne of God: HaShem maintains a war against Amalek, from generation to
generation.
The Amalek whose goal is to
obliterate the Jewish people must be destroyed.
May we see peace in Israel and may
we prevail over our enemies. |
Are Women Permitted to Carry Weapons? |
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Tuesday, 22 August 2023 |
Sponsored by Laura Csillag with praise and thanks to HaShem on Daled
Elul
In Parshat Ki Tetze, Dvarim 22:5 we read:
No male article (kli gever) shall be on a woman, and a man shall not wear
a woman’s garment...
In the Talmud, Nazir 59a, the Braita teaches:
Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov says: From where do we know that a woman may
not go out wearing weapons of war? It is learned from the verse “No male
article shall be on a woman.”
The commentary on Nazir which is Meyuchas L’Rashi (associated with
Rashi) points out that in Shoftim 5, Yael, the wife of Hever HaKeini didn’t
kill Sisera with a weapon. Rather she killed him with a tent peg since women
aren’t supposed to use weapons.
The Rambam, Sefer HaMitzvot Lo Taaseh 40 points out that “klei gever,” men’s articles can include armor and weaponry.
Does this mean that women can’t use
weapons or are there exceptions?
Shu”t (Responsa) of Maharsham, Section
2: 243 explains that since Yael had the tent peg handy she used it to kill
Sisera. However, if she needed to use a sword for protection then that would
have been acceptable as well.
We see from here that if a woman
needs a weapon for protection then she would be permitted to carry it.
Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah 182:5
teaches: A woman may not clothe herself in men’s clothing (put on a helmet,
wear armor etc.). Rama points out that this is what men wear according to the
local custom.
We can learn from here that if it is
the local custom for women to use articles such as guns then they would not be
forbidden as they would not be in the category of men’s articles.
In Israel today, we see both men and
women on a regular basis wearing army uniforms and carrying guns. These items
are not considered men’s articles as they are commonly used by men and women.
May we merit to see true peace in
Israel and throughout the world and may the prophecy of Yishayahu 2:4 be
fulfilled: “…They shall beat their swords into plowshares, their spears into
pruning hooks. Nation shall not raise a sword against nation; no more will they
learn to make war.” |
Don’t tip the scales! |
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Thursday, 08 September 2022 |
Sponsored by Sharona and Josh Halickman commemorating the 27th
Yahrzeit of Reva Margolin z”l In Parshat Ki Tetzei we learn about mitzvot that assure a fair and
honest society as God abhors dishonesty.
In Dvarim 25:13-16 we read:
You are not to have for yourself in your pouch varying weight stones
(ehven), large and small. You shall not have in your house varying measures
(eifah), large and small. A fully accurate, just weight, you shall have, you
are to have whole and honest measures; in order that you live long on the Land
that HaShem, your God is giving you. Because HaShem, your God’s abomination,
are all who do these things; all who do falsehood.
Sforno comments: After having mentioned
the ways in which the benevolent presence of the Shechina (Divine Presence) can
be assured for the Jewish people, the Torah reminds us that God will not
tolerate corrupt justice. God does not even want us to own or keep instruments
which are designed to be used in a corrupt, deceptive, manner, so that even
without putting these instruments to use the owner/keeper has become guilty of
violating a negative commandment.
Dvarim 25:17 states the famous
verse: “Remember what Amalek perpetrated against you on the way when you went
out of Egypt.”
Rashi explains why Amalek appears
here: If you are deceitful with your measures and weights, you should dread
harassment from the enemy as we learn in Mishlei 11:1: “Deceitful scales are an
abomination to God, but a perfect weight is His desire” and in the following
verse: “When pride comes, then comes shame...”
In Mishlei 20:23 we are taught:
“False weights and false measures are an abomination to God and scales of
deceit are not good.
Unfortunately there are many
“religious” people who do not conduct themselves properly when engaging in
business transactions. Therefore it is necessary to reread these passages every
year. It should not only be about avoiding getting caught by the authorities, it
should be about following the mitzvot between a person and God as well as
following the laws between a person and their fellow person.
Even though most business today is
no longer conducted with weights and scales and even cash is becoming a thing
of the past, the same logic still applies. We must not cheat our fellow person! |
Does marriage take precedence over the military? |
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Monday, 16 August 2021 |
Dedicated
in Memory of my grandmother, Reva Margolin z”l on her 26th Yahrzheit
In Parhsat Ki
Tetze (Dvarim 24:5) we are taught:
When a man
marries a new wife, he shall not go out to the army, nor shall it obligate him
for any matter; he shall be free for his home for one year, and he shall
gladden his wife whom he has married.
This reminds us
of the verses that were recited on the border of Eretz Yisrael that we read in
last week’s Parsha, Parshat Shoftim (Dvarim 20:5-7) about those who are
unqualified to fight:
Who is the man
who has built a new house and has not inaugurated it? Let him go and return to
his house, lest he die in the war and another man will inaugurate it. And who
is the man who has planted a vineyard and not redeemed it? Let him go and
return to his house, lest he die in the war and another man will redeem it. And
who is the man who has betrothed a woman and not married her? Let him go and
return to his house, lest he die in war and another man will marry her.
There is a difference between the case in Shoftim
where the couple is engaged and the case in Ki Tetze where the couple is already
married. As we see in the Talmud, Sotah 44a:
The rabbis taught in a Braita: The verse in Ki Tetze
states “he shall not go out with the army.” It could be thought that it is with
the army that he does not go out, but he must go out to supply water and food
to the troops and he must go out to repair the roads for the passage of the
army. The Torah therefore states “nor shall [army service] be placed upon him
regarding any matter.”
This teaches that the army has no claim on the groom
who is within his first year of marriage whatsoever, not even for rear-echelon
duties. Unlike the man who betrothed a woman but did not marry her yet, the man
who built a home and did not yet inaugurate it or a man who planted a vineyard
and did not redeem it yet. Those three categories would still be obligated in
going out to perform the rear-echelon duties.
The Mishna, Sotah 44b states: The cases above, where
the man would be exempt from fighting in the war all refer to a “milchemet
reshut”, a voluntary war. However, in the case of a “milchemet mitzvah”, an
obligatory war, all go out, even a bridegroom from his chamber and a bride from
her chuppa.
The wars fought in Israel today fall under the
category of “milchemet mitzvah”, obligatory wars (as described by the Rambam in
Hilchot Melachim 5:1) since we are conquering the Land of Israel, protecting it
and saving Israel from the enemy. Therefore, the groom would be obligated to go
to war and according to some opinions even the bride, if not to fight, then to
supply food and water to the soldiers.
During the last war in Israel, “Shmorei HaChomot,”
there was at least one case of a bride and groom who had just gotten married
that went directly to serve in the army. This is the reality that we live with.
May the time come when we will have true peace in
Israel and will no longer have to send our brides and grooms out to fight. |
Are Uggs Kosher? |
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Monday, 24 August 2020 |
In Memory of Netanel Vayzer on his First Yahrzeit.
May his neshama have an aliya Last year, there was a controversy
over whether Uggs brand boots and shoes were “kosher”. Why would there be an
issue with clothing and footwear needing to be “kosher”?
We are commanded in Vayikra 19:19:
A garment that is a mixture of
Shaatnez, combined fibers, shall not come upon you.
And in Dvarim 22:11:
You shall not wear Shaatnez,
combined fibers, wool (tzemer) and linen (pishtim) together.
The Mishna (Kilayim 9:1) teaches:
The prohibition of kilayim (mixture
of species) in garments applies only to wool and linen. No other kinds are
forbidden to be mixed. Wool is restricted to that of a ewe or a ram.
If camel’s wool and sheep’s wool
have been hackled together-to produce mixed cloth- if the greater part is
camel’s wool, it is permitted to mix them with linen since the sheep’s wool is
annulled (batel) by the preponderance of camel’s wool, so there is no kilayim.
But if the greater part is sheep’s wool- it is forbidden to mix the wool with
linen on account of kilayim. If it is half and half- it is forbidden to mix it
with linen, on account of kilayim, since the sheep’s wool is not annulled.
The same applies to linen and hemp
(kanbos, a fibrous plant) hackled together- if the greater part is hemp it may
be mixed with wool, since hemp is not classed as linen.
Are shoes subject to the laws of
kilayim?
In the Talmud, Beitzah 15a, Rav Papa
said: Ardalin, undershoes, are not subject to the laws of kilayim.
Rashi explains that he saw in
Tshuvot HaGeonim that Ardalin were placed under the shoes and goat leather was
attached beneath them. The section near the heel was sometimes made of wool.
According to Rav Papa, even if it also contained linen, it would not be
considered kilayim as it was very hard.
Rambam points out that the skin of
the heel is very hard and does not warm up the way that the rest of the body
warms up. If it doesn’t warm you up, it doesn’t count as kilayim.
Uggs are for sure not Ardalin as
they are very soft, not hard and they warm up the foot. So although there was
discussion in the Talmud, Rashi, Tur (Yoreh Deah 301) and Rambam about Ardalin,
a part of shoe not being susceptible to kilayim, it was definitely not in the
Ugg family.
Since shoes traditionally have been
leather, this has not come up very much until now.
What did they find to think that
Uggs may be a problem?
There were seven styles of Decker’s
Brand Uggs and slippers that a Shatnez lab in Lakewood, NJ tested and found to
be problematic:
1. Blue Canvas linen Sneakers, 2.Black
Ladies Slipper, 3.Pink-Red Canvas Shoe, 4.White Woolen Boots, 5.Striped
Gray/White Woolen Slipper, 6.Pink Australian Shoe-Sneaker, 7. Black Moccasin/ Wool
Fleece Lining.
However, according to the lab in
Flatbush, Brooklyn, although there was a trace of linen, it was already batel
before it was put into the shoe (like we saw in the Mishna above in Kilayim
that if the majority is not wool or not linen and is spun together with another
fabric it becomes nullified) so there is nothing to worry about. The lab in
Williamsburg said that you only have to be concerned about something which has
issues in at least 10% of the products that it produces. Seven styles are a
drop in the bucket compared to the amount of Uggs footwear that has been
produced over the years.
Unless you have one of the seven
styles listed, you have nothing to worry about. Even if you have one of those
styles you could follow the leniencies of the Flatbush and Williamsburg labs.
If you want to be strict, you can get the Uggs tested to see if your pair even
has linen or you can choose to stop wearing them.
So the answer is: Most Uggs are
kosher as far as the laws of Shaatnez go. If you are uncomfortable wearing
products that come from animals, then that is a whole other story. |
Some things never change |
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Friday, 13 September 2019 |
War, violent teenagers, divorce,
negligence, rape, mistreatment of the weaker populations, crooked courts…
These sound like the headlines of
newspapers across the world today.
These relevant topics and many more
are found in Parshat Ki Tetze. The parsha teaches the reality which is that all
of these situations can happen and we have to be careful to prevent them. If
they do happen, we must correct them and seek justice. The Torah does not mince
words. These situations are out there and we need to know how to handle them.
Unfortunately, we have seen many
wars since the establishment of the State of Israel and the IDF must continue
on the path of being ethical despite what the rest of the world is doing. This
can often be a big challenge, but our soldiers need to be taught what is right.
Pre-army training programs, Mechinot, Yeshivot and Midrashot which prepare the
soldiers before they enlist are often relied upon to teach the future soldiers
proper ethics. These programs must be checked out to make sure that they are
teaching correct values.
Over the summer, Israeli teenagers
were accused of rape in Cyprus. These seventeen and eighteen year olds did not
have a grasp on proper morals before setting off on their trip. I hope that these
teenagers and others who have followed the story have learned from their
mistakes. Rape or what may appear as rape should not be taken lightly.
The Torah was very open about
divorce at a time when other cultures were not. The cases where the Rabbinate
makes it difficult to carry out divorce procedures honestly and properly are very
upsetting and we have to stand up for justice in order to carry out what the Torah
requests of us.
The idea of negligence, especially
at building sites in Israel is a big problem. This year alone, thirty two workers were
killed due to negligence at building sites. We need to change the standards to
ensure that this does not continue.
Often the weaker populations are
mistreated as there is nobody to stand up for them. The Torah understood this
and told us to specifically take care of the stranger, the orphan and the
widow. We must go out of our way to make sure that they are not being abused.
The Torah is very clear about issues
with crooked courts. We can’t allow twisted behavior to happen and both the
religious and secular courts must be called out when they do not comply with
the law.
With the elections upon us, we must
follow the light of the Torah and work on correcting injustices that are taking
place. Our goal should not be to separate from the Torah but rather to use the
Torah’s values and true intentions as our guidebook. |
he Mitzvah of Returning a Lost Object |
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Friday, 31 August 2018 |
Sponsored in
Memory of Reva Margolin on her 24th Yarzeit
In Parhat Ki Tetze (Dvarim 22:1-3)
we learn about the mitzvah of returning a lost object:
You may not observe your brother’s ox
or his sheep lost and hide yourself from them; you must surely return them to
your brother. But if your brother is not near you or you do not know him,
gather it into your house and let it stay with you until your brother seeks it,
when you must return it to him. And so are you to do for his donkey, and so are
you to do for his garment, and so are you to do for any lost object of your
brother’s that is lost from him which you find. You may not hide yourself.
What does the Torah mean by the
“vehitalamta”, “hide yourself?”
Rashi explains the word
“vehitalamta” to mean do not avert your eyes as if you did not notice it.
I have seen firsthand how this
mitzvah can make a difference in people’s lives:
A few years ago, my husband, Josh
was on a bus in Jerusalem and noticed a wallet lying on the floor. He picked it
up and saw that it belonged to a student who attends a school near our home. He
took the wallet and called the school for the contact information of the
student. They made a time to meet and Josh returned the wallet. The student’s mother
was so happy that she wrote a beautiful card and gave us a plant (totally
unnecessary). She was shocked that anyone would go out of their way to return a
wallet with money in it.
Last year, when a group of family
members visited for my son Moshe’s Bar Mitzvah, we went on a TaNaCh Tiyul which
began at the Begin Center. We sat outside waiting for the tour to start and
when we went inside we did not notice that one of the family members left his
TaNaCh and water bottle in a bag outside. When we got to the part where we had
to read the Biblical passages from the TaNaCh, we noticed that the TaNaCh was
missing. I quicly ran outside to bring it in but it was already gone. I felt
bad that we lost a good TaNaCh but there was nothing that I could do.
A few days later, I received a phone
call from a stranger who said that he was walking by the Begin Museum and saw a
bag with a TaNaCh in it. He found our phone number inside of the TaNaCh. He
asked if it belonged to us. He told me that he had it with him at work in the
Old City and I went to pick it up. Everything was there, including the water
bottle! I was so happy that the TaNaCh was not lost after all.
We see from these incidents that
people in Jerusalem take the mitzvah of returning a lost object seriously, no
matter what the value of the object and both the person who lost the property
and the person who found it are happy when the mission is accomplished.
May we hold tightly onto our
possessions but if they do get lost, let’s hope that other will take the
mitzvah seriously and help return the objects to their rightful owners. |
Judaism and Social Justice |
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Thursday, 31 August 2017 |
In memory of my grandmother, Reva
Margolin z”l on her 23rd yahrzeit
Judaism is a religion that promotes
social justice. We are taught to be giving throughout the year. During the high
holidays in the “Unetane Tokef” prayer we recite the words: “Repentance, Prayer
and Charity annul the evil decree”. On Sukkot, we invite “Ushpizin”, spiritual
“virtual” guests as well as physical guests into our sukkot. On Purim we give “mishloach
manot”, gifts to friends as well as “matanot l’evyonim”, gifts to the poor. On
Pesach we invite all who are hungry to come and eat and the list can go on and
on.
We are involved in social justice
during life cycle events as well. The mitzvah of “hachnasat kallah”, provides
whatever is needed for a poor bride to have a respectable wedding and the
mitzvah of “levayat hamet” makes sure that everyone has a proper burial.
On a daily basis we are obligated in
honoring parents, visiting the sick and doing “gmilut chasadim”, acts of loving
kindness.
In Parshat Ki Tetzei, we see many mitzvot
that protect the convert, orphan and widow especially when it comes to how they
are treated in court.
Our parsha also teaches us the
mitzvah of shichecha: if we are reaping and forget a sheaf in the field, we may
not return and take it. Rather, we are commanded to leave it for the convert,
widow or orphan, who were often poor as they did not have anyone to take care
of them.
Today the mitzvah of shichecha may
not be as relevant as many of us do not have fields, yet the message is very
clear. Rashi explains that if we are blessed for unintentionally dropping a
sheaf and not returning to pick it up, then we will be even more blessed if we
drop something such as a coin intentionally so that a poor person may find it.
Acts of social justice are not
limited to our own backyards. Exactly three years ago, during the Tzuk Eitan
war, Rabbi Barry Gelman came to Israel on behalf of his congregation in Houston
to help us deliver packages to the wounded soldiers in Israel’s hospitals. In a
strange turn of events, now in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, the Houston
community needs Israel’s assistance and many Israeli groups have already gone
to Houston to help out.
Social justice is not new to Judaism
and the concept really affects every moment of our lives. Whether it is a
holiday, life cycle event or natural disaster we must continue to help those in
need in our own communities and throughout the world. |
Why I send my kids to public school |
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Friday, 23 September 2016 |
In Memory of my grandmother, Reva
Margolin on her 22nd Yahrzeit
The story of the Ben Sorer U’Moreh
(Wayward Child) which can be found in Parshat Ki Tetze (Dvarim 21:18-21) is
every parent’s worst nightmare. A child who won’t listen to his father or his
mother, is removed from the city, judged to be guilty and stoned to death. Although
the Talmud (Sanhedrin 71a) states that there was never a case that was so bad
that the child had to be stoned, the fact that this is in the Torah reminds us
that we have to do our best to educate our children on the right path.
The right path does not have to be
the expensive path.
With the start of the back to school
season, there has been a lot of talk about the high tuition prices of Jewish
day schools in the United States.
Twelve and a half years ago, my
husband, Josh and I decided that we didn’t want to pay sky high prices for the
same education that we had growing up in New York and Montreal. We wanted to
fulfill the values that we were taught in day school by moving to Israel.
We packed up our four and a half
year old and a new baby and started anew in Jerusalem with a large choice of
schools. At that time, kindergarten was free. Now three and four year nursery schools
are free as well.
For first grade, we chose Efrata,
the local Dati Leumi (national religious) public school. Although it is a
public school, there are still some fees which amount to a few hundred dollars
a year.
In addition to the national
religious school, there is also a secular public school as well as a TALI school
which brings Jewish culture into the school without officially being religious.
For those who are looking for something out of the box there are schools where
religious and secular students study together as well as a school which
integrates Jewish and Arab children. There are also Chardal (Charedi
Dati-Leumi) and Charedi schools. Special education and special needs
integration programs are also available for those who qualify.
Once the children hit junior high
and high school, the fees go up in the religious schools (as they increase the
hours) to about $2000 a year per child.
The classes in Israeli schools are
large, with thirty-something students per class yet the students have all kinds
of special classes and enrichment programs including music lessons where students
learn to play the instrument of their choice for a nominal fee. Students who
speak, read and write English study in advanced English for English speakers
classes. There are even high schools for students who have just made aliya to
help them slowly adjust.
For families who are willing to move
to Israel, I suggest researching the schools in the city that you are
considering moving to. Not every community has such a wide range of choices as
Jerusalem but all you need is the school that is right for your child.
The future of the Jewish people is
in Israel. The more people make aliya from the United States and Canada, the
more North American values will be introduced. Israel is especially looking for
English teachers so if you are looking for a career move you could really help
Israelis of all ages brush up on their English.
In Mishlei, Proverbs 22:6 we are
taught: “Chanoch lanaar al pi darko”, “educate your child in the way that suits
his or her own unique nature”. There is no better place to do that than in
Jerusalem. |
Do We Have to Send Away the Mother Bird? |
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Friday, 28 August 2015 |
In Memory of Reva Margolin on her 21st Yahrzrit
In Parshat Ki Tetze, Dvarim 22:6-7 we read: “If you should
chance upon a bird’s nest before you on the road in any tree or on the ground
with fledglings or eggs, and the mother is sitting on the fledglings or on the
eggs; do not take the mother with her offspring. You must surely send away the
mother and the offspring take for yourself, so that you will benefit and you
will live long.”
Does this mean that we are obligated to send away the mother
bird even if we don’t need the fledglings or the eggs?
According to the Rambam (Guide 3:48): “The eggs which the
bird sits on and the young that are in need of their mother, are generally
unfit for food…in most cases this command will cause man to leave the nest
untouched.”
Chatam Sofer and Chazon Ish are of the opinion that the
mitzvah of sending the mother bird away is not an obligatory mitzvah , it only
needs to be done if one should “chance upon a nest” and wants to take the
fledglings or the eggs. Therefore, one does not need to search far and wide to
find a nest in order to perform the mitzvah and even if one sees a nest, they
only need to send the mother bird away if they plan to eat the fledglings or
the eggs.
The formula of how to send the mother bird away is given to
instruct those who want to take the fledglings or the eggs so that no anguish
is caused to the mother bird. If one has no use for the fledglings or the eggs
it is best not to disturb them.
Some may be zealous in trying to perform this mitzvah as the
reward for performing it is long life. However, there are plenty of other mitzvot
with rewards. Another mitzvah that promises long life is honoring your parents.
The mitzvah of sending away the mother bird is to protect
the mother so that she doesn’t suffer from seeing her babies taken away from
her. Surely if one doesn’t need the babies there is no reason to separate her
from her young.
We can learn from here that if God wants us to be so careful
about how we treat birds, how much more so should we be careful with how we
treat other human beings.
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I Love Lucy and Parshat Ki Tetze- What is the Connection? |
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Friday, 05 September 2014 |
I Love Lucy and Parshat Ki Tetze- What is the Connection?
In Memory of Reva Margolin (a fan of I Love Lucy) on her 20th
Yahrzeit
Every I Love Lucy fan has seen the episode where Lucy and
Ethel are supposed to be working in a chocolate factory but they end up
spending most of their time eating the chocolate instead of working.
(If you haven’t seen the episode click on the following
link) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnbNcQlzV-4
Are workers permitted to eat on the job?
In Parshat Ki Tetze, Devarim 23:25 we read: “When you enter
your neighbor’s vineyard, you may eat grapes as you desire, to your
satisfaction; but you shall not put any in your vessel.”
According to the Rambam, this verse is referring to a hired
laborer, as only a hired laborer would be permitted to go into his neighbor’s
field.
According to the Mishna in Bava Metzia 7:2, Biblically,
workers are permitted to eat from the produce that they are working with.
Torah Temima teaches that a person can eat the produce while
he is on the job since eating will give him the strength to continue working
all day.
Nechama Leibowitz points out that the Torah is protecting
the laborer who should not have to endure the sight of appetizing fruit
forbidden to him while at work.
If the sight of the fruit distracts him, the laborer will
not be as focused as he should be on the job.
However, there are limits. Rashi says that you can eat as
much as you want, but not gluttonously. Alshich says that if you overdo it and
eat too much your body will get sick. Rather than satisfying your body, you
should focus on satisfying your soul.
According to the Mishna in Bava Metzia 7:5, Man should not
be ravenous. Even though he is technically allowed to eat as much as he wants,
if he overdoes it, he will not make a good impression on his employer.
Permission to eat is only granted to the workers while they
are working. They are not permitted to take any of the produce home for
themselves or for family members without paying.
These laws only apply to one who is working in a field with
produce that is attached to the ground. The Mishna in Bava Metzia 7:1 states
that feeding the workers in other circumstances would depend on the local custom.
In I Love Lucy the boss clearly did not want Lucy and Ethel
eating on the job. Therefore, Lucy and Ethel are obligated to listen to her and
not eat the chocolate. As well, they ate way too much which could have caused
them to get sick and they hid more chocolate in their hats and clothing which
is never permitted. |
Compassion for Animals |
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Saturday, 17 August 2013 |
In Parshat Ki Tetze we learn about compassion for animals
from the following psukim (Devarim 22:6, 7): “If you should chance upon a
bird’s nest before you on the road in any tree, or on the ground with
fledglings or eggs and the mother is sitting on the fledglings or on the eggs;
do not take the mother with her offspring. You must surely send away the mother
and the offspring take for yourself, so that you will benefit and will live
long.”
According to the Sefer HaChunch, we can learn from here that
God’s desire is for the endurance of all of his species.
If we as people can ensure that the animals are well taken
care of and that none of them will become extinct then we will be rewarded with
a long life in this world as well as eternal souls in the world to come.
This reward is measure for measure. If we watch over God’s
creatures, then God will watch over us.
I saw a beautiful story about a panda researcher in China
who wore a panda costume to give mother like feeling to a baby panda who lost
her mother.
I am not saying that we have to go that far out of the way,
but it is important that we respect all of the creatures that God created.
The Gemara in Avoda Zara 3b talks about what God does during
the during the day: For the first three hours of the day, God sits and involves
Himself with Torah study, during the second three hours, He sits and judges the
entire world, once he sees that the world is deserving of annihilation He
stands up from the Throne of Judgment and sits instead upon the Throne of
Mercy, during the third three hour period, He sits and provides nourishment for
the entire world- from the horns of the antelopes to the eggs of the lice,
during the forth three hour period, He laughs with the Leviathan sea creature.
We see from here that in addition to studying Torah and
judging the world God concerns himself with the well being of the animals and
so should we.
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Kosher Clothing? |
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Friday, 31 August 2012 |
In Parshat Ki Tetze (Devarim 22:11) we read: “Do not don
Shatnez (a mixture of threads), wool and linen together.”
According to Rashi, the word Shatnez is a mixture. We learn
in Nidah 61b that the word Sha-t-nez can be divided into three words, Shua
(combed or smoothed), Tavui (spun) and Nuz (woven).
Shatnez is a chok. The Torah doesn’t give us a reason for
why Shatnez is prohibited. However, one can try to guess.
The Sefer HaChinuch states that according to the Rambam the
priests of idolatry wore combinations of wool and linen and we don’t want to
imitate their ways.
According to Rabbi Shraga Simmons, “mixing wool and linen
upsets the environmental and metaphysical fabric of the universe. God created
different species that work together in the symphony of creation. Our job is to
respect and appreciate this diversity and help maintain this special
orderliness.”
Rabbi Simmons brings a Midrash that states that since Kayin
brought a korban (sacrifice) of flax (linen) and Hevel brought a korban of
sheep (wool) and Kayin ended up killing Hevel it is better not to mix the two
substances.
I am sure that it is no coincidence that in Vayikra, Parshat
Kedoshim 19:17-19 we read: “You shall not hate your brother in your heart; You
shall certainly rebuke your friend; but you shall not bear a sin on his
account. You shall not take revenge or bear a grudge against the children of
your people. You shall love your fellow as yourself, I am God. Keep my
statutes; Do not cross breed your animals with different species. Do not sow
your field with a mixture of different seeds. A garment that contains shatnez
you shall not wear.”
Not hating your brother, loving your neighbor and not
wearing shatnez all seem to be connected.
When we go shopping it is important that we make sure that
the clothing that we buy is kosher and does not contain a mixture of wool and
linen. There are experts who are available to check the clothing to be sure.
We see that there is holiness both in what we put in our
bodies as well as what we put on our bodies and that even our clothing needs to
be kosher!
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Watch Your Language! |
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Friday, 09 September 2011 |
In Othello 3:3 William Shakespeare writes:
Who steals my purse, steals trash;
‘tis something, nothing;
‘Twas mine, ‘tis his and has been slave to
Thousands;
But he that filches from me my good name
Robs me of that which not enriches him,
And makes me poor indeed.
In Parsha Ki Tetze, Devarim 22:13-19 we see an incident of
“motzi shem ra”, “slander” where a husband comes to hate his newlywed wife and
tries to void her ketubah by accusing her of adultery.
If it is proven that the wife did not commit adultery, the
husband must be fined one hundred silver shekels and give them to her father
because he defamed a maiden of Israel
and she will remain his wife, he may not divorce her all of his life.
Rashi points out that one transgression engenders another.
The husband transgressed the commandment “Do not hate” and ultimately he
reached the point of malicious slander.
Watching what we say is extremely difficult. On Yom Kippur,
(a month from today) each time we say the Vidui-Al Chet (confession) we will
mention eleven sins connected with speech:
“For the sin that we have sinned before You…
-with the utterance of the lips (vitui sefatayim)
-through harsh speech (bedibur peh)
-with insincere confession (bevidui peh)
-through foolish speech (betipshut peh)
-through impure lips ((betumat sefatayim)
-through denial and false promises (bichashash uvichazav)
-through evil talk (lashon hara)
-through scorning (bilatzon)
-with idle chatter of our lips (siach siftoteinu)
-by gossip mongering (berichilut)
-through vain oath-taking (bishvuat shav)”
The opposite of one transgression leads to another is that
one mitzvah leads to another so let’s focus on observing more mitzvoth!
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Fashion Isn’t Black and White |
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Thursday, 19 August 2010 |
How many times have you heard a religious woman being asked if she wears pants? What exactly is meant by that question? Are pants men’s suit pants? Are they ski pants? Are they baggy sweatpants? Are they pink pants with sunflowers on them? Are they jeggings (jeans + leggings combined= very tight pants)?
Depending how you define pants, you may find that some styles are halachically acceptable while others can be problematic.
In Parshat Ki Tetze, Devarim 22:5 we read the words: “No male article shall be on a woman, and a man shall not wear a woman’s garment.”
The main prohibition here is trying to resemble the opposite sex.
Tur, Yoreh Deah 182 explains that “A woman should not wear clothing that by local custom is deemed to be exclusively male”.
After reading the Tur it is clear that men’s suit pants would be forbidden.
In the Gemara in Nedarim 49b we read that Rabbi Yehuda’s wife purchased wool and made a coat. When she went to the market she would wear it and when Rabbi Yehuda went to pray, he would wear it to pray.
We see from here that a woman can wear a unisex garment.
Rabbi Ovadia Yosef in his responsa, Yabia Omer explains that women who wear pants as protection from heat or cold surely have a source upon which to rely since many great rabbis have concurred with Bach, Taz and Shach who allow it.
From here we can learn that Ski pants (even if they are unisex) would be allowed as they protect us from the snow.
However, the Minchat Yitzchak brings a stricter opinion and says that the woman should not be skiing in the first place. If she stays at home then she won’t have to worry about protection from the elements.
Baggy sweatpants seem to be OK as well as they are unisex and are used for the purpose of exercising and mountain climbing.
There are women who are stricter and wear skirts on top of their sweatpants, a safeguard attributed to the Chazon Ish.
Yabia Omer, based on Rashba points out that Kli Gever (the prohibition against wearing men’s clothing) does not apply if the pants are cut differently than men’s and are of colors that men do not normally wear.
Based on this opinion, the pink pants with sunflowers may be OK.
So why does Yabia Omer still think that women should not wear pants on a regular basis if they are not Kli Gever?
His answer is that “Fine Jewish girls should not wear them at all, especially those that cling to the body, for they cause men to stare and to entertain especially sinful thoughts”.
From here it is clear- Rav Ovadia does not want the religious girls wearing jeggings as they are not modest attire- but by wearing them they are still not transgressing the Biblical prohibition of Kli Gever rather they are dressing immodestly.
We see from here that asking a religious woman if she wears pants is a very loaded question- the answer is not black and white as there are a lot of gray areas.
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Fulfilling Pledges |
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Friday, 28 August 2009 |
In Parshat Ki Tetze, Devarim 23:22 we read the following: “When you make a vow (neder) to God, you shall not be late in paying it, for God will demand it of you and there will be a sin in you. If you refrain from vowing, there will be no sin in you. You shall observe and carry out what emerges from your lips, just as you vowed a voluntary gift to God, whatever you spoke of your mouth”.
If you make a pledge, how much time do you have to pay it off before you are considered “late in paying it”?
According to Rashi, you can wait until all three of the Shalosh Regalim (Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot) have passed before you are considered “late”.
Why would a person make a pledge to give Tzedaka and not follow through?
Sometimes people are just forgetful. Some charities therefore like to send a lot of reminders (which can be problematic since they are costly and can also really annoy the person who made the pledge).
Others may feel obligated to get up during a synagogue appeal in order to show off with a large pledge that they later realize was too high. One good reason to go to a different shul on a day when your shul is having an appeal! After the holiday, you can quietly send in a donation that you are comfortable with.
As the founder and director of Torat Reva Yerushalayim, I am obligated to raise funds in order for us to continue with our very important and crucial programming in Jerusalem. We offer many classes to neglected segments of the population such as shut in seniors in nursing homes. We also provide classes to people with special needs such as mentally and physically challenged individuals in group homes and mothers who join us with their babies for Mommy and Me Torah study groups. All these classes are provided FREE OF CHARGE! And this is where we count on all of you!
Now is the time where we need YOUR HELP!
If you have already made a pledge, please send it in! If you have not yet made a pledge-don’t! Just log on to the “Giving Opportunities” page on www.toratreva.org and make your donation on-line or take out your check book and surprise us by sending a check made payable to Torat Reva Yerushalayim to the US address below.
In addition please take a moment to read about our Western Wall Psalms program and consider becoming a part of this very meaningful opportunity. |
Aliya or Divorce? |
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Thursday, 11 September 2008 |
Chapter 24 in Parshat Ki Tetze opens with the laws of divorce: “If a man marries a woman and lives with her, and it will be that she will not find favor in his eyes, for he found in her a matter of immorality, and he wrote her a bill of divorce and presented it into her hand and sent her from his house. And she left his house and went and married another man. The latter man hated her and wrote her a bill of divorce and presented it into her hand and sent her from his house…”
The last Mishna in Tractate Gittin (Divorce) addresses the question of what are legitimate grounds for divorce:
Beit Shamai says “A man may not divorce his wife unless he found in her an act of adultery (as stated above 24:1) “For he found in her a matter of immorality”.
Beit Hillel says even if she burned (overcooked or over salted) his food he may divorce her (as stated above 24:1) “For he found in her a matter of immorality”.
Rashi states that matter of immorality can refer to adultery (Beit Shammai) or any other matter (Beit Hillel).
Beit Hillel doesn’t mean that if a woman burned the soup then she should be divorced. Rather he is saying that Beit Shammai is being too strict in saying that adultery is the only reason for divorce. Sometimes there are irreconcilable differences that may make living together unbearable.
We also see this from the fact that in her second marriage her husband hated her and wrote a bill of divorce (24:3) and there is no mention of adultery.
For the divorce to be valid, both husband and wife have to consent. There must be free will on the part of the husband to give the get (Jewish divorce) unless the Beit Din (Rabbinic Court) compels him to give it (in the case of a recalcitrant husband refusing to grant a divorce where circumstances require it) and there must be free will on the part of the wife to accept it.
The woman can demand a get in the cases of incompatibility (based on her husband’s mistreatment of her) as well as in the cases of his physical defects.
The Rambam states that “a man should honor his wife more than he honors himself and love her as he loves himself. He should seek to provide for her according to his means. He shall not unduly impose his fear upon her, but he should speak to her gently and he should not be overly sad or angry.”
Tractate Ketubot 110b adds that if a husband wants to make aliya (settle in the Land of Israel) and the wife refuses then the husband has grounds to compel divorce. By the same token, if a wife wants to make aliya and the husband refuses, then the wife has grounds to compel divorce.
We see from here that it is important to seriously discuss any possible interest in making aliya before you get married or you can make aliya and then look for a spouse in Israel (who hopefully will not be looking to get on the next flight to America!) |
Getting Paid on Time |
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Saturday, 01 September 2007 |
Sponsored by Isaac and Amy Halickman in memory of Phyllis Dalfen Silver Parshat Ki Tetze emphasizes the mitzvot of treating others with respect and looking out for those who may be less fortunate. In Devarim Chapter 20 sentence 14 we read: "You shall not cheat a poor or destitute hired person among your brethren, or a convert who is in your land or one who is in your cities. On that day shall you pay his hire; the sun shall not set upon him, for he is poor and his life depends on it; let him not call out against you to Hashem, for it shall be a sin in you". Vaikra 19:13 already dealt with a similar theme: "You shall not cheat your fellow and you shall not rob; you shall not withhold a worker's wage with you until morning". The pasuk in Vayikra deals with not withholding wages in general (and does not specify the rich or poor) and the psukim in Devarim specify that the wages of those who are less fortunate certainly should not be withheld. The idea here is that just because a person may be more vulnerable doesn't mean that they should be taken advantage of. In Israel today, many people live from paycheck to paycheck. If they are not paid on time then they will not be able to cover their bills. The law in Israel states that every worker must be paid by the tenth of the month. There is no differentiation between the rich and the poor. Unfortunately, there are people in positions of power who try to take advantage of others. It is up to us to stand up for those who are more vulnerable and ensure that they are treated with respect and dignity. |
Don't Rely on Miracles |
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Thursday, 31 August 2006 |
Dedicated in memory of Yoni Siegal z""l Parshat Ki Tetze, Devarim 23:10 states: "Ki tetze machaneh al oyvecha v'neeshmarta mikol davar ra". "When you go out to encamp against your enemies take precautions from every evil thing." Sentence 15 continues "For HaShem your God is moving within your camp to save you and to defeat your enemies before you so your camp must be holy". The first words of our Parsha, Devarim 21:10 state: "Ki tetzei lemilchama al oyvecha unetano HaShem Elokecha biyadecha v'shavita shivyo", "If you should go to war against your enemies and God puts them in your hand and you capture prisoners from them". There is a difference in the wording between these two phrases. In Devarim 23:10 it says "Ki tetzi machaneh", "When you should go out to encamp", while in Devarim 21:10 it says "Ki tetze lemilchama", "If you should go to war". Why does the Torah choose to use the word "machaneh" in reference to holiness as opposed to "milchama" which is used earlier? According to Sifrei D'bei Rebbe's comment on the Sifrei, the holiness comes from the group going out as a "machaneh". When the nation is at war, a large group should go out together in order to protect and strengthen each other. We should not send just a few soldiers in at a time relying on a miracle. During all of Israel's wars, including this past one, we have seen many examples of soldiers going out of their way to help and protect each other. This has brought a tremendous amount of Kiddush HaShem, sanctification of God's name. There is a unique holiness that exists in the Israeli army. However, we must not forget the three missing soldiers Gilad Shalit, Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev who were kidnapped at the beginning of the war. There is not a bus stop or billboard in Israel that does not have a picture of one or all of these soldiers in order to raise awareness of the fact that we can not sit still until we know where they are. We must all do our part and continue to petition their safe return.
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Why Was Ruth Allowed to Convert? |
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Thursday, 08 December 2005 |
In Parshat Ki Tetze (Dvarim 23:4) We are told "lo yavo amoni umoavi bikhal Hahsem", "An Ammonite or Moavite should not enter into the congregation of God". The reason that they are not allowed to convert to Jusaism is given in the next verse, "Because they did not meet you with bread and water when you came out of Egypt". If Ammonites and Moavites are not allowed to convert, then how was Ruth, a Moaviah able to convert? The Gemara in Yevamot 76b teaches that the verse is only referring to the men. Therefore, a female Moavitess would be allowed to convert since the women were not the ones who were cruel. It was only the men who withheld the food and water. Despite this fact, many in Ruth's generation believed that the rule applied to all Moavites, both men and women. Many believed that Ruth's conversion was not legitimate. Boaz, the most important person at the time, married Ruth in order to show that her conversion was in fact legitimate. For those who still didn't accept her conversion, a few generations later her grandson King David was born. At that point there was no more denying it. The Torah says over and over "veahavta et hager", "you shall love the convert". Unfortunately in Israel today people with legitimate conversions are being discriminated against and told that they are not really Jewish. We must stand up and help these converts in the spirit of the mitzvah of "veahavta et hager".
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