Ki Tetze

Parshah Ki Tetze
Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19 Isaiah 54:1-54:10

Discussing Shoftim at schul on friday, Rav focused on 'wholeheartedness' and then made some interesting comments on this as applied not only to the example of going to war but to repentance. I didn't comment but was thinking of this idea of 'return' in repentance. On Saturday, she discussed Eglah Arufah. First relating it to peoples love for shows like CSI on T.V. Her point was that people are interested in justice. Eglah Arufah describes a process for the community to deal with an unknown victim. Her main point was that a community must take responsibility for that which happens in it even if individuals can't be held responsible.

This is a good transition to a discussion of Ki Tetze. Rashi (Thank H-Shem for him) has connected the ideas of war bride, with the hated wife, with the rebellious child (D21:11-23) If connected, these verses indicate that even though the actions of the individuals are the subject of justice- often individuals can only find justice collectively.*Following a parsha with a focus on judges and witnesses, Ki Tetze is elaborating the dynamic between individuals doing what is right and society collectively opposing what is wrong. This idea is underscored by the parsha ending on a commandment to remember with animus Amalek and his crimes against the Israelites in Egypt. (D25:12)

The expression of social justice in the actions of the individual is interesting in light of reading it near Yom Kippur. I haven't experienced the high holidays yet but my study has put me in awe of them. They are described as an intensely personal as well as communal act of atonement.

The essays I read on Ki Tetze all generalize a little and then pick a particular commandment or group of commandments for homiletics. An example of such a collection is the set of commandments for not mixing varieties of species, wool and linen, or an ox and donkey under plow. Standing before these few pages with 72 commandments (According to Maimonides), I can only praise G*d for the work and example of the venerated scholars classified and reclassified the commandments. As they did, may we all learn more by every comparison and contrast.

I cannot reference all 72 commandments in this journal. The need for utility in organization by subject was addressed by Mishna and Talmud sources. We must remember that all categories must be incomplete and will containing overlapping concepts. I would never try to duplicate those incomparable intellectual achievements. For now, I can only say how this parsha energized me and I pray my life may be full of Torah.

Most of the commandments in Ki Tetze are related to family, divorce, remarriage, and rape. The parsha also continues its elaboration on war, social justice, and ethics including principles for financial and criminal conduct.

To cite a few of the ethic commandments that resonated with me "You shall not oppress a poor or needy worker, whether he be of your kin or a stranger (24:14) and paraphrasing we are taught: do not pick over your vines (24:21) that is leave/give to others, you can eat of your neighbors vine but not carry (23:24) and having come slightly before the poignant (Deut. 22:6)."You shall not take the mother bird together with her children"

This is symmetrical and reflects my own ideal. We are asked to give but shown that when we are the ones who receive we should not take more than we need ('can carry'.) I associate the bird with her children like the calf in its milk. You will eventually thin the herd, or have no more birds if you take too much.

In Ki Tetze, we find more on the ideas of fair weights, measures, and wages. We also are commanded not to seek interest. We must also actively oppose the hatred and injustice bred by greed and envy.

Much is and should be made of the great emphasis on ethics in the law. Torah culture is one of preoccupation with justice. One essay I read this week cited the command to put a guardrail on the roof as very modern 22:8, [Aaron Dorfman]. This is preventative. It implies we cannot just react. With the practical it is easy to see the innovations which shaped our civilization. We often take them for granted. This is more so because so many of Ki Tezte's commandments sound archaic.

22:29, for example, states that a man who violates a woman has to pay her parents. She is entitled to an irrevocable marriage (which meant the man was responsible to her for life). Even though I believe everything we have in the Torah is meaningful and intentional, this still revolts me. It seems to condone violation. Obviously there are so many positive laws on marriage one couldn't claim it represents the normative standard. Like slavery however, much apology is made for it. I assume I do not currently see the significance. I also assume that concepts like 'slavery' and 'violate' might mean different things to me than they do in Hebrew. Rashi's ideas, cited above, indicate that the surface meaning is not the most relevant.

Finally, I wanted to note the commandment for the fringes. (22:12) Thou shalt make thee twisted chords upon the four corners of thy covering, wherewith thou coverest thyself. This isn't the same reference as the one in the Shma (Numbers 15:37-41) nor (I don't think) the same as the birkat to 'wrap' ourselves in the Tallit. The parsha also has the proscription on women dressing like men. Could it not be the other way around also? Are the two ideas related? Are the twisted chords for men only? Traditionally the answer is yes. I am glad that in my community that we don't discriminate. G*d have mercy on the alienated that they don't loose hope. May G*d open and fill the hearts of those who can’t now believe and strength the faithful.

To conclude, I searched Google for a meaning of the phrase ‘Ki Tetze’. I think it relates to (D22:3) I am not certain. The idea in the verse is that one must return lost property and not pretend not to know it is lost. Perhaps this is the great lesson; justice is nothing without intention, and is not just a response. We should actively work to prevent injustice. Easy to say, hard to do. G*d grant us opportunity and hope.

*Rabbi Neal Joseph Loevinger, Essay All Is Not Fair In Love And War
http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/Bible/Weekly_