Torah · Weekly Parasha VideoParashat Ki TeitzeiRabbi Uri Nahum · June 19, 2017 · Ki Teitzei · כי תצא · 15 Min Parasha RoundupSave⌄ShareParasha class with Rabbi Uri Nahum, from BSD Productions’ 15 Min Parasha Roundup.Transcript0:05Parashat Ki0:06Tetze. This week's parashah has 110 pesukim.0:10This parashah is the parashah with the most amount of mitzvot from the whole Torah.0:15We have 74 mitzvot in this week's0:18parashah, 74 mitzvot within 110 pesukim.0:21So we have to know, as we go through the parashah, there's no stories,0:25there's no storyline so much over here,0:26and it will be very difficult to discuss every single parashah within 15 minutes.0:31So therefore, a lot of things may seem vague,0:34and obviously it needs more depth,0:36and that's why the 15-minute class is just to give you a little bit of a sample of what's going on in the0:41parashah. For greater in depth, you'll have to go to the appropriate shiurim.0:45And we divided the parashah pretty much into five different topics.0:49Topic number one, Torah tells us mitzvot that have a chain effect.0:52Topic number two, the mitzvot that deal with marriage.0:57Topic number three, the Torah tells us in this week's parashah about preserving the kedushah, the sanctity of the Jewish people.1:05Topic number four, Torah gives us some mitzvot of ben adam la-chaveiro, between man and man.1:11And finally, the last part of the parashah talks with some mitzvot that have to do, that are connected to the Jewish courts.1:1774 mitzvot in this week's parashah, like we mentioned,1:2127 mitzvot aseh, 47 mitzvot1:25lo ta'aseh, and the numbers are 532 to 605 in Sefer1:31HaChinuch. And we move on now to the parashah to talk about it a little bit in depth.1:34The first part of the parashah are— Mitzvot that are really connected to each other,1:40and this is what the Midrash Tanchuma says, and Rashi brings it.1:43And we'll begin first with the background. The Pirkei Avot,1:46Pirkei Avot says that mitzvah goreret mitzvah,1:52aveirah goreret aveirah. When one does a mitzvah, it's a chain reaction.1:55It causes another mitzvah to come about.1:57When you involve yourself in mitzvot and you start doing one, it will have an effect to the other one and to the other one, and so on.2:03However, when a person does an aveirah, it will cause another aveirah to come and another aveirah to come and another aveirah to come.2:09So we have to know, when we do mitzvot, it causes mitzvot.2:12When we do aveirot, it causes2:14aveirot. We see this in the first section of this week's2:18parashah. First section of this week's parashah, the Torah tells us first mitzvah is the mitzvah of2:22yefat toar. What is2:23yefat toar? If a person goes to war, Torah tells us that when they used to go to war,2:28the non-Jewish women who are married would dress themselves up and beautify themselves2:33in case their husbands don't come back and the enemy comes back,2:37maybe their lives will be spared.2:39So the Torah says if a Jewish soldier is going into the city2:42and he sees a beautiful non-Jewish woman who is obviously married to someone else2:45and her husband already died in war, and he desires her,2:50Torah doesn't recommend that a person should marry her.2:52However, the Torah permits it.2:54Not recommended, but permitted.2:56However, it's not permitted right away.2:58It's only under certain conditions, and that is she has to be taken home3:02and she has to be in his presence at all times,3:04and she has to shave her head, not put on any makeup, wear ugly clothing,3:09allow her nails to grow for 30 days.3:12After a month, if the man still desires her, he's allowed to marry her.3:16Again, not recommended, but permitted.3:18This is3:20the yefat toar. Next mitzvah the Torah tells us is that if a man is married to two wives.3:24And the Torah calls them one sonuah, one3:27ahuvah, one that he hates and one that he loves.3:29Torah says he may have a firstborn from the woman that he doesn't love,3:34the one that he hates.3:35The halacha says that when it comes to inheritance,3:38the firstborn must get a double portion from all his other brothers.3:43If the person decides, you know what, why should I give my firstborn a double portion?3:48He comes from the woman that I don't like.3:49Torah says it's forbidden not to give that firstborn his due rights.3:54Even though he comes from a woman that you don't like,3:56you must give him his due rights.3:57And then the Torah tells us about ben4:01sorer u'moreh. What is a ben4:02sorer u'moreh? A ben sorer u'moreh has a lot of details.4:04Masechet Sanhedrin speaks about it, but in short,4:06it's a boy from the age of 13 until 13 and a half.4:09That's the only time it can happen.4:10And the boy has to have stolen a certain amount of meat and wine4:14and eaten it behind his parents' back.4:17His parents bring him to the4:20beit din and ask pretty much for his execution to save him4:23from going down the drain,4:27from becoming much worse than he is right now.4:29The Gemara explains that this is very difficult to happen.4:33In fact, the ben sorer u'moreh, it seems from the4:36Gemara, has never happened and will never happen,4:38but it's written to teach us how far a person could get.4:42And then the Torah tells us another mitzvah,4:43and that is if a person is4:45niskal, if a person is4:47haya mita, where he's executed by the Jewish court4:49by being thrown off the second floor of the building,4:52which is called sekilah,4:54we must hang him from his hands on a tree4:58right before sunset.5:00The Gemara explains that right before sunset,5:03we hang him on the tree by his hands,5:06and when the sun sets already,5:07we take him down and then we bury him.5:10Chachamim explain in Midrash5:11Tanhuma that these mitzvot are connected to each other.5:13If one marries a woman that he is not supposed to marry,5:16that's not recommended,5:16he'll end up hating her because he only married her for her desires.5:19And then he'll have a child that will become a child that's wild,5:25he's out of control,5:26a ben sorer u'moreh. And eventually the downfall of the5:29ben sorer u'moreh is that he ends up doing horrible things5:31which will make him obligated to be5:35haya mita, and eventually he will have to be5:39niskal. Then the Torah tells us the flip side of it.5:41Mitzvah goreret mitzvah. There are mitzvot5:42which would lead to other mitzvot.5:44The first two mitzvot the Torah mentions5:46is returning a lost item5:47and then helping another Jew5:50load and unload5:52his—at the time it talks about his donkey,5:54but it means also from his truck.5:56And then the Torah tells us5:58when one does a mitzvah,5:58the next mitzvah that causes6:00another—it's a chain effect that causes another one to6:02happen—is the6:04kan tzipor. What is the6:05kan tzipor? If a mother is sitting on her nest with eggs,6:08with her kids,6:09there's a special mitzvah to take this bird,6:11the mother bird, and send her away6:13in order that you should take the eggs.6:14It's a special mitzvah,6:15difficult to understand.6:17In fact, the Gemara says,6:18don't try to understand it.6:20Hashem has His reasons,6:21but Hashem promises that you'll have arichut6:24yamim; you'll have long days6:25if you do such a mitzvah. Mitzvah goreret mitzvah.6:27The next mitzvah the Torah talks about6:29is having a fence on your house.6:31Any time a person has in his6:33house—and this is a mitzvah6:35de'oraita, still today—if you have any area where people could walk,6:37which is above6:39ten tefachim, a person must build a fence around it,6:41and that's called a6:42ma'akeh, and there's a special blessing for it.6:44And the Chachamim point out,6:46look, mitzvah goreret mitzvah; you'll be blessed.6:48You'll have a house that you should be able to put up6:50a ma'akeh, you'll put up a fence.6:52And the Torah tells us the mitzvah of6:53kilayim. Two types of kilayim are mentioned in this week's parashah.6:56One type is that when you have a field,6:59you're not allowed to plant7:01two different types of vegetables together,7:04and there's a whole Masechet Kilayim discussing that.7:06Also, when one is plowing and working the field,7:09he may not work two different types of animals together.7:12And again, the Mishnayot in Masechet Kilayim discuss7:16which animals are forbidden together,7:18and that's called7:20kilayim. But the Chachamim point out, look, you're blessed7:22because you did a mitzvah,7:23another mitzvah comes about,7:25and you're blessed that you should— I have a field.7:29And then Torah talks about two mitzvot that are dealing with clothing.7:31And the Chachamim point out from here, look,7:33you have clothing, they're able to do such mitzvot.7:35What are these two mitzvot?7:37Shatnez, we're not allowed to wear7:39shatnez, and number two is we must make tzitzit on our clothing.7:45And now we move on to the second part of this week's parasha,7:48mitzvot that have to do with marriage.7:49There are two types of mitzvot that have to do with marriage in this week's parasha.7:53One is mitzvot of being loyal in7:56marriage and the consequences for those who are not.7:58The second type...8:00are the type of people who could marry within the Jewish people.8:03So let's talk about the first one,8:05and that is being loyal in the marriage.8:07If a man marries a woman and tells us,8:09and he's motzi shem ra. What does it mean,8:10he's motzi shem ra?8:13He basically claims8:15that she's not exactly the type of8:17girl that he thought he engaged.8:19And the Torah tells us if he's right,8:22that this woman really cheated on him8:24between the8:25erusin and the marriage, then she gets8:27sekilah. But if he's lying, and we can prove8:29that he's lying, then he gets malkut.8:31He has to pay a hundred silver coins to the father,8:34and he must be married8:35to this woman for the rest of his life,8:37cannot divorce her.8:39Also, Torah tells us from the mitzvot in this week's, in this section,8:43that we must execute8:45any woman8:46who is an8:47eshet ish, who is married, and she has8:49an affair with another man.8:51That man and that woman must be8:55executed. Torah also talks about rape in this week's8:56parashah, whether a person rapes8:59a girl in the city9:01or away from the city,9:03who dies and who doesn't die,9:04if she's single, if she's married,9:06or if she's not married.9:08All that is discussed in this week's9:10parashah. We don't have the time to elaborate on it.9:12Like we said, 15 minutes, and we have to bring out9:14the whole9:15parashah. The next group that we said9:18about the mitzvot of marriage,9:20who may marry and who may not marry9:22within the Jewish people.9:23Now, the first two that Torah tells us9:25are regular Jews,9:27and they are not allowed to9:30marry—that's, we're talking about men.9:31These men, or a girl for the second type,9:33is not allowed to marry within the Jewish people.9:36They can marry9:37a convert, but they cannot marry9:39a regular pure Jew.9:41And that is, number one9:42is a person who is unable to have children.9:45Any person who is not able to have children9:47may not marry within the Jewish people.9:49A mamzer, which is a child born9:51from a forbidden relationship, which is chayav karet,9:54is considered mamzer.9:55He may not marry a Jew,9:57a pure Jew. He may marry a convert9:58or another mamzeret,10:01but a regular Jew he may not.10:03The other two types that Torah mentions10:06are pretty much10:07not around today. Like Tosafot10:09brings in10:11Masechet Berachot. In fact, the Gemara also talks about10:13Masechet Berachot, and that is anybody coming from the nation10:15of Moab and Ammon.10:16Moab and Ammon. These nations,10:19anybody who converts can become a regular Jew.10:21However, even though they're regular Jews,10:23they may not marry10:25pure Jews. They can marry another10:27Moabite and Ammoni who have converted to Judaism,10:29but they cannot marry10:30a regular pure Jew. Also,10:33the Torah mentions anybody comes from the nation of10:35Edom or Mitzrayim,10:37not to be confused with10:40modern-day Egypt.10:41We're talking about the original Mitzrayim nation.10:43Those may not marry10:45after conversion10:46unless they wait three generations.10:49The third generation already of converts,10:52those third generation10:53may marry within the Jewish people.10:55And now we move on to the third part of this week's parasha.10:58Third part of this week's parasha,10:59Torah tells us about mitzvot that preserve11:01the Jewish kedusha, the Jewish sanctity.11:03Torah talks about when we go out to war,11:05mentions a few mitzvot, but they're applicable11:07also when we didn't go out to war.11:09Torah mentions that even when you go out to war,11:11one has to be careful with11:13certain things that keep and11:15preserve the Jewish holiness.11:20Kal vachomer, when we're not going out to war11:21in our regular day living,11:22one of the most common things11:24that are found today is that, number one is11:27that any time there's waste, human waste,11:29a person may not say blessings11:32or anything scriptural11:33or any Torah around such things.11:36Obviously in the bathroom,11:37we're talking about even outside the bathroom,11:38let's say children make or let's say there's animal waste,11:41a person is not allowed to say11:42any דברי קדושה around it.11:43And what is more common today,11:46Torah warns us,11:49ולא יראה בך ערוות דבר. We may not say any11:51דברי קדושה where women are not dressed properly,11:53regardless if it's Jewish or not Jewish.11:55A person cannot say11:57דברי קדושה around such things.11:58And there are many halachot on these things12:00are found in Shulchan Aruch.12:02Also, Torah tells us.12:04In this week's parasha,12:06that a man or woman may not become12:08prostitutes.12:09Now, what qualifies as a prostitute?12:11What's considered a prostitute?12:12This doesn't mean if you're doing it for a profession.12:14The Rambam, Maimonides, in the12:17Hilchot Ishut, he writes over there12:19that a woman who goes with another man,12:21a single woman who goes with another man,12:23not for the sake of marriage,12:26that is considered a12:27kedeshah. She's considered a prostitute from the Torah,12:29and it's considered12:31issur de'oraita. So that's the way the Rambam12:33defines this mitzvah in this week's parasha.12:36Section number four in this week's parasha12:39are12:41mitzvot bein adam l'chaveiro, mitzvot between man to12:43man. We're not going to be able to go through all of them.12:44I'll just throw a few examples.12:46The Torah tells us if you have a Jewish worker12:48that's working your fields12:49and he's picking from the fruits of the tree12:52to collect for you,12:54he's allowed to snack a little bit12:56from what he's picking.12:57Also, the Torah talks about divorce in this week's parasha,13:00divorce and remarriage. Torah says13:02if a man shall divorce his13:03wife, then he has permission13:06to divorce his wife.13:07And the Gemara explains in13:09Masechet Gittin, sometimes there is a13:11mitzvah, an obligation for a person to divorce his wife.13:13In a case where one divorces his13:15wife when he only has permission,13:17and the wife goes and marries a second husband,13:20and she gets divorced from the second husband as well,13:22the Torah forbids13:23for the first husband to remarry13:26his first wife.13:28Also, Torah tells us13:29about punishing the kidnapper13:31in this week's parasha13:33is chayav mita. Torah warns us.13:35About being careful13:37not to do any aveirot that lead to13:39tzaraat, like lashon hara, and to remember the story of Miriam,13:41that even such a holy woman like Miriam13:43got the punishment of13:45tzaraat, and a few mitzvot that have to do13:47with ben adam13:49l'chaveiro, Torah tells us about matanot13:50aniyim, leaving presents for the poor13:54like leket, shikcha, and peah, as well as how to collect13:55the collateral from other Jews.13:57And we move on now to the fifth and final part13:59of this week's14:01parashah, some mitzvot that have to do with the Jewish courts.14:03First of all, the Torah tells us the Jewish court14:05may execute the punishment of malkut,14:08and Chachamim explain,14:09or the Torah says,14:11arba'im yakenu, it means up to the number forty you may strike him,14:14the mitzvah of yibum and14:15chalitzah in this week's14:17parashah, and then finally Torah ends off with the following two sections.14:19Number one is14:21being honest in business,14:23having weights that are correct.14:25Don't have a weight that says14:27five pounds when in reality14:29it's really four pounds,14:31and so on and so forth.14:32And then finally Torah tells us14:34about remembering what Amalek did to us14:36and that we should wipe out the memory of Amalek.14:38If you're listening to14:40this parashah this week in the shul14:43and you have not heard14:44the parashah in Parashat Zachor before Purim,14:46you should have in mind that you want to be14:50yotzei de chovah mid'oraita of listening to Parashat Amalek once a year.14:53And we move on now finally14:54to the lesson of this week's14:56parashah. What are we to learn in this week's14:58parashah? Well, in the beginning of15:00the parashah, Torah begins,15:02Ki teitzei la-milchamah, talks about going to war.15:03In the middle of the parashah, Torah tells us15:05when we go out to war how we have to be careful15:08that our kedushah, the Jewish holiness, should remain with us15:11even when we go out to war.15:12And finally, the last part of this week's15:14parashah, Torah tells us about going to war against Amalek.15:17We find wars all over.15:19The Sefarim bring down15:19that in the beginning when the Torah says,15:22Ki teitzei la-milchamah al oyvecha, when you go out to war against your enemy,15:25who is the enemy that's mentioned15:26in the beginning of this week's15:27parashah? Torah says, let the Sefarim say,15:29that enemy is the number one15:31enemy, and that is the15:33yetzer hara. That's our greatest enemy.15:35That's kipshuto according to many15:38Sefarim. When we go out,15:39and they explain like this,15:40ki teitze, when we come out to this world, we have to know,15:43lamilchama. We're already going out to war,15:44and we're not fighting anybody. We're fighting15:46Oyvecha, the greatest enemy, the15:47yetzer hara. Hashem tells us,15:49you have to be ready to battle,15:51and you have to know, to be a proper Jew15:53the way Hashem wants us to be15:55is not a simple thing.15:56It doesn't just come by relaxing.15:58It takes effort. It's a—16:00Battle, we have to work on it. It's difficult,16:02but like all soldiers who understand what they're fighting for,16:05we're fighting for something great, to remain good Jews,16:08to remain the children of HaKadosh Baruch Hu.16:10Hashem promises us, if we put out the effort16:13when we're going out lemilchamah for war,16:16Hashem promises us,16:19ונתנו ה' אלוקיך בידך. Hashem will hand them over in your hands,16:20and you'll be able to overcome him16:22and become the man that you, and the person that you want to become16:27and you should become.16:28Shabbat shalom.