Ki Seitzei – Page 13 – Peninim on the Torah

“When you will go out to war against your enemies, and Hashem, your G-d, will deliver him into your hand, and you will capture its captives.” (21:10)

The pasuk’s text is enigmatic. It begins by referring to our enemies in the plural, “your enemies,” – but then it changes to the singular, saying, “And Hashem, your G-d, will deliver him into your hand.” Horav Mordechai Gifter, z.l., addresses this question and derives a profound lesson from the pasuk. Whether we realize it or not, we enter battle daily against all sorts of enemies or, rather, one enemy in the guise of many different enemies. The yetzer hara, evil-inclination, man’s archenemy is extremely cunning and seeks ways to destroy our spiritual development. He attacks us from all sides,…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Ki Seitzei, 5760

“And you will see among its captivity a woman who is beautiful of form… If a man will have two wives, one beloved and one hated… If a man will have a wayward and rebellious son.” (21:11,15,18)

Chazal derive a valuable lesson from the juxtaposition of the laws of the ben sorer u’moreh, the rebellious son, to the case of the man who has two wives, one of whom he hates, and to the incident of the beautiful captive, in which the Torah gives a dispensation, a concession to human weakness, allowing the Jewish soldier to marry this woman. Chazal perceive this marriage, which serves to prevent worse manifestations of the unbridled passions of man, as the precursor of the disobedient and rebellious son. A wife taken in a such a manner will probably ultimately become an…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Ki Seitzei, 5760

“And you will see among its captivity a woman who is beautiful of form, and you will desire her, you may take her to yourself for a wife.” (21:11)

The Torah recognizes that war wreaks havoc on a person’s emotions. The anxiety and breakdown of normal life leaves a person in an unusually depressed state, emotionally fragile and susceptible to the blandishments of the yetzer hara, evil-inclination. Under such conditions, the Jewish soldier might defer to his base desires. Upon seeing a woman among the enemy, he might feel an uncontrollable desire for her. Rather than risk sin that may lead to further spiritual pollution, the Torah provides an outlet for the lustful soldier. There is a process that the female captive must undergo, after which he may marry…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Ki Seitzei, 5760

“He is unable to give the right of the firstborn to the son of the beloved one ahead of the son of the hated one, who is the firstborn.” (21:16)

The firstborn has an inviolable right to his share of his father’s inheritance. The Torah is teaching us that rivalries or animosities do not determine the laws of inheritance. There is a clearly defined halachah that the firstborn receive a double portion of his father’s inheritance. The fact that his father harbors a hatred for his mother does not give him license to deprive his firstborn son of his rightful share. In forbidding the father to give over a firstborn’s rights, the Torah uses a puzzling term. It says, lo yuchal, “He is unable to do so.” Why is the…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Ki Seitzei, 5760

“Do not plow with an ox and a donkey together.” (22:10)

Being sensitive to the feelings of another human being is a requisite for defining mentchlichkeit, humanness. While many of us go out of our way to be kind and thoughtful when it affects the feelings of a prominent individual, we often ignore the sensitivities of a common person. The Torah provides us with a penetrating insight regarding this inappropriate practice. We are adjured not to plow with an ox and a donkey together. Although the Torah does not suggest a reason, the Daas Zekeinim explains that these two animals have two diverse habits for digesting their food. Because an ox…

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Moshe Marcovich In Ki Seitzei, 5758

When you will go out to war…and you will see among its captivity a woman who is beautiful of form, and you will desire her, you may take her to yourself for a wife. (21:10,11)

The Torah offers a release for the Jewish soldier who is far away from his home and under the strain of battle. It provides a contingency for the soldier who, in constant fear for his life, gives in to an uncontrollable desire for a beautiful captive. The soldier may marry her after she has undergone a specific process. Knowing that she will be permitted to him later may encourage him to refrain from any inappropriate advances now. While this is a special dispensation, it still should be regarded as inappropriate and even sinful. Indeed, Chazal attribute the character of…

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Moshe Marcovich In Ki Seitzei, 5758

If a man will have a wayward and rebellious son. (21:18)

Thus, one of the saddest situations in halachah begins. Parents attempt to raise a child, hoping that they are doing the “right job.” Unfortunately, this boy exhibts behavior for which the death penalty is imposed upon him. While this boy has not done anything yet that would warrant execution, Chazal say, “Let him die while he is innocent, and let him not die when he eventually becomes guilty of a capitol crime.” Halachah imposes so many requirements before a boy may be deemed a ben sorer u’moreh that it is virtually impossible for it to occur. Chazal have, therefore,…

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Moshe Marcovich In Ki Seitzei, 5758

This son of ours is disobedient and rebellious; he does not listen to our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.

The Torah deems the ben sorer u’moreh to be incorrigible. Consequently, he is put to death for his intractable behavior. What has he done that is so bad, that it is considered to be incorrigible? In his initimable style, Horav S.R. Hirsch, zl, analyzes the laws of ben sorer u’moreh as a primer for parents to learn valuable lessons in child-rearing. He defines “sorer” as turning away, implying a persistent straying from the prescribed path he is to follow. “Moreh,” on the other hand, is a stronger, more aggressive term which implies a self-willed personality. An individual with this personality…

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Moshe Marcovich In Ki Seitzei, 5758

You shall surely take away the mother and take the young for yourself. (22:7)

The mitzvah of Shiluach Ha’kein implies many lessons. The Rambam suggests that this mitzvah teaches us to demonstrate kindness and consideration to animals. If our search for food requires us to kill an animal, we must do it in the most humane and painless manner. The halachah distinguishes between a bird that is presently resting on her nest, protecting her young, and one that was sent away. We are forbidden to touch the mother that rests on her young. Horav Chaim Ehrentrau, zl, cites the Rambam as the basis for understanding this law. We are not permitted to take advantage…

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Moshe Marcovich In Ki Seitzei, 5758

There will be a holy anointing oil to Me for your generations. (30:31)

Chazal derive from this pasuk that the oil which Moshe made was destined to last forever. Indeed, this same oil will be used when the Bais Hamikdash is rebuilt. Although this oil was used many times throughout the generations, it has remained intact to the very last drop. Hashem clearly chose to perform such a miracle with the Shemen Ha’Mishchah, anointing oil, for an important reason. It certainly could not have been simply because it was Moshe’s oil that it was considered to be so special. If that would have been the case, Hashem would simply have commanded Moshe…

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“When you will go out to war against your enemies, and Hashem, your G-d, will deliver him into your hand, and you will capture its captives.” (21:10)

“And you will see among its captivity a woman who is beautiful of form… If a man will have two wives, one beloved and one hated… If a man will have a wayward and rebellious son.” (21:11,15,18)

“And you will see among its captivity a woman who is beautiful of form, and you will desire her, you may take her to yourself for a wife.” (21:11)

“He is unable to give the right of the firstborn to the son of the beloved one ahead of the son of the hated one, who is the firstborn.” (21:16)

“Do not plow with an ox and a donkey together.” (22:10)

When you will go out to war…and you will see among its captivity a woman who is beautiful of form, and you will desire her, you may take her to yourself for a wife. (21:10,11)

If a man will have a wayward and rebellious son. (21:18)

This son of ours is disobedient and rebellious; he does not listen to our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.

You shall surely take away the mother and take the young for yourself. (22:7)

There will be a holy anointing oil to Me for your generations. (30:31)

YEARS

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