Dvarim

The opening words of this week's Torah reading have been repeated often throughout the entire discourse by Moshe with the Jewish people, which constitutes the bulk of this book of Devarim.

The list of those who return from the battlelines is found in Parashat Shoftim, and the same people come up in Parashat Ki Tavo. The differences between the cases are clear. The order of the people is different.

Ki Teitse contains more laws than any other parsha in the Torah, and it is possible to be overwhelmed by this embarrass de richesse of detail. One verse, however, stands out "Do not despise an Edomite, because he is your brother. Do not despise the Egyptian, because you were a stranger in his land."

Which Mitzvot in the Torah promise long life as a reward?” Most answer, Kibud Av v’Ame & Shiluach Hakeyn. That’s right, but it’s also wrong! There is a third Mitzva, found in our Sedra, which also promises arichat yamim, the requirement to have honest weights & just measures.

"When you go out to war against your enemies…" Going to battle means "going out," leaving our regular routine and habits. The Torah educates us to gentle behavior, to making concessions, and certainly not to kill – under normal circumstances. But in wartime, killing Israel's enemies is a mitzvah, and requires one to become nearly a different person, one with great strength and aggressiveness. These are traits that can cause a person to lose the proper balance...

The story is told of a brother and sister who set out to search for spirituality. Each one found something: The brother found and returned to Judaism, while his sister fell under the influence of a guru in India and decided to remain there...

The war against Amalek can take place on two planes – a maximalistic plane and a minimalistic plane.

The Torah speaks of making war upon one's enemy. Who is this enemy? There is a rabbinic tradition that The enemy described is not so much a physical or national enemy as it is a spiritual or societal foe.

This week's Torah reading envisions for us an efficient, organized system of law and order, justice, and fairness. The Torah set a very high bar regarding the selection of judges and police. They are to be free of prejudice, bias and personally held agendas and social ideals.