Parashat Ki Teitzei 5782

by Rabbi Margie Cella

Moses reminds the nation of many of God’s commandments. Several concern marriage: a woman taken captive in war shaves her head, cuts her nails, and mourns her parents for a month before a man marry her. If he finds afterwards that he is unhappy with her, he may not sell her as a slave.

A newlywed man must stay at home with his wife for a year.

There are the laws of yibum and chalitza: if a man dies childless, his brother must marry his widow, to provide an heir for his deceased brother. If he does not want to marry her, then, in the presence of the elders of the city, she removes his shoe, spitting in his face, disgracing him as he has disgraced her.

There are mitzvot governing interpersonal relationships:

If you find someone’s animal wandering around, or their garment, or anything that (s)he has lost, you must return it. If you see someone’s animal has fallen, you must help lift it. You must have perfect weights and measures, insuring honest business practices.

Pay a worker’s wages at the end of each day.

When harvesting your field, leave whatever you drop for the poor; similarly, leave what you miss when harvesting from an olive tree or a grapevine.

Finally, construct a parapet (protective border) on the roof of your house to protect people from falling off.

The overriding principle in these mitzvot is extending to our neighbors the same respect and sensitivity that we desire—and viewing them as our equal.

God declares: “you shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt; therefore, I command you to do [these things]” (24:22). Recalling our redemption from Egypt strengthens us to commit to a life of Torah observance. Hazak v’Ematz