Ki Teitzei - Day #7

Ki Teitzei כִּי-תֵצֵא - When You Go Out  

Torah Portion: 

Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19

Haftarah: Isaiah 54:1-10

Shabbat: Deuteronomy 24:14–25:19

24:14 You shall not oppress a hired servant who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your brothers or one of the foreigners who are in your land within your gates. 15 In his day, you shall give him his wages, neither shall the sun go down on it; for he is poor and sets his heart on it; lest he cry against you to Hashem, and it be sin to you.

16 The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, nor shall the children be put to death for the fathers. Every man shall be put to death for his own sin.

17 You shall not deprive the foreigner or the fatherless of justice, nor take a widow’s clothing in pledge; 18 but you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and Hashem your Elohim redeemed you there. Therefore, I command you to do this thing.

19 When you reap your harvest in your field, and have forgotten a sheaf in the field, you shall not go again to get it. It shall be for the foreigner, for the fatherless, and for the widow, that  Hashem your Elohim may bless you in all the work of your hands. 20 When you beat your olive tree, you shall not go over the boughs again. It shall be for the foreigner, for the fatherless, and for the widow.

21 When you harvest your vineyard, you shall not glean it after yourselves. It shall be for the foreigner, for the fatherless, and for the widow. 22 You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt. Therefore, I command you to do this thing.

25:1 If there is a controversy between men, and they come to judgment and the judges judge them, then they shall justify the righteous and condemn the wicked. 2 It shall be, if the wicked man is worthy to be beaten, that the judge shall cause him to lie down and to be beaten before his face, according to his wickedness, by number. 3 He may sentence him to no more than forty stripes. He shall not give more, lest if he should give more and beat him more than that many stripes, then your brother will be degraded in your sight.

4 You shall not muzzle the ox when he treads out the grain.

5 If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the dead shall not be married outside to a stranger. Her husband’s brother shall go in to her, and take her as his wife, and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her. 6 It shall be that the firstborn whom she bears shall succeed in the name of his brother who is dead, that his name not be blotted out of Israel.

7 If the man doesn’t want to take his brother’s wife, then his brother’s wife shall go up to the gate to the elders, and say, “My husband’s brother refuses to raise up to his brother a name in Israel. He will not perform the duty of a husband’s brother to me.” 8 Then the elders of his city shall call him, and speak to him. If he stands and says, “I don’t want to take her,” 9 then his brother’s wife shall come to him in the presence of the elders, and loose his sandal from off his foot, and spit in his face. She shall answer and say, “So shall it be done to the man who does not build up his brother’s house.” 10 His name shall be called in Israel, “The house of him who had his sandal removed.”

11 When men strive against each other, and the wife of one draws near to deliver her husband out of the hand of him who strikes him, and puts out her hand, and grabs him by his private parts, 12 then you shall cut off her hand. Your eye shall have no pity.

13 You shall not have in your bag diverse weights, one heavy and one light. 14 You shall not have in your house diverse measures, one large and one small. 15 You shall have a perfect and just weight. You shall have a perfect and just measure, that your days may be long in the land which Hashem your Elohim gives you. 16 For all who do such things, all who do unrighteously, are an abomination to Hashem your Elohim.

17 Remember what Amalek did to you by the way as you came out of Egypt; 18 how he met you by the way, and struck the rearmost of you, all who were feeble behind you, when you were faint and weary; and he didn’t fear Elohim. 19 Therefore, it shall be, when Hashem your Elohim has given you rest from all your enemies all around, in the land which Hashem your Elohim gives you for an inheritance to possess it, that you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under the sky. You shall not forget.

Today’s Meditation:

Why would someone carry diverse weights? In verse 25:13, we read, “You shall not have in your bag diverse weights, one heavy and one light.” The answer seems obvious. You would only have them cheat someone. And who would do that? Unfortunately, we all have cheated someone in our lives, intentionally or unintentionally. It can happen at the grocery store. It can happen when paying an employee for hours worked or not worked. At home, we can cheat our spouse with our home budget. It can happen anywhere. We need to make sure the weights we use in life are equal and fair. To not be equitable is an abomination to Hashem. That is enough reason right there.

Today’s Challenge:

In verse 25:4, we read, “You shall not muzzle the ox when he treads out the grain.” That is another curious commandment. Except when you contemplate what Hashem is really saying, it is incredible. He is making a commandment to allow your ox to take small breaks, bend his head down, and eat grain. So many times in the Torah, we see Hashem showing mercy to animals. They are His creation, just like mankind. 

My challenge to you today is to make sure you are treating animals kindly. If you see an animal (wild or domestic) in need of help, help it. If you are riding a horse and it looks stressed, give it a break. If you have a dog, don’t chain it up outside all day. Invest in an invisible fence. I learned you can install your own fence for under $300. So, don’t spend money going out to eat for a while, and help your dog run free. Let’s try to be kind to our animals. 

This Week’s Haftarah: Isaiah 54:1-10

54:1 “Sing, barren, you who didn’t give birth;

    break out into singing, and cry aloud, you who didn’t travail with child:

    for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife,” says Hashem

2 “Enlarge the place of your tent,

    and let them stretch out the curtains of your habitations;

    don’t spare: lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes.

3 For you will spread out on the right hand and on the left;

    and your offspring will possess the nations

    and settle in desolate cities.

4 “Don’t be afraid, for you will not be ashamed.

    Don’t be confounded, for you will not be disappointed.

For you will forget the shame of your youth.

    You will remember the reproach of your widowhood no more.

5 For your Maker is your husband; Hashem of Armies is His name.

    The Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer.

    He will be called the Elohim of the whole earth.

6 For Hashem has called you as a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit,

    even a wife of youth, when she is cast off,” says your Elohim.

7 “For a small moment I have forsaken you,

    but I will gather you with great mercies.

8 In overflowing wrath, I hid My face from you for a moment,

    but with everlasting loving kindness I will have mercy on you,” says Hashem your Redeemer.

9 “For this is like the waters of Noah to me;

    for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah will no more go over the earth,

    so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you, nor rebuke you.

10 For the mountains may depart,

    and the hills be removed;

but My loving kindness will not depart from you,

    and My covenant of peace will not be removed,”

    says Hashem, who has mercy on you.

Today’s Haftarah Meditation:

Isaiah writes about things to come. He always sees Hashem bringing His people back to the land for reconciliation. In verse 5, we read encouraging words, “For your Maker is your husband; Hashem of Armies is His name. The Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer. He will be called the Elohim of the whole earth.” We must remember these words if we ever get discouraged. There will be a time when there will be a new heaven and a new earth, filled with the glory of Hashem. The Temple will be restored, and His Torah will go forth. Every knee will bow. And He will be Elohim over all the earth. This is what we have to look forward to.

Today’s Haftarah Challenge:

In verse 10, we have a comforting promise from Hashem: “My loving kindness will not depart from you, and My covenant of peace will not be removed.” What is this covenant of peace? I believe it is the ultimate shalom that can only come from the Father. It is the peace He gives us when everything around us is toppling down. His promise is that He will never leave us or forsake us. So if you are down and out or going through some hard times, remember these words. This is my challenge to you today. Lift your eyes up toward heaven and ask Hashem to pull you out of the pit of discouragement. If this is not you, then share it with someone in your life who is going through a difficult time. We all need hope. And it can only come from Him.

Ki Teitzei - Day #6

Ki Teitzei כִּי-תֵצֵא - When You Go Out  

Torah Portion:

Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19

Deuteronomy 24:5–13

24:5 When a man takes a new wife, he shall not go out in the army, nor shall he be assigned any business. He shall be free at home one year, and shall cheer his wife whom he has taken.

6 No man shall take the mill or the upper millstone as a pledge, for he takes a life in pledge.

7 If a man is found stealing any of his brothers of the children of Israel, and he deals with him as a slave, or sells him, then that thief shall die. So you shall remove the evil from among you.

8 Be careful in the plague of leprosy, that you observe diligently and do according to all that the Levitical priests teach you. As I commanded them, so you shall observe to do. 9 Remember what Hashem your Elohim did to Miriam, by the way as you came out of Egypt.

10 When you lend your neighbor any kind of loan, you shall not go into his house to get his pledge. 11 You shall stand outside, and the man to whom you lend shall bring the pledge outside to you. 12 If he is a poor man, you shall not sleep with his pledge. 13 You shall surely restore to him the pledge when the sun goes down, that he may sleep in his garment and bless you. It shall be righteousness to you before Hashem your Elohim.

Today’s Meditation:

Verse 6 is a curious commandment:  “No man shall take the mill or the upper millstone as a pledge, for he takes a life in pledge.” After some research, it seems that Hashem is saying not to take another's livelihood as collateral (to pay a debt, etc.). To do so would deprive him of his ability to care for himself and his family. And leave him with nothing to sustain his family. Hashem doesn’t want us to do this. That’s how much He loves each of us. It is a protection that prevents someone from losing everything and becoming destitute. Again, one more example of Hashem's protection of the poor. And how we are to be involved with that process.

Today’s Challenge:

We learn today another lesson from Hashem about protecting the husband and wife and their relationship. If you are newly married, you are not required to serve in the army for at least a year. This is so beautiful. Think of how important that first year is in a marriage. How hard would it be to be apart from your new spouse, right after you got married? This is a clear indication that Hashem wants marriages to be good and solid. 

Your challenge today is to look at your own marriage or that of a friend or family member. Have they had time together to solidify their marriage (or have you)? Have they (you) had a special time of at least one year to ground their marriage? If not, take the time to do so now. Or help the couple who have not had that special time do the same. Support marriages in your family and among your friends. 

Ki Teitzei - Day #5

Ki Teitzei כִּי-תֵצֵא - When You Go Out  

Torah Portion: 

Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19

Deuteronomy 23:25–24:4

23:25 When you come into your neighbor’s standing grain, then you may pluck the ears with your hand; but you shall not use a sickle on your neighbor’s standing grain.

24:1 When a man takes a wife and marries her, then it shall be, if she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some unseemly thing in her, that he shall write her a certificate of divorce, put it in her hand, and send her out of his house. 2 When she has departed out of his house, she may go and be another man’s wife. 3 If the latter husband hates her, and write her a certificate of divorce, puts it in her hand, and sends her out of his house; or if the latter husband dies, who took her to be his wife; 4 her former husband, who sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife after she is defiled; for that would be an abomination to Hashem. You shall not cause the land to sin, which Hashem your Elohim gives you for an inheritance.

Today’s Meditation:

In this week's Torah portion, we learn that it is okay to pick corn or grapes from our neighbor's property if we happen to be walking through it. No trespassing laws, in fact, are an invitation to help yourself. But, of course, only for what you need at the moment. Not to gather bushels full. It is very kind and generous of Hashem to allow such trust and sharing. He also has rules for your harvest and the poor. Hashem makes it clear that He does not want the poor to starve and that He is interested in sharing our blessings. Let us try to remember that in our daily lives.

Today’s Challenge:

Today, we read some interesting rules about divorce and remarriage. It seems like Hashem is allowing divorce, but not remarrying that person again (if she has married someone else and they have died). In fact, He says it is an abomination to do this. And that we do not cause the land to sin. It concerns his wife being defiled. We may not fully understand this, but we do know that He does not want us to sin. 

Your challenge today is to look over your life, pay attention to the areas where you know you are sinning or disobeying Hashem’s commands. Do not pretend that you are perfect. Because as soon as you reflect on how you are living, sin will be revealed. Even what you may think is a small sin, like gossiping. Gossiping is no small sin. It affects people and can ripple through your community, ultimately affecting parts of the world. It gets into the land. Get rid of sin in your life today. If it is a habit, then ask Hashem to help you. It may be hard to change, but He can help you.

Ki Teitzei - Day #4

Ki Teitzei כִּי-תֵצֵא - When You Go Out  

Torah Portion: 

Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19

Deuteronomy 23:8–24

23:8 The children of the third generation who are born to them may enter into Hashem’s assembly.

9 When you go out and camp against your enemies, then you shall keep yourselves from every evil thing. 10 If there is among you any man who is not clean by reason of that which happens to him by night, then shall he go outside of the camp. He shall not come within the camp; 11 but it shall be, when evening comes, he shall bathe himself in water. When the sun is down, he shall come within the camp. 12 You shall have a place also outside of the camp where you go relieve yourself. 13 You shall have a trowel among your weapons. It shall be, when you relieve yourself, you shall dig with it, and shall turn back and cover your excrement; 14 for Hashem your Elohim walks in the middle of your camp, to deliver you, and to give up your enemies before you. Therefore, your camp shall be holy, that He may not see an unclean thing in you, and turn away from you.

15 You shall not deliver to his master a servant who has escaped from his master to you. 16 He shall dwell with you, among you, in the place which he shall choose within one of your gates, where it pleases him best. You shall not oppress him.

17 There shall be no prostitute of the daughters of Israel, nor shall there be a sodomite of the sons of Israel. 18 You shall not bring the hire of a prostitute, or the wages of a male prostitute, into the house of Hashem your Elohim for any vow; for both of these are an abomination to Hashem your Elohim

19 You shall not lend on interest to your brother: interest of money, interest of food, interest of anything that is lent on interest. 20 You may charge a foreigner interest, but you shall not charge your brother interest, that Hashem your Elohim may bless you in all that you put your hand to, in the land where you go in to possess it.

21 When you vow a vow to Hashem your Elohim, you shall not be slack to pay it, for Hashem your Elohim will surely require it of you; and it would be sin in you. 22 But if you refrain from making a vow, it shall be no sin in you. 23 You shall observe and do that which has gone out of your lips. Whatever you have vowed to Hashem, your Elohim, as a free will offering, which you have promised with your mouth, you must do. 24 When you come into your neighbor’s vineyard, then you may eat your fill of grapes at your own pleasure; but you shall not put any in your container.

Today’s Meditation:

Keeping the camp clean is very important. It is important for people to be righteous and for the camp to be physically clean (especially in the absence of modern plumbing). Why? Verse 14 tells us, “For Hashem your Elohim walks in the middle of your camp, to deliver you, and to give up your enemies before you. Therefore, your camp shall be holy, that he may not see an unclean thing in you, and turn away from you.” He walks in the middle of the camp. What does that look like? We can’t see Him in physical form, but I assume His Spirit walks through our lives and our dwelling places. Now, that is something to think about. If He walks into the middle of our lives, shouldn’t we be very, very concerned about being clean before Him as well? Review your life. Make sure you are repenting, turning away from sin, and washing yourselves clean so that He can walk among us.

Today’s Challenge:

Are you a man/woman of your word? In verse 23, we read, “You shall observe and do that which has gone out of your lips.” Hashem teaches us that when we say we will do something, we are obligated to do it. This reminds me of when I meet someone, and we are talking. Then I say to them, “I will pray for you”. Well, I'd better be sure I will pray for them, or I shouldn’t say it. It is better to either pray for them on the spot or tell them you will try to remember to pray for them and be honest. The challenge today is to think about who you have told recently that you would do something for them. Have you fulfilled your word? Did you do what you said you would? If not, make it right today. Make your “yes be yes, and your no be no". Be a person of integrity.

Ki Teitzei - Day #3

Ki Teitzei כִּי-תֵצֵא - When You Go Out  

Torah Portion:

Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19

Deuteronomy 22:8–23:7

22:8 When you build a new house, then you shall make a railing around your roof, so that you don’t bring blood on your house if anyone falls from there.

9 You shall not sow your vineyard with two kinds of seed, lest all the fruit be defiled, the seed which you have sown, and the increase of the vineyard. 10 You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together. 11 You shall not wear clothes of wool and linen woven together.

12 You shall make yourselves fringes on the four corners of your cloak with which you cover yourself.

13 If any man takes a wife, and goes in to her, hates her, 14 accuses her of shameful things, gives her a bad name, and says, “I took this woman, and when I came near to her, I didn’t find in her the tokens of virginity;” 15 then the young lady’s father and mother shall take and bring the tokens of the young lady’s virginity to the elders of the city in the gate. 16 The young lady’s father shall tell the elders, “I gave my daughter to this man as his wife, and he hates her. 17 Behold, he has accused her of shameful things, saying, ‘I didn’t find in your daughter the tokens of virginity;’ and yet these are the tokens of my daughter’s virginity.” They shall spread the cloth before the elders of the city. 18 The elders of that city shall take the man and chastise him. 19 They shall fine him one hundred shekels of silver, and give them to the father of the young lady, because he has given a bad name to a virgin of Israel. She shall be his wife. He may not put her away all his days.

20 But if this thing is true, that the tokens of virginity were not found in the young lady, 21 then they shall bring out the young lady to the door of her father’s house, and the men of her city shall stone her to death with stones, because she has done folly in Israel, to play the prostitute in her father’s house. So you shall remove the evil from among you.

22 If a man is found lying with a woman married to a husband, then they shall both die, the man who lies with the woman and the woman. So you shall remove the evil from Israel. 23 If there is a young lady who is a virgin pledged to be married to a husband, and a man finds her in the city, and lies with her, 24 then you shall bring them both out to the gate of that city, and you shall stone them to death with stones; the lady, because she didn’t cry, being in the city; and the man, because he has humbled his neighbor’s wife. So you shall remove the evil from among you. 25 But if the man finds the lady who is pledged to be married in the field, and the man forces her and lies with her, then only the man who lies with her shall die; 26 but to the lady you shall do nothing. There is in the lady no sin worthy of death; for as when a man rises against his neighbor and kills him, even so is this matter; 27 for he found her in the field, the pledged to be married lady cried, and there was no one to save her. 28 If a man finds a lady who is a virgin, who is not pledged to be married, grabs her and lies with her, and they are found, 29 then the man who lay with her shall give to the lady’s father fifty shekels of silver. She shall be his wife, because he has humbled her. He may not put her away all his days. 30 A man shall not take his father’s wife, and shall not uncover his father’s skirt.

23:1 He who is emasculated by crushing or cutting shall not enter into Hashem’s assembly. 2 A person born of a forbidden union shall not enter into Hashem’s assembly; even to the tenth generation shall no one of his enter into Hashem’s assembly. 3 An Ammonite or a Moabite shall not enter into Hashem’s assembly; even to the tenth generation shall no one belonging to them enter into Hashem’s assembly forever, 4 because they didn’t meet you with bread and with water on the way when you came out of Egypt, and because they hired against you Balaam the son of Beor from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse you. 5 Nevertheless, Hashem your Elohim wouldn’t listen to Balaam, but Hashem your Elohim turned the curse into a blessing to you, because Hashem your Elohim loved you. 6 You shall not seek their peace nor their prosperity all your days forever. 7 You shall not abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother. You shall not abhor an Egyptian, because you lived as a foreigner in his land.

Today’s Meditation:

“So you shall remove the evil from Israel.” (verse 22) Here are some specific instructions about taking a virgin. And also the importance of a woman remaining a virgin until marriage (or it could cost her life). Hashem’s specific instructions are given so that Israel does not become corrupted anywhere. He does not want people to be influenced by other people who worship false gods, nor does He want any disapproved sexual conduct. How very liberal we have become regarding virginity. TV, movies, and media all promote promiscuity. It would be wise to study these verses and teach our children to be righteous before Hashem.

Today’s Challenge:

Verse 8 commands people to build a railing around a porch or any area where people may be at risk on a building. He is so wonderful at thinking about everyone's safety. My challenge to you today is to review your house. Is it safe? Do you have sturdy railings in places they should be? Have you made the necessary repairs throughout your house to keep people safe? Take an inventory and make sure that you are not taking risks. It is a command we must obey.