Dear Friends;
This year’s Parshat Ki Tetzei vort is being sponsored by Dov and Bracha Moses of Ramat Beit Shemesh dedicated Lilui Nishmas for Dov’s Father, Avraham ben Chaim Mordechai, z”l, Lilui Nishmas Dovid ben Shlomo, z”l, Lilui Nishmas Chaya Perel bat Chayim Mordechai, z”l, and Refuah Sheima for Alta Leah bat Rivka and for Shmuel ben Rivka, as well as for the safety of the Chayalim, and for the good health and security of kol Am Yisrael. To the Moses family, many thanks for your sponsorship and for your continued kindnesses.
You can celebrate a Simcha — a birth, a Bar/Bat Mitzvah, a Chassuna or other Simcha event in your life, or commemorate a Yahrtzeit of a loved one, or for whatever other reason by sponsoring a Parshat HaShavua.
Please forward to your relatives and friends and encourage them to sponsor a Parshat HaShavua. And please be in contact with me with any questions, or for further details.
Best Regards,
Moshe Burt
olehchadash@yahoo.com
Subscribe to the Israel and the Sin of Expulsion blog, to ask questions or to sponsor a Parsha Vort at: olehchadash@yahoo.com
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The Sapirstein Edition: Torah with Rashi’s Commentary (page 222) renders translation of our Parshat’s opening posuk with Rashi’s commentary:
“When you will go out to war against your enemies, and Hashem your G’d, will deliver them into your hand, and you will capture its [people as] captives” (Sefer Devarim, Perek 21, posuk 10)
“When you will go out to war.” The verse speaks of an optional war (1) – for in the war for the Land of Israel — It cannot be said “and you will capture its [people as] captives” for it has already said (2) — “You shall not allow any person to live.”(2)]
(1) Citing Sifrei 211. That is, wars other than those such as the war of the conquest of Canaan and the war against Amalek. These wars were not optional. They are fulfillment of Hashem’s Commandments.
(2) Refers to Sefer Devarim, Perek 20, posuk 16 (Translation rendered by The Sapirstein Edition: Torah with Rashi’s Commentary): “But from the cities of these peoples that Hashem… gives you as an inheritance, you shall not allow any person to live.”
The use of “When you will go out to war” implies a war initiated by Israel. (Rashi to Sotah 35b)
Rabbi Dovid Feinstein, z”l points out that there is a distinction between an optional, or elective war and a mandatory war in his Sefer, “Kol Dodi,” (page 278) :
The phrasing of this verse [“When you go to war against your enemies…”] seems to imply a guarantee: that Hashem will deliver your enemies into your hands.
Rashi says that the posuk refers to an elective war, since it was forbidden to take captives in mandatory wars [wars dictated by Torah law, such as Yehoshua’s battle to oust the seven Cana’anite nations].
The Sages [Rabbi Feinstein citing B’rachot 3b] taught that before a ruler was permitted to wage an elective war, he was required to consult the Urim V’Tumim, the stones on the breastplate of the Kohen Godol, which would light up in patterns revealing Hashem’s will in the matter.
They would undertake only those wars which were sanctioned by the Urim V’Tumim and which it said that they would win. Thus the Torah could promise that Jews would emerge victorious from any elective war which was fought.
Distinct from optional, elective wars, Rabbi Hershel Reichman discusses mandatory wars in his Sefer “Living the Chassidic Legacy: Lessons Based on Shem Mishmuel” (pages 717 – 719) :
“When there is a war in your Land against enemies who are attacking you, you should blow trumpets [which signal a time for everyone to daven and fast]. Then Hashem will remember you and you will be saved from your enemies.” [Rabbi Reichman referring to Sefer Bamidbar, Perek 10, posuk 9, Parshat Beha’aloscha] In this discussion, Am Yisrael is in terrible danger. It has to daven using trumpets and shofar. The Gemara and Rambam describe how Yisrael’s soldiers would fast on the day of the war and would beseech Hashem for assistance. Only then would Hashem save them. This kind of war is not a simple one.
Shem Mishmuel notices an intriguing difference between the two Parshiyot. In our Parshat Ki Teitzei, the Torah says “When you — a single entity, a single people — go against your many enemies.” In Parshat Beha’aloscha, though, the Torah says, “When you [in the plural form] fight a war in your land against the enemy [singular] who is attacking you.” [Rabbi Reichman referring to Sefer Bamidbar, Parshat Beha’aloscha] Why the difference in the singular and plural form of the word — enemy?
Many times, our enemies are more numerous and physically powerful. They have advantages over us in terms of the material aspects of war. Am Yisrael’s physical success is a function of our spiritual success in preparing for and in fighting the war. Shem Mishmuel calls this the Tzelem Keilokim, the G’dly image of man.
Since we Jews received the Torah, we have a special obligation to develop our Tzelem Keilokim. To the level that Am Yisrael and the army of the Jews develop their Tzelem Keilokim and spirituality, to that extent the army of the Jews will succeed in war, Even in battle, the army camp of the Jews must be a place of Holiness. Wartime usually turns people into animals. The Torah emphasizes that soldiers of Yisrael must maintain their sanctity.
Until here, this vort has discussed the distinctions between Am Yisrael going into an optional, or elective war against an enemy or enemies, and when Am Yisrael is at war in Eretz Yisrael against multiple enemies who are attacking us, or are aligned and prepared for an imminent attack and invasion — i.e. where Yisrael preemptively attacks its enemies as in the Six Day War and captures Sinai, and possesses Our Lands — Jerusalem’s “Old City,” Yehudah and the Shomron, the Jordan Valley, the Golan Heights, including Har Hermon.
It seems to this author that sanctity — Tzelem Keilokim, as discussed above by Rabbi Reichman in his citings of Shem Mushmuel, is one of the aspects of the Jews’ mindset which, if existent, would bring Am Yisrael victory by the Yad Hashem in wars against enemies who are attacking us, or in preemptive wars where an enemy, or multiple enemies are preparing to attack us imminently.
We now return to Rabbi Reichman’s Sefer where he further discusses aspects of Tzelem Keilokim (ibid: pages 720 – 723, 725 – 728) :
How can we expect a Chayal in battle to develop this Tzelem Keilokim that will give him the key to victory? He can’t possibly fulfill all the Mitzvot. He can’t possibly attain spiritual perfection.
Shem Mishmuel explains that, according to Chassidus, at one level, all of Am Yisrael share a common universal soul which is called “yechida.” There are three basic levels to the soul: “nefesh,” the biological level, “ruach,” the emotional level, and “neshama,” the intellectual power. More elevated than these three, the “chaya” surrounds the previous levels. Finally comes “yechida,” where all of Israel is united as a single soul. This is the highest level, in which all of us are united in the collective soul of Israel.
Therefore, when the king or the Kohen do a Mitzvah, all the individuals of Klal Yisrael benefit from its spiritual perfection.
At a national Klal Yisrael level, … we all share in a single Mitzvah. This turns each individual Mitzvah into a national event. Therefore, all Jews will share in the perfection of soul brought about by any one Mitzvah.
Yechida is even more than a collective of all living Jews. It includes every Jew who ever lived, does live, and will live. We share this soul together with Moshe Rabbeinu, Aaron HaKohen and Dovid HaMelech. We all can, in some way achieve perfection. This is the function of our identity as a single national soul, as a living people.
The Am Yisrael need a perfected Tzelem Keilokim in order for them to succeed in war and defeat their enemies. This is a function of the unity of the Jews across the world and throughout history…. This achdut, unity of Israel, is the deciding factor in the Jews’ victory in battle…. Only when we decide that we can unite with one another will we actually become one. This is how we can activate the… yechida, the dormant national identity of Israel. For the Jew, this is the key to success in war.
The Maharal explains that the Jews, paradoxically and tragically, have a very strong inclination to be individuals, split apart from one another. This is a function of the Jews’ soul. The superior intellect and our acute sense of emotion and spirituality emphasizes our individuality. Each of us is our own individual. Sometimes, this can unfortunately lead to the development of self-centered people, and a bravado and self-righteousness… These feelings then create the antithesis of unity.
We have an individuality which is a function of our individual abilities. However, this also interferes with the unity of Am Yisrael. The unity of the Jews is extremely important because it enables us to access our yechida, our universally shared soul. No one can achieve perfection without it.
When the Jews stood at Yam Suf, they saw the Egyptians coming to attack them and they were frightened. Hashem had told Klal Yisrael to expect an Egyptian attack. They panicked even though they knew that this would happen and Hashem would smite the Egyptians at the sea. [“VahY’dabeir Hashem El Moshe LeiMar” — “LeiMar = to say, go and say… I will harden Pharaoh’s heart and he will come after them. I will triumph over Pharaoh and his entire army, and Egypt will know that I am Hashem.” Rabbi Reichman referring to Sefer Shemot, Perek 14, posukim 1 -4 as rendered to English in “The Living Torah,” by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan]
Shem Mishmuel explains…. the posuk refers to B’nei Yisrael in the plural form, “They raised their eyes” and “They were afraid.” But… the Egyptians were united as a single entity. Rashi actually says, “with one heart as one person.” The Egyptians were united by their shared goal to recapture the B’nei Yisrael. This is why the Jews were afraid, They realized the disunity among themselves, fragmentation into factions, and they saw a united enemy.
This is why B’nei Yisrael couldn’t rely on Hashem’s promise. They thought that Hashem’s promise was a function of their unity. They didn’t know how Hashem would save them. He did, knowing that shortly thereafter the Jews would be unified at Har Sinai to accept the Torah. He used that merit to split the Reed Sea for them.
The key to victory in wars is unity among the Jews.
When the Jews are united, we easily win wars. When the Jews are disunited, our enemies are united, and then we have a long and arduous struggle.
In our Parsha, the singular “Teitzei” — “you”– our “yechida” identity, is going out to fight. Our enemies will be many. Hashem will give the enemy into our hands… You, as an individual united nation with a singular identity will win the war…. One realizes that this world is only for one to serve Hashem and that one’s individuality is not a reason to pull apart from fellow Jews, especially as the individual’s importance fades in contrast to Hashem’s existence. You [Am Yisrael in unity] have become a Holy nation with Tzelem Keilokim. Therefore, Hashem simply gives those enemies into your hands.
Shem Mishmuel appropriately speaks to our situation today. We are surrounded by enemies who split us and carry out their plans to attack and destroy. The unity of Israel is a function of how much we cling to Hashem. To what level do we give up our personal agendas for an agenda of Holiness?
At the beginning of a new year, … we have to feel love for Klal Yisrael, the yechida, the single nation – soul of Israel.
Today, sadly the type of factionalism [Noun: a condition in which a group, organization, government, etc., is split into two or more smaller groups with differing and often opposing opinions or interests] discussed last year in this author’s vort on Parshat Re’eh runs counter to what Shem Mishmuel indicates as law [Sefer Shem Mishmuel citing Yevamos 13], as derived from Chazal: “the prohibition of forming factions within the Halachic system,” thus runs counter to a perfected Tzelem Keilokim.
Our enemy, or the unity among our enemies, detect disunity within Am Yisrael and perceive disparate [adjective: distinct in kind; essentially different; dissimilar. disparate ideas] factions as national weakness and they see an opportunity for war against us. Such was the War of Simchat Torah with the barbarous, murderous acts perpetrated against women and children, as well as the taking of hundreds of hostages and their mistreatment under the most inhumane conditions. Further, these terrorist animals view our factions, such as Kaplan Group, who hijacked numbers of the hostage families by their advocating the return of the hostages at all costs, or the disunity among us derived from the discord over judicial reform, or discord regarding “equality” regarding military draft with its implications for one segment of our people, as the means for enemy perceptions that they (Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, the Houthies, Iran — the benefactor of the aforementioned terror proxies , etc.) hold the upper hand over us with “negotiations” despite their having been decisively bludgeoned by the IDF, i.e. a possible perception by Hamas, and more recently, Iran, of snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.
While our heroic Chayal warriors, of all sectors of Am Yisrael, have subordinated all personal priorities to the protection and security of Am Yisrael and the Land of Israel — each of them perfecting their Tzelem Keilokim, the same may not be said of many false ideological and agendized members of the military high command echelons and agendized members of Knesset of many of the factional parties, as well as many of today’s hypocritical Shoftim and Shotrim.
And perhaps this factionalism even adversely affects the policies of our friends and Ally — President Trump and his administration and American policies toward current conflicts with Iran and the changing situations in Gaza.
The bottom-line; An honest, morally clean, straight-forward, self-respecting Jewish government and legal system would not maneuver and agendize itself into being controlled by the nations, or by those who subvert from within. Instead, Israel’s often corrupt and immoral leaders, high military command echelons and judiciary subject and subordinate themselves and the nation to the follies of their own subversion, distorted ideologies and agendas and that of others at our collective, dire physical and spiritual peril. Thus, while the penalties of the subverted city may not apply, it seems obvious that in faith-based, perfected Am and governance, charges of treason against an agendized swamp of subversion may well apply.
May it be that our leadership — governing, judicial and IDF high command echelons, as well as kol Am Yisrael come to achieve a faithfulness and consistency in our avodah — both V’Ahavtah L’Arecha Kamocha, as One, and in our Service of Hashem, B’Ezrat Hashem
May our government and military bring about the total and complete, Final and Decisive victory over Hamas, their 7 October so-called “civilians(sic)” collaborators, Iran and the entire terror cabal, B’Yad Hashem, and become Totally self-sufficient as to manufacture of military equipment and aircraft, weaponry, munitions — heavy munitions, as well as showing independence of actions responding to any threat, regardless of so-called “super powers.”
May we see, from here on, that border guard personnel at all points of possible danger are listened to and treated with respect and dignity. May we see, with Operation Roaring Lions — the joint action by our Chayalim and the United States against the Mullahs of what has been the Islamic Caliphate dictatorship controlling Iran, that Islam and its barbarous terrorist tentacles of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, as well as Qatar, Turkey, the Houthies of Yemen, Pakistan, Iraq, Afganistan, possibly Egypt, and all who seek war against the Jews be totally eradicated, both in Israel’s neighborhood, as well as internationally, B’Ezrat Hashem. May we see a government of Israel secure in it’s foremost service of, and emunah in HaKadosh Borchu, B’Ezrat Hashem! And may we see the restoration of true unity within Am Yisrael. May these words come to fruition B’Ezrat Hashem.
May we, the B’nei Yisrael be zocha that our brethren — the refugee families from Gush Katif be permanently re-settled in Gush Katif, once the IDF, by the Yad Hashem, destructs and eradicates the wild beasts of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, all other terror entities, and if necessary Iran, and that our brethren be made totally whole — be totally restituted for all that was stolen from them, that the thrice expelled families of Amona be restored to their rebuilt homes and the oft-destroyed Yeshiva buildings in Homesh be rebuilt, as well as the buildings of Yishuv Elchanan, all at total government expense. May our Chayalim return from battle unharmed — physically, mentally and spiritually and may all of the remaining hostages brutally taken by the wild beasts of Hamas be liberated and brought home to their families. Baruch Hashem that our dear brother Jonathan Pollard is now in his sixth year at home in Eretz Yisrael and continues in a new chapter in his life. May Esther Yocheved bat Yechiel Avraham have an aliyah in Shemayim and may her spirit and memory continue to lift Jonathan to at least 120 years. Baruch Hashem that all of the MIAs have been liberated and returned to us in ways befitting Al Kiddush Hashem — with the return in April, 2019, via Russia, of the remains of Zachariah Baumel, the recent recovery of the remains of Tzvi Feldman as well as the recoveries of the remains of Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin from the Gaza War of ten years ago, and now Yehuda Katz. May we have the courage and strength to stand up and physically prevent the possibility of Chas V’Challila any future eviction of Jews from their homes and prevent Chas V’Challila the handing of Jewish land over to anyone, let alone to enemies sworn to Israel’s and Judaism’s destruction and eradication. May we fulfill Hashem’s blueprint of B’nei Yisrael as a Unique people — an Am Segula, not to be reckoned with as with “the nations” and may we be zocha to see the Moshiach, the Ge’ula Shlaima, as Dov Shurin sings; “Ki Karov Yom Hashem Al’Kol HaGoyim”, the Ultimate Redemption, bimhayrah b’yamainu — speedily, in our time”, — Achshav, Chik Chuk, Miyad, Etmol!!!
Good Shabbos!
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Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
Moshe is available for editing of English language documents, articles, manuscripts and more. Please be in contact with him at olehchadash@yahoo.com for your English language needs.
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