Have you ever worked to gain an opportunity and found that it was very different than you expected? Or been appointed to a position without expecting or planning for it? Jewish sacred teachings, particularly the Torah, are meant to prepare us for all kinds of circumstances, so that when we find ourselves in new situations, we have thought about at least some of the questions and challenges that will confront us. This is especially true of circumstances when we find ourselves with practical and ethical choices that will impact other people.
Numerous areas of life are addressed in this parasha. When we find something that someone else has lost or left behind, we may be inclined to leave it be, or feel it’s not our problem. This week’s reading emphasizes that we are to go out of our way to return a lost item to its owner. We are also instructed to take responsibility for safe conditions when building a house, keep our promises, and refrain from cheating our customers in business. All of these instructions demand that we act with thought and compassion even when we may feel like acting on greed or convenience instead. Reading, discussing and thinking these things through gives us a leg up when we find ourselves in a situation that requires a considered response.
Some commandments in this week’s reading are confusing or even offensive to a modern sensibility, such as the prohibition against wearing clothing presumed to be for a different gender, and the inhumane and antiquated treatment of a disobedient son (which the Rabbis later legislated out of application). While the mitzvot in this parasha range from deeply humane and timeless to more questionable, studying the text and its commentaries can prepare us for circumstances we might not otherwise think through – part of the beauty of a Jewish-style text study is the conversation that it sparks and the ways that these conversations and the insights from them can stay with us and inform our choices when we might least expect it. So, next time you see your neighbor’s ox wandering in your local park, you know you can’t just turn your head and pretend you didn’t notice.
Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Julie
Ki Teitzei (Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19) Shabbat, September 6, 2025: Thinking Ahead
September 4, 2025 by Rabbi Julie Saxe-Taller • D'var Torah
Have you ever worked to gain an opportunity and found that it was very different than you expected? Or been appointed to a position without expecting or planning for it? Jewish sacred teachings, particularly the Torah, are meant to prepare us for all kinds of circumstances, so that when we find ourselves in new situations, we have thought about at least some of the questions and challenges that will confront us. This is especially true of circumstances when we find ourselves with practical and ethical choices that will impact other people.
Numerous areas of life are addressed in this parasha. When we find something that someone else has lost or left behind, we may be inclined to leave it be, or feel it’s not our problem. This week’s reading emphasizes that we are to go out of our way to return a lost item to its owner. We are also instructed to take responsibility for safe conditions when building a house, keep our promises, and refrain from cheating our customers in business. All of these instructions demand that we act with thought and compassion even when we may feel like acting on greed or convenience instead. Reading, discussing and thinking these things through gives us a leg up when we find ourselves in a situation that requires a considered response.
Some commandments in this week’s reading are confusing or even offensive to a modern sensibility, such as the prohibition against wearing clothing presumed to be for a different gender, and the inhumane and antiquated treatment of a disobedient son (which the Rabbis later legislated out of application). While the mitzvot in this parasha range from deeply humane and timeless to more questionable, studying the text and its commentaries can prepare us for circumstances we might not otherwise think through – part of the beauty of a Jewish-style text study is the conversation that it sparks and the ways that these conversations and the insights from them can stay with us and inform our choices when we might least expect it. So, next time you see your neighbor’s ox wandering in your local park, you know you can’t just turn your head and pretend you didn’t notice.
Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Julie