In Parshat Ki Tetze (Dvarim 22:8) we learn about the importance of fencing in the roof of a building: “When you build a new home, you are to make a fence for your roof…”

What were roofs like in Biblical times?

Most roofs were flat. On public buildings and palaces, they were made extra sturdy so that they could hold a large amount of people.

Three of the most famous roof episodes from the TaNaCh:

1. The story of Rachav, the innkeeper, and the scouts (Yehoshua 2:6): “She had taken the spies up to the roof and hidden them amongst the stalks of flax she had laid out on the roof.”

In Biblical times, many agricultural products were brought up to the roof to be dried out including flax and fruit such as figs and raisins.

The flax on the roof made a good hiding place for the spies.

2. Shmuel, the prophet and King Shaul went up to the roof so that they could meet privately (Shmuel I 9:25-26).

3. The roof is central to the famous story of King David and BatSheva in Shmuel II 11:2: “It happened toward evening that David arose from his bed and strolled on the roof of the king’s house. From atop the roof he saw a woman bathing and the woman was very beautiful.”

Although properties are built differently today, and often the roofs are not even in use, we still have to take the mitzvah of fencing in the roof seriously to ensure that we all stay safe and secure.

When you enter your fellow’s vineyard, you may eat grapes as you desire, to your satisfaction; but you may not place it in your container.

Rashi explains that one may only eat the grapes when working the field during harvest time.

The grape harvest takes place in Israel between Tu B’Av and Sukkot.

The Biblical wine country was primarily in the territory of the tribe of Yehuda. Today, there are many vineyards in that area, especially in Gush Etzion, yet there are wineries around the country including in the north and in the Negev.

Shir HaShirim (Song of Songs 7:13) describes the first flowering of the grapes:

We will get up early and go to the vineyards and see if the vine has flowered, if the grape blossoms have opened…

Yishayahu, Chapter 5 begins with the parable of the vineyard:

Yishayahu describes how his friend had a vineyard in a very fertile place. He fenced it in, cleared the stones and planted it with the choicest vines. He built a tower and a vat (winepress) and hoped to produce grapes. However, it brought forth bad grapes.

This resembles what happened to the Jewish people. God took care of B’nai Yisrael, brought them to the Land of Israel and watched out for them. He expected them to do good deeds but they chose to do evil.

Yishayahu was able to get the nation’s attention with the parable of the vineyard as they were familiar with the process of setting up a vineyard and a winery.

The parable gives us insight into how the vineyards and wineries worked in those days as well as how devastating it is when you don’t produce a good crop.

In Israel today, there are over 300 wineries including small boutique wineries and large commercial producers. Many offer visitor’s centers and tastings.

During the Sword of Iron War, while many of the wineries were short on staff due to the large amount of foreign workers who went home as well as the reserve soldiers who had to report for miluim, volunteers of all ages and backgrounds stepped in to help keep the wineries going.

May we see an end to this war and may the reserve soldiers who work in agriculture return to working the land.

Remember what Amalek perpetrated against you on the way when you left Egypt. When he chanced upon you en route, when you were tired and exhausted, striking down all of the stragglers in your rear, with no fear of God. It shall be when HaShem, your God, gives you rest from your enemies all around, in the Land that HaShem, your God gives you as an inheritance to possess it, you shall wipe out the memory of Amalek from under the heaven-you shall not forget.

Rav Tzvi Yehuda Kook in his Sichot asks why Amalek started up with B’nai Yisrael.

His answer is that Amalek is the opposite of the Kingship of God, the Kingship of Israel, the spirit of Israel, the Shechina (Divine Presence) of Israel, the holiness of B’nai Israel, the Land of Israel, the Torah of Israel and everything that belongs to Israel and therefore God’s war on Amalek is throughout the ages.

Even though we don’t know who Amalek is genetically today, we have still been suffering from different incarnations of Amalek in every generation.

Rav Soloveitchik writes in Kol Dodi Dofek that in the 1930s and 1940s that the Nazis filled the role of Amalek. Next was Nasser and the Mufti who continued along that path. We must speak out against them. If we remain silent, I don’t know how we will be judged before God.

There are two mitzvot connected with Amalek. One is particular (the lineage of Amalek) and one is national (self defense).

Rav Soloveitchik brings the following idea in the name of his father:

1. Wiping out individuals only applies to the lineage of Amalek, “wipe out the memory of Amalek.”

Today, we don’t know who the lineage of Amalek is, so this mitzvah is not in effect.

2. When a nation wants to utterly destroy us, we are commanded to fight that nation. This is considered a Milchemet Mitzvah, an obligatory war as we read in Parshat Beshalach, Shmot 17:14-16:

God said to Moshe, “Write this as a remembrance in the Book and recite it in the ears of Yehoshua, that I shall surely erase the memory of Amalek from under the heavens.” Moshe built an altar and called its name “HaShem is My Miracle”; and he said, “For the hand is on the throne of God: HaShem maintains a war against Amalek, from generation to generation.

The Amalek whose goal is to obliterate the Jewish people must be destroyed.

May we see peace in Israel and may we prevail over our enemies.

Sponsored by Laura Csillag with praise and thanks to HaShem on Daled
Elul

In Parshat Ki Tetze, Dvarim 22:5 we read:

No male article (kli gever) shall be on a woman, and a man shall not wear
a woman’s garment…

In the Talmud, Nazir 59a, the Braita teaches:

Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov says: From where do we know that a woman may
not go out wearing weapons of war? It is learned from the verse “No male
article shall be on a woman.”

The commentary on Nazir which is Meyuchas L’Rashi (associated with
Rashi) points out that in Shoftim 5, Yael, the wife of Hever HaKeini didn’t
kill Sisera with a weapon. Rather she killed him with a tent peg since women
aren’t supposed to use weapons.

The Rambam, Sefer HaMitzvot Lo Taaseh 40 points out that “klei gever,” men’s articles can include armor and weaponry.

Does this mean that women can’t use
weapons or are there exceptions?

Shu”t (Responsa) of Maharsham, Section
2: 243 explains that since Yael had the tent peg handy she used it to kill
Sisera. However, if she needed to use a sword for protection then that would
have been acceptable as well.

We see from here that if a woman
needs a weapon for protection then she would be permitted to carry it.

Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah 182:5
teaches: A woman may not clothe herself in men’s clothing (put on a helmet,
wear armor etc.). Rama points out that this is what men wear according to the
local custom.

We can learn from here that if it is
the local custom for women to use articles such as guns then they would not be
forbidden as they would not be in the category of men’s articles.

In Israel today, we see both men and
women on a regular basis wearing army uniforms and carrying guns. These items
are not considered men’s articles as they are commonly used by men and women.

May we merit to see true peace in
Israel and throughout the world and may the prophecy of Yishayahu 2:4 be
fulfilled: “…They shall beat their swords into plowshares, their spears into
pruning hooks. Nation shall not raise a sword against nation; no more will they
learn to make war.”

Sponsored by Sharona and Josh Halickman commemorating the 27^th
Yahrzeit of Reva Margolin z”l 

In Parshat Ki Tetzei we learn about mitzvot that assure a fair and
honest society as God abhors dishonesty.

In Dvarim 25:13-16 we read:

You are not to have for yourself in your pouch varying weight stones
(ehven), large and small. You shall not have in your house varying measures
(eifah), large and small. A fully accurate, just weight, you shall have, you
are to have whole and honest measures; in order that you live long on the Land
that HaShem, your God is giving you. Because HaShem, your God’s abomination,
are all who do these things; all who do falsehood.

Sforno comments: After having mentioned
the ways in which the benevolent presence of the Shechina (Divine Presence) can
be assured for the Jewish people, the Torah reminds us that God will not
tolerate corrupt justice. God does not even want us to own or keep instruments
which are designed to be used in a corrupt, deceptive, manner, so that even
without putting these instruments to use the owner/keeper has become guilty of
violating a negative commandment.

Dvarim 25:17 states the famous
verse: “Remember what Amalek perpetrated against you on the way when you went
out of Egypt.”

Rashi explains why Amalek appears
here: If you are deceitful with your measures and weights, you should dread
harassment from the enemy as we learn in Mishlei 11:1: “Deceitful scales are an
abomination to God, but a perfect weight is His desire” and in the following
verse: “When pride comes, then comes shame…”

In Mishlei 20:23 we are taught:
“False weights and false measures are an abomination to God and scales of
deceit are not good.

Unfortunately there are many
“religious” people who do not conduct themselves properly when engaging in
business transactions. Therefore it is necessary to reread these passages every
year. It should not only be about avoiding getting caught by the authorities, it
should be about following the mitzvot between a person and God as well as
following the laws between a person and their fellow person.

Even though most business today is
no longer conducted with weights and scales and even cash is becoming a thing
of the past, the same logic still applies. We must not cheat our fellow person!

In Memory of Netanel Vayzer on his First Yahrzeit.

May his neshama have an aliya

Last year, there was a controversy
over whether Uggs brand boots and shoes were “kosher”. Why would there be an
issue with clothing and footwear needing to be “kosher”?

We are commanded in Vayikra 19:19:

A garment that is a mixture of
Shaatnez, combined fibers, shall not come upon you.

And in Dvarim 22:11:

You shall not wear Shaatnez,
combined fibers, wool (tzemer) and linen (pishtim) together.

The Mishna (Kilayim 9:1) teaches:

The prohibition of kilayim (mixture
of species) in garments applies only to wool and linen. No other kinds are
forbidden to be mixed. Wool is restricted to that of a ewe or a ram.

If camel’s wool and sheep’s wool
have been hackled together-to produce mixed cloth- if the greater part is
camel’s wool, it is permitted to mix them with linen since the sheep’s wool is
annulled (batel) by the preponderance of camel’s wool, so there is no kilayim.
But if the greater part is sheep’s wool- it is forbidden to mix the wool with
linen on account of kilayim. If it is half and half- it is forbidden to mix it
with linen, on account of kilayim, since the sheep’s wool is not annulled.

The same applies to linen and hemp
(kanbos, a fibrous plant) hackled together- if the greater part is hemp it may
be mixed with wool, since hemp is not classed as linen.

Are shoes subject to the laws of
kilayim?

In the Talmud, Beitzah 15a, Rav Papa
said: Ardalin, undershoes, are not subject to the laws of kilayim.

Rashi explains that he saw in
Tshuvot HaGeonim that Ardalin were placed under the shoes and goat leather was
attached beneath them. The section near the heel was sometimes made of wool.
According to Rav Papa, even if it also contained linen, it would not be
considered kilayim as it was very hard.

Rambam points out that the skin of
the heel is very hard and does not warm up the way that the rest of the body
warms up. If it doesn’t warm you up, it doesn’t count as kilayim.

Uggs are for sure not Ardalin as
they are very soft, not hard and they warm up the foot. So although there was
discussion in the Talmud, Rashi, Tur (Yoreh Deah 301) and Rambam about Ardalin,
a part of shoe not being susceptible to kilayim, it was definitely not in the
Ugg family.

Since shoes traditionally have been
leather, this has not come up very much until now.

What did they find to think that
Uggs may be a problem?

There were seven styles of Decker’s
Brand Uggs and slippers that a Shatnez lab in Lakewood, NJ tested and found to
be problematic:

1. Blue Canvas linen Sneakers, 2.Black
Ladies Slipper, 3.Pink-Red Canvas Shoe, 4.White Woolen Boots, 5.Striped
Gray/White Woolen Slipper, 6.Pink Australian Shoe-Sneaker, 7. Black Moccasin/ Wool
Fleece Lining.

However, according to the lab in
Flatbush, Brooklyn, although there was a trace of linen, it was already batel
before it was put into the shoe (like we saw in the Mishna above in Kilayim
that if the majority is not wool or not linen and is spun together with another
fabric it becomes nullified) so there is nothing to worry about. The lab in
Williamsburg said that you only have to be concerned about something which has
issues in at least 10% of the products that it produces. Seven styles are a
drop in the bucket compared to the amount of Uggs footwear that has been
produced over the years.

Unless you have one of the seven
styles listed, you have nothing to worry about. Even if you have one of those
styles you could follow the leniencies of the Flatbush and Williamsburg labs.
If you want to be strict, you can get the Uggs tested to see if your pair even
has linen or you can choose to stop wearing them.

So the answer is: Most Uggs are
kosher as far as the laws of Shaatnez go. If you are uncomfortable wearing
products that come from animals, then that is a whole other story.

Dedicated
in Memory of my grandmother, Reva Margolin z”l on her 26^th Yahrzheit

In Parhsat Ki
Tetze (Dvarim 24:5) we are taught:

When a man
marries a new wife, he shall not go out to the army, nor shall it obligate him
for any matter; he shall be free for his home for one year, and he shall
gladden his wife whom he has married.

This reminds us
of the verses that were recited on the border of Eretz Yisrael that we read in
last week’s Parsha, Parshat Shoftim (Dvarim 20:5-7) about those who are
unqualified to fight:

Who is the man
who has built a new house and has not inaugurated it? Let him go and return to
his house, lest he die in the war and another man will inaugurate it. And who
is the man who has planted a vineyard and not redeemed it? Let him go and
return to his house, lest he die in the war and another man will redeem it. And
who is the man who has betrothed a woman and not married her? Let him go and
return to his house, lest he die in war and another man will marry her.

There is a difference between the case in Shoftim
where the couple is engaged and the case in Ki Tetze where the couple is already
married. As we see in the Talmud, Sotah 44a:

The rabbis taught in a Braita: The verse in Ki Tetze
states “he shall not go out with the army.” It could be thought that it is with
the army that he does not go out, but he must go out to supply water and food
to the troops and he must go out to repair the roads for the passage of the
army. The Torah therefore states “nor shall [army service] be placed upon him
regarding any matter.”

This teaches that the army has no claim on the groom
who is within his first year of marriage whatsoever, not even for rear-echelon
duties. Unlike the man who betrothed a woman but did not marry her yet, the man
who built a home and did not yet inaugurate it or a man who planted a vineyard
and did not redeem it yet. Those three categories would still be obligated in
going out to perform the rear-echelon duties.

The Mishna, Sotah 44b states: The cases above, where
the man would be exempt from fighting in the war all refer to a “milchemet
reshut”, a voluntary war. However, in the case of a “milchemet mitzvah”, an
obligatory war, all go out, even a bridegroom from his chamber and a bride from
her chuppa.

The wars fought in Israel today fall under the
category of “milchemet mitzvah”, obligatory wars (as described by the Rambam in
Hilchot Melachim 5:1) since we are conquering the Land of Israel, protecting it
and saving Israel from the enemy. Therefore, the groom would be obligated to go
to war and according to some opinions even the bride, if not to fight, then to
supply food and water to the soldiers.

During the last war in Israel, “Shmorei HaChomot,”
there was at least one case of a bride and groom who had just gotten married
that went directly to serve in the army. This is the reality that we live with.

May the time come when we will have true peace in
Israel and will no longer have to send our brides and grooms out to fight.

War, violent teenagers, divorce,
negligence, rape, mistreatment of the weaker populations, crooked courts…

These sound like the headlines of
newspapers across the world today.

These relevant topics and many more
are found in Parshat Ki Tetze. The parsha teaches the reality which is that all
of these situations can happen and we have to be careful to prevent them. If
they do happen, we must correct them and seek justice. The Torah does not mince
words. These situations are out there and we need to know how to handle them.

Unfortunately, we have seen many
wars since the establishment of the State of Israel and the IDF must continue
on the path of being ethical despite what the rest of the world is doing. This
can often be a big challenge, but our soldiers need to be taught what is right.
Pre-army training programs, Mechinot, Yeshivot and Midrashot which prepare the
soldiers before they enlist are often relied upon to teach the future soldiers
proper ethics. These programs must be checked out to make sure that they are
teaching correct values.

Over the summer, Israeli teenagers
were accused of rape in Cyprus. These seventeen and eighteen year olds did not
have a grasp on proper morals before setting off on their trip. I hope that these
teenagers and others who have followed the story have learned from their
mistakes. Rape or what may appear as rape should not be taken lightly.

The Torah was very open about
divorce at a time when other cultures were not. The cases where the Rabbinate
makes it difficult to carry out divorce procedures honestly and properly are very
upsetting and we have to stand up for justice in order to carry out what the Torah
requests of us.

The idea of negligence, especially
at building sites in Israel is a big problem. This year alone, thirty two workers were
killed due to negligence at building sites. We need to change the standards to
ensure that this does not continue.

Often the weaker populations are
mistreated as there is nobody to stand up for them. The Torah understood this
and told us to specifically take care of the stranger, the orphan and the
widow. We must go out of our way to make sure that they are not being abused.

The Torah is very clear about issues
with crooked courts. We can’t allow twisted behavior to happen and both the
religious and secular courts must be called out when they do not comply with
the law.

With the elections upon us, we must
follow the light of the Torah and work on correcting injustices that are taking
place. Our goal should not be to separate from the Torah but rather to use the
Torah’s values and true intentions as our guidebook.

In memory of my grandmother, Reva
Margolin z”l on her 23^rd yahrzeit

Judaism is a religion that promotes
social justice. We are taught to be giving throughout the year. During the high
holidays in the “Unetane Tokef” prayer we recite the words: “Repentance, Prayer
and Charity annul the evil decree”. On Sukkot, we invite “Ushpizin”, spiritual
“virtual” guests as well as physical guests into our sukkot. On Purim we give “mishloach
manot”, gifts to friends as well as “matanot l’evyonim”, gifts to the poor. On
Pesach we invite all who are hungry to come and eat and the list can go on and
on.

We are involved in social justice
during life cycle events as well. The mitzvah of “hachnasat kallah”, provides
whatever is needed for a poor bride to have a respectable wedding and the
mitzvah of “levayat hamet” makes sure that everyone has a proper burial.

On a daily basis we are obligated in
honoring parents, visiting the sick and doing “gmilut chasadim”, acts of loving
kindness.

In Parshat Ki Tetzei, we see many mitzvot
that protect the convert, orphan and widow especially when it comes to how they
are treated in court.

Our parsha also teaches us the
mitzvah of shichecha: if we are reaping and forget a sheaf in the field, we may
not return and take it. Rather, we are commanded to leave it for the convert,
widow or orphan, who were often poor as they did not have anyone to take care
of them.

Today the mitzvah of shichecha may
not be as relevant as many of us do not have fields, yet the message is very
clear. Rashi explains that if we are blessed for unintentionally dropping a
sheaf and not returning to pick it up, then we will be even more blessed if we
drop something such as a coin intentionally so that a poor person may find it.

Acts of social justice are not
limited to our own backyards. Exactly three years ago, during the Tzuk Eitan
war, Rabbi Barry Gelman came to Israel on behalf of his congregation in Houston
to help us deliver packages to the wounded soldiers in Israel’s hospitals. In a
strange turn of events, now in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, the Houston
community needs Israel’s assistance and many Israeli groups have already gone
to Houston to help out.

Social justice is not new to Judaism
and the concept really affects every moment of our lives. Whether it is a
holiday, life cycle event or natural disaster we must continue to help those in
need in our own communities and throughout the world.

Sponsored in
Memory of Reva Margolin on her 24^th Yarzeit

In Parhat Ki Tetze (Dvarim 22:1-3)
we learn about the mitzvah of returning a lost object:

You may not observe your brother’s ox
or his sheep lost and hide yourself from them; you must surely return them to
your brother. But if your brother is not near you or you do not know him,
gather it into your house and let it stay with you until your brother seeks it,
when you must return it to him. And so are you to do for his donkey, and so are
you to do for his garment, and so are you to do for any lost object of your
brother’s that is lost from him which you find. You may not hide yourself.

What does the Torah mean by the
“vehitalamta”, “hide yourself?”

Rashi explains the word
“vehitalamta” to mean do not avert your eyes as if you did not notice it.

I have seen firsthand how this
mitzvah can make a difference in people’s lives:

A few years ago, my husband, Josh
was on a bus in Jerusalem and noticed a wallet lying on the floor. He picked it
up and saw that it belonged to a student who attends a school near our home. He
took the wallet and called the school for the contact information of the
student. They made a time to meet and Josh returned the wallet. The student’s mother
was so happy that she wrote a beautiful card and gave us a plant (totally
unnecessary). She was shocked that anyone would go out of their way to return a
wallet with money in it.

Last year, when a group of family
members visited for my son Moshe’s Bar Mitzvah, we went on a TaNaCh Tiyul which
began at the Begin Center. We sat outside waiting for the tour to start and
when we went inside we did not notice that one of the family members left his
TaNaCh and water bottle in a bag outside. When we got to the part where we had
to read the Biblical passages from the TaNaCh, we noticed that the TaNaCh was
missing. I quicly ran outside to bring it in but it was already gone. I felt
bad that we lost a good TaNaCh but there was nothing that I could do.

A few days later, I received a phone
call from a stranger who said that he was walking by the Begin Museum and saw a
bag with a TaNaCh in it. He found our phone number inside of the TaNaCh. He
asked if it belonged to us. He told me that he had it with him at work in the
Old City and I went to pick it up. Everything was there, including the water
bottle! I was so happy that the TaNaCh was not lost after all.

We see from these incidents that
people in Jerusalem take the mitzvah of returning a lost object seriously, no
matter what the value of the object and both the person who lost the property
and the person who found it are happy when the mission is accomplished.

May we hold tightly onto our
possessions but if they do get lost, let’s hope that other will take the
mitzvah seriously and help return the objects to their rightful owners.