B"H
Friday, Elul 8, 5780 / August 28, 2020
This week’s Parsha isKi Teitzei. There are six Parshiot left to the end of the Torah. Ki Teitzei is always read in the month of Elul.
Q. The Torah reading each week conveys a message related to that time of the year. What is the message from this Parsha to each of us for the month of Elul?
A.As mentioned yesterday, one of the mitzvot in this Parsha is the mitzvah of "Hashavat Aveidah" - returning a lost object to it’s rightful owner. In addition to referring to a physical object which someone lost, it also has a spiritual meaning. In a spiritual sense it refers to Teshuvah-repentance. The word “Teshuvah” comes from the word “Hashavah” – to return.
We mentioned yesterday that Elul is the month of "Teshuvah" (Repentance), when we "return" and restore our soul (which may at times have gone astray, during the past year), to its original form of holiness and purity.
Another lesson is from the name of the Parsha, Ki Teitzei. The Parsha begins, "Ki Teitzei" - "when you will go to war on your enemies…" Ki Teitzei is written in the singular as if the Torah speaks to a single person going to battle. Why does the Torah use the singular when it takes an army of many divisions and many thousands of soldiers to fight a war?
Our sages in the Talmud tell us that the wicked King Achav and the people sinned by worshipping idols, which is one of the worst sins one can perform.
Yet when they went to war, they were victorious. Why did G-d help them when they were idol worshippers? The answer is that although they sinned against G-d by worshipping idols, they displayed a tremendous level of unity amongst themselves. They cared for one another.
Thus, "Ki Teitzei" is written in the singular to tell us that victory can come only when Jews are united as one person. This, too, is a lesson for the month of Elul, when we need to exhibit Jewish unity.
A wise man had twelve sons. Before he died, his children asked him for advice on how to succeed in life. He told each of them to go out and bring back one twig. He took each twig and broke it effortlessly. He then told them to bring him one more twig. He tied the twelve twigs together and challenged each one of his sons to break it. Yet, as much as they tried, they couldn’t break it.
“This is my lasting advice to you,” he said. “As individuals you can easily be broken, but if you all united, no one will be able to break you. Just remember to “stick” together as one!” This is the lesson we must learn, especially in the month of Elul as we prepare for the New Year.
SHABBAT SHALOM & A HAPPY,HEALTHY NEW YEAR
Montrealcandle lighting time: 7:20 / Shabbat ends: 8:22