Welcome back to Torah Thoughts from Adas Israel the Jewish Congregation of Northern Iowa and based in Mason City. A reminder that in September we'll be gathering for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. The Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah) services will take place at 7PM on Friday the 15th of September and also at 10AM on Shabbat the 16th of September. Then on Yom Kippur we will gather for Kol Nidre at 7PM on Sunday, September 24 and then again on Monday the 25th at 10AM. A break and then back for concluding services at 6:00PM with Break-Fast at nightfall. Hope to see you in Shul.
Parsha Ki Teitzei (Deut. 21:10 - 25:19)
The words "ki teitzei" is Hebrew for "When you go out". As we read in Deut. 21:10" "When you go out to war against your enemies, and Hashem, your G-d, will deliver him into your hand..." One of the interesting facts about this Parsha is it's the home to the most Commandments in the Torah and opens with the law about a captive woman "of beautiful form".
So here is a quick example of just some of the laws covered in this Parsha:
- to build a guard rail around your roof (to protect against a fatal fall),
- not to plant a mixture of seeds together (hybrids) or to wear a mixture of wool and linen (shatnez),
- to wear tzitzit (fringes) on your garments,
- the penalties for rape and adultery,
- to maintain the cleanliness and holiness of the camp,
- to provide shelter to a slave on the run,
- not to engage in prostitution,
- not to lend with interest to a fellow Jew,
- to be careful about making vows,
- not to kidnap, and
- to pay a worker promptly.
Whew...
The Wayward Son
In this parsha we also read about punishing a "wayward son": "If a man will have a wayward and rebellious son, who does not hearken to the voice of his father and the voice of his mother . . . a glutton and a drunkard.." (Deut. 21 18-20)
The sage, Rabbi Twerski writes:
The Talmud says that the capital punishment of the wayward son was never carried out and is a technical impossibility. Why then does the Torah mention it? So that we will be rewarded for studying it.
Is it logical to have a Jewish law that is a technical impossibility and is there only to be studied in theory? And what is the specific reward for this?
Rabbi Elyah Lopian addresses this issue. He prefaces with a question. The Talmud says that the wayward son is a youth who steals to satisfy his gluttony and his craving for alcohol. The harsh punishment decreed by the Torah is not for the crime of theft, but because his behavior is certain to progress to the point where he will kill to satisfy his cravings.
Rabbi Lopian says that the Torah relates that when G-d provided water for Ishmael to prevent him from dying of thirst in the arid desert, the angels protested, “Why save him? His descendants will kill Jews!” (as we so tragically know). G-d responded, “I do not judge people by what may transpire in the future.”
Why, then, is the wayward son punished for what he will do in the future?
Rabbi Lopian answers that every person has freedom of choice in his moral and ethical behavior. Even a profligate sinner may do teshuvah, repentance. However, a youth who steals for food and drink has lost his freedom of choice. His cravings have overwhelmed his freedom of choice, and he is capable of eliminating anything that stands in the way of his gratifying his desires.
Anyone familiar with addiction recognizes the phenomenon Rabbi Lopian describes. An addict essentially loses his freedom of choice and becomes enslaved by his addiction. How many recovered addicts say, “When I needed drugs, I did things that I never thought myself capable of doing.”
The Lesson
Any addiction can enslave a person, whether it be to alcohol, drugs, cigarettes or food. It is, therefore, extremely important that we take great precaution not to develop habits that can be destructive.
This is especially important for parents to know. It is not uncommon for parents to think that their son's frequent recourse to alcohol is a phase which he will outgrow. It is far more likely that the condition will progress to most serious proportions.
When parents become aware of use of drugs or excessive use of alcohol in a child, it is a mistake to think that asking or ordering him to stop will be effective. He may have lost his freedom of choice. Parents should consult someone with established competence in addiction, and follow the advice they are given.
Understanding the unrelenting course of addiction is a reward we receive from studying this portion of the Torah.
Thank you for reading and Shabbat Shalom!
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