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Sixth haftarah of consolation

Aug 31, 2018 By Jan Uhrbach | Commentary | Ki Tetzei

In the sixth haftarah of consolation, Isaiah draws heavily on the metaphor of light and darkness, and the repair and redemption is imagined as individuals鈥� and society鈥檚 embodiment of divine light. When God鈥檚 presence truly shines upon a person or nation, that person or nation is in turn able to bring light to others. This light鈥攚hich may be understood as moral guidance and instruction, truth, compassion, justice, unification, love鈥攊s the true source of power and honor, the 鈥渨ealth鈥� of which the prophet speaks.

Ethics of Solidarity and Civil Equality: From the Parashah to the Knesset

Aug 24, 2018 By Hillel Ben Sasson | Commentary | Ki Tetzei

From the narrative of Adam and Eve to the very last verses of Chronicles, the Hebrew Bible and specifically the Torah may be read as a process by which individuals and collectives are selected or separated. The Christian New Testament sends its redeeming message universally, to all human beings: 鈥淭here is neither Greek nor Jew, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female. For ye are all one in Christ Jesus鈥� (Galatians 3:28). Exceptions notwithstanding (Isa. 2:1-2, for example), our Tanakh is far more particularistic. 

Fifth Haftarah of Consolation

Aug 24, 2018 By Jan Uhrbach | Commentary | Ki Tetzei

This fifth haftarah of comfort describes a process of reconciliation. Now on the other side of the abyss, God鈥檚 anger and 鈥渉iding of the face鈥� can be seen in retrospect as temporary, even momentary, and confidence on the reliability of love and kindness can be restored.

Facing Reality

Sep 1, 2017 By Alex Sinclair | Commentary | Ki Tetzei

And so another school year begins. After a summer of camp, travel, or relaxation, reality bites. Schedule. Classes. Papers. Reality.

Ki Tetzei contains many moments which deal with cold, hard reality. You like that woman you took captive in war? Sorry, mate, you have to face reality, with rules and regulations (Deut. 21:10鈥�14). Think that the son of your preferred wife can inherit, even though he鈥檚 not the first-born? No sirree: you have to deal with legal reality (21:15-17). 

Clothes That Make Us Human

Sep 1, 2017 By William Plevan | Commentary | Ki Tetzei

Among the many joys of summertime in Manhattan is the chance to see a performance of Shakespeare in the Park. This year鈥檚 feast for eyes and ears was the magical romantic comedy A Midsummer Night鈥檚 Dream. One of the key turns of the plot involves the sprite Puck casting a spell on the wrong young lover, because his only instructions were to enchant one with 鈥淎thenian garb.鈥� Judging on fashion alone, poor Puck thought he had discharged his duties. Puck鈥檚 comedic error is of course another instance of one of Shakespeare鈥檚 favorite themes, the way our clothing becomes synonymous with our identity. Most famously, in Hamlet Shakespeare has the Danish noble Polonius tell his son Laertes that 鈥渢he apparel oft proclaims the man.鈥�

Promises, Promises

Sep 16, 2016 By Cheryl Magen | Commentary | Ki Tetzei

Oh, promises, their kind of promises, can just destroy a life
Oh, promises, those kind of promises, take all the joy from life
Oh, promises, promises, my kind of promises
Can lead to joy and hope and love
Yes, love!

鈥斺�淧romises, Promises鈥� (from the 1968 musical of the same name), lyrics by Hal David

Why Do We Need a Reminder to Remember?

Sep 16, 2016 By Yedida Eisenstat | Commentary | Ki Tetzei

When was the last time you memorized a phone number? In the age of Gmail, iPhones, and Facebook, remembering has become a passive activity. But at the end of this week鈥檚 parashah, the Torah commands us to actively 鈥渞emember what Amalek did to you鈥� do not forget.鈥� But what did Moses command Israel to remember and why?

God Heals Our Wounds

Sep 10, 2011 By Abigail Treu | Commentary | Text Study | Ki Tetzei

The suffering of those we love stays with us and affects us deeply, years after the fact; in Deuteronomy, Moses finds himself thinking about his deceased sister’s illness and the pain he felt at her suffering many years prior, and now we find ourselves thinking about the events of 9/11 and recalling the pain we felt a decade ago.