Jewish Wars? - Parshat Ki Teitzei 2018 /5778

Insights and Inspiration

from the

Holy Land
from

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

"Your friend in Karmiel"

August 24^th 2018 -Volume 8 Issue 44 13^th Elul 5778

Parshat Ki Teitzei

Wars of the Jews?

I always liked war movies. Tens of thousands of soldiers lined up against each other, swords, arrows, spears, muskets or guns in hand, helmets and shields glistening in the sun and the horses rearing and tanks are revving as they move forward into what may be their final moments. Then the carnage begins. It is Hollywood at its finest. In the olden black and white days it was lots of smoke and noise. We had to use our imagination a bit to fathom what was going on. And I just imagined people shooting and getting shot. It was the good guys against the bad. The bad guys just fell down like my little green toy soldiers that I would play with and the good guys ate chulent afterwards. It was clean. OK maybe not that realistic, but it was fun.

Today’s Hollywood understands that the youth or tragically even the average adult don’t have much time to imagine. That would require closing your smartphone for a few seconds. So instead they show it all… and more. Blood, guts, explosions, decapitations, the horrors of war that were definitely a lot more real and that soldiers have to go through years of therapy to remove the PTSD images emblazoned onto their brains are now shared freely with 7 year olds with an I-phone. Why should they be spared endless nightmares and the realities of what armed battle looks like. They will probably be in therapy regardless, and better to talk with their therapists about the images they saw than their daddy, mommy or Rebbi-who-potched-me issues. Who knows they might even grow up to become good anti-war liberals, which seems to be the agenda anyways.

Now the wars movies that I liked were goyish wars. Cowboys and Indians, Romans and other goyim, civil war stuff, Vikings, Pirates, and US soldiers fighting Asians that talked funny and blew themselves up a lot. I even liked African tribes on the warpath killing waving their spears at each other with funny paint on. Jewish war stuff was different though. We didn’t have cool uniforms. We were never really good in battle. We usually lost and or committed suicide so as not to fall in their hands. Even when we won it was always pretty much through some type of “yiddishe kup” outwitting our enemy or and Hashem kicking in and making some type of miracle. A plague, a sun-stopping moment, or an inexplicable fear overtaking our enemies that just caused them to flee. What is it they say about the Military academy, that they don’t bother teaching the wars of Israel in war school because none of them are teachable as they were all won by God.

So those were not the movies I liked to see. They felt too much like yeshiva navi shiur. And as every good yeshiva guy knows that’s just for girls to learn, right? It’s not what I was sneaking away and watching a movie for. Don’t get me wrong, I did actually like learning war and navi stories. In fact to confess, more often than not I found Navi- the books of the prophets and the battles and scandals there to be more fascinating than many of the sugyas I learned in gemara/ Talmud class. I just wasn’t allowed to admit it back in yeshiva. It’s like saying you prefer quiche over kishka. (I don’t’!!- This is just a mashal… See I still feel the need to say this…). But I didn’t like to see this on the big or small screen. It was the wrong place for it. The Jewish actors always looked like cheesy goyim pin-up models and spoke a worse Hebrew than a seminary girl. And worst of all generally the Jews always lost. And that was certainly not what I was interested in seeing. Who wants to be on the losing team?

Now when I would want to learn about biblical warfare though, which generally told us how to win our wars. I would look for the parsha that talks about war. This week would be an excellent place to start, after all the parsha begins with words “When you go out to war against your enemies”. Wow! I thought a whole parsha that talks about war. Cool!. Sadly though as I flipped through the portion that besides the first few verses that speak about a soldier that finds a pretty captive woman that he wants to take home with him and the process of dealing with that type of situation, there really isn’t much about war. There are wayward sons, all types of marital dramas, house construction, sacrifices, and monetary laws. Hmmmm…. That’s kind of a letdown.

Now if I would’ve have been paying attention to last week’s reading I would have noticed that all the exciting laws of warfare are there. The shiny soldiers, the Kohen’s exhortation before battle, which are the soldiers that make it to the final cut. The portion then continues with how to wage war. Try to make peace, if they don’t play ball or complain to the UN then kill all the males, leave the women children and cattle. Except for the 7 archenemy nations. Them, you should wipe all out. Oh but don’t knock down any fruit trees. That’s the type of war stuff I was looking for. But why isn’t it in this week’s Torah portion though? Perhaps even a better question would be why isn’t the first few verses of our parsha which seem to be related to war in last week’s Torah portion. It seems to be the same topic. Our parsha seems to be wrongly titled. It should’ve started by the laws of the wayward sons which begins with the words Ki Tihiyeh- when it shall be, because the parsha seems to talk about every situation that a man might find themselves in. Why does it begin misleadingly with the impression that it will be the “war parsha”. Who was the editor anyways, asks the Rabbi who sends out weekly unedited E-Mails. J

Perhaps even more perplexing though is that the laws about war last week and the laws this week are interrupted with a seemingly unrelated narrative at the end of last week’s Torah portion. It is the law of a dead body that is found in the field. No one knows how he got there. No one knows who killed him. He’s just a dead body in a field. This is not something that is taken lightly, the Torah tells us. The greatest Rabbis, the Sanhedrin would have to come down from Jerusalem and personally measure the distance from there to the nearest city. Can you picture that? Can you imagine how much media coverage this would have gotten? They would then go to that city to a river slaughter a calf quite graphically and then the elders of the city would “wash their hands” and state that their hands had not spilled this blood. The elders of course being the ones that are responsible for this action, the Talmud tells us because they created an environment where people could leave their city and get killed and no one even knows how it happened. The commentaries all note that the function of this elaborate ceremony were to get the word out, to find witnesses, someone maybe somewhere who can identify how this happened and perhaps through this process bring the perpetrator to justice.  

 Even more fascinating the Chinuch tells us that there is one more law here which would even be applicable today, despite the fact that we have no Sanhedrin, we have no courts, and we have no calves to slaughter and offer. That is the law that the field in which the calf is buried is eternally forbidden to be worked. It is forever to remain unplanted as a testimony and to send a message to the people. Here lies the story of the man who know one knew, who no one cared about, who fell through the cracks. A corpse in the field. The Chinuch says, if we would know of such a field today where this ritual took place, it would be forbidden to plant or live there. It would be the only mitzva where you cannot settle the land of Israel. Pretty wild and interesting, don’t you think? But what does this have to do with war? Why was it necessary to stick this law here right in the middle of our Jewish War story?

The answer the Baal Haturim suggests is a powerful lesson. He says that in a time of war, there might be those that feel it is a good opportunity to take out their enemy. The annoying neighbor that just won’t stop calling the cops on the noise coming from your kids late at night. I’m not speaking from any personal experience of course. People might just assume that he fell in battle. Therefore it mentions this law now. As well he continues this is also the time to tell you the responsibility of the court to get to the bottom of this situation. To find out how this happened to achieve justice for the Jew that no one knew or cared about. “Only then can you go to war and achieve victory”. The image our soldiers must have in their minds if they want to go to war and fight, is that of the greatest Rabbis getting down on their hands and knees and measuring the land to find out what happened to your brother “who fell in the field”.

Jewish wars are not about the battles that go on with our enemies. Those Hashem will fight for us the Baal Turim says. Rather they are about us not letting one Jew fall through the cracks. The Yerushalmi suggests that when the elders say that our hand hasn’t spilled this blood it is a reference to the murderer. We never threw him out of our yeshiva. We never turned him away from our schools. We never saw him sitting there looking for some love, a compliment and turned our head the other way and decided to focus on the students that fit into our box. If we go to war we are fighting not for our country or our land, we are fighting to create the society where each and every one of our nation will have a place. The words that precede this parsha are that we do the ritual in order

Devarim (21:9) and you shall destroy the (shedding of) innocent blood from your midst for you shall do proper in the eyes of Hashem.

Our parsha then begins on that note continuing on the process of war. The military strategy of the battles of the Jewish people is the recognition that whether we win or lose will not be determined on the banks of Normandy but in the bank Leumis of Israel. Is our money kosher are we honest with our neighbors, do we care about their money, their lives, their lost oxen and their struggles. Are our children being raised properly, our marriages, our relationships, are we connecting with Hashem? What about the “soldiers” that are struggling with the temptations that are out there. Do we have a system a means to keep them in the fold?  Or are we judging them, throwing them out of our camps, our schools, our homes? Do we think about the people in the fields? The young maidens, the young men, the wanderers. Are our fields safe for them? Or do we send them out there without food and water, without the necessary protections and foundations as the Moabites did to us. Do we look at the worst criminal amongst us as the image of god where this portion tells us he is therefore obligated not to be left hanging after he achieved his atonement, or are we too busy ostracizing others and writing them off in order that we feel better about our own spiritual status? If we are we will lose the battle. We haven’t gotten the strategy right. We need to go back to boot camp.

Hashem, our sages tells us is in the field this month of Elul. He is in the field perhaps because He knows that everybody else has gone back to yeshiva and their schools and their study halls and He is checking to see if we left anyone behind, and if we have measured ourselves to see that we have stopped shedding innocent blood. Sukkot time we will wave our Lulavs like soldiers after a battle in victory. May this year we finally achieve the ultimate victory, the one our Father and King is waiting for when His reign will finally shine over the whole world.

Have a victorious Shabbos,

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

 This week's Insights and Inspiration is dedicated by my dearest and longest friends Ieshula and Devora Ishakis in memory and in honor of their 25^th anniversary. Wow I can’t believe that it was only a quarter of a century ago on that dark stormy night when I thought I was losing my best friend forever to the new love of his life. Little did I know how amazing the two of you would be and continue to be as we share in simchas together. We may live oceans apart, but you are truly one of the great blessings of my life. Mazel Tov to the two of you and may you continue to share in much nachas, simchas, gezunt and all the brachos of shamayim biz hindrit und tzvantzik!

Mazel Tov

**********************

Guys! Readers Friends… We need sponsors… Your support is essential to us. It doesn’t have to be much. Any amount works. Honor a relative, Memorialize a loved one on a yartzeit, a birthday a special occasion. This weekly Email goes out to almost 2500 people weekly. Over 600 weekly actually open this. Jews from all over of all backgrounds and denominations… This is the unifier of Klal Yisrael. SO please sure your support. Make a Rabbi happy. Just click below and the dedication is yours.

Thanks so much!

Your sponsorship can be made by clicking on the following link

https://holylandinsights.blogspot.co.il/

and contributing via PayPal.

Alternatively you can mail a check made out to

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

 10 Eshel, Karmiel, Israel, 21681

Please write in memo Insights sponsorship

Or in the States to

25441 Gardener

Oak Park, Mich, 48237

All Donations support the local programs of the Young Israel of Karmiel and can be deducted from your Maaser!

Thank You!

**************************************************************

SHABBOS SCHEDULE

SHABBOS PARSHAT SHOFTIM

CANDLELIGHTING- 6:46 PM 

MINCHA & KABBALAT SHABBAT- 7:00 PM

SHACHARIS- 8:30 AM

MINCHA 6:30 PM

MARIV- 8:01 PM (10 minutes after tzeis)

********************************************************

RABBI SCHWARTZ’S FAVORITE YIDDISH PROVERB OF THE WEEK

“Der gantse lebn iz ain milchome.” – All of life is one war.

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK

answer below at end of Email

Q. The earliest figure among the following:

A. Ramban (Maimonides)

B. Ramban (Nachmanides)

C. Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai

D. Raban Yochanan ben Zakai

RABBI SCHWARTZ COOL VIDEOS OF THE WEEK

https://youtu.be/rdlL65LD6I4?list=PL5Kqh7VSoSY2TOGtxGlYdWW6D8udASp2a- Braveheart great war scene

 https://youtu.be/sMkrxlASs8I- Hillarious, only Israeli comedians can make a skit of Masada the real jewish story

https://youtu.be/aazadGAfE78 - And another pretty cool Ma navu I found Israeli version with footage of liberating the Kotel that adds a whole new dimension to the words of the song

https://youtu.be/bNMbBe5PaEc- Mordechai Shapiro’s latest hit video Friends

https://youtu.be/ymu2IgqRqa0 – Incredible Sefardic Selichos at the Kotel. Now if only we were finally on the top of the mountain

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S HAFTORA CONNECTION OF THE WEEK

Parshat Ki Teitzei – It’sa double haftorah this week, at least for Ashkenazim as we missed out on one two weeks ago because of Rosh Chodesh. We waited until this week to make it up because its one that follows the other. This haftorah from Yeshaya focuses on the image of our relationship with Hashem as wife to her husband. It begins that we are a married woman but barren for many years. The message and comparison is to us in our exile who have kept the commandments, we followed the laws, we studied the Torah. Yet it has nto produced fruit. It was to no avail, we were not able to reach the essence because our Temple has been taken and Hashem is not in our midst. To them the prophet says we should rejoice.

The second women is a widow who suffers in shame. There is no one to provide for her. She lives with a sense that she is all alone. Those of us that have challenges and we can’t see Hashem those are the ones that Hashem tells us will ultimately

Yeshaya (54: 4)“remember no more the shame of your widowhood”

Finally the last woman is the one whose husband has abandoned her. The love of her youth has found her disgusting, she is depressed. Hashem as well reassures those that have entirely been rejected for their sins that he will gather them in once again. It was a moment of wrath. But Hashem’s mercy is eternal. Hills and Valleys can shake and move but Hashem’s love will never depart from his people. Take that all you gentiles that said Hashem has changed us in for a newer model!

Yeshaya Hanavi Era of Prophecy (780-700 BC)- Yeshayahu was the author of his own book. It has 66 chapters and it his prophecies that make up the majority of the haftoras 15 in total. He was considered the greatest prophet since Moshe and he died (or more accurately was killed by King Menashe) at age 120 just as Moshe did.

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S ERA’S AND THEIR PLACES AND PEOPLE IN ISRAEL OF THE WEEK

Sacrifices- 1312 BC- We don’t have a temple anymore. We can’t bring sacrifices. But we used to. It was a major part of our life and really it filled the incredible deep connection our souls long for to connect in a personal way with Hashem. We’ve replaced that with our synagogues, but it’s a very lame replacement. See in the times of the Temple we would regularly come there and “see”  Hashem in His Divine glory. Our first crops would be brought there. The first of our animals were given to the Kohen as well as parts of every slaughter. Sin offerings for mistakes that we made, thanksgiving offerings, peace offerings, new born babies. And of course all the holidays we would visit. We sit in awe of the Kohanim, listen to the music and choirs of the Levi’im and we would smell the delicious awesome smells of the sacrifices being brought up. You can understand what I mean then when I say a shul, with its chazzan singing carlebach, or the rabbi giving some sermon and the smell of chulent perhaps in weekly in Rabbi Schwartzes shuls are a cheap replacement.

Now where in Israel can I connect people to the awesomeness of sacrifices? Well I generally try to talk about the Bikkurim- first fruits when we stand outside the southern wall of the Temple mount and I recite the Mishnayot there of all the Jews going up to the Temple that route with their baskets on their shoulders and their wagons led with golden horned oxen. As well in Tzippori I point out to people the Mosaic on the floor of the shul there that depicts birds hanging upside down on the sides of these baskets precisely as they describe it back in the Talmud.

However the real fun is to get into the sacrifices of animals. That’s not too easy to make exciting for people. I do have a good friend down in the Southern Chevron hills who actually will slaughter fresh animals for my tourists and make em on the spot, but I’ve only had one taker for that experience. There is however another great place in Mitzpeh Yericho, where my friend yoni Tzadok has created a “school” for Kohanim and levi’im for sacrifices called Beit HaMoked. He has brought “mock” Tamid offerings as well as Pesach and even shechted birds with is his finger nail as proscribed by the Torah. Obviously these are not real sacrifices and he is not offering the, but he uses his place as a training ground to teach people about the offerings. As well he does ketoret/ incense making and wine and oil according to the required halachic specifications. He is even working on getting a martial arts guy there to show and teach Kohanim (or my tourists) how to build their arm and hand strength to pound by hand the wheat and barley to make the flour offerings. Needless to say it’s cool. But most importantly it awakens a yearning for the real thing. May we see it soon.

RABBI SCHWARTZ’S REALLY TERRIBLE NEW MOON  JOKES  OF THE WEEK

Moishe has a business appointment, and he arrives a little early. The receptionist points to a comfortable easy chair and asks him to be seated for a while.
Moishe settles down, picks up a glossy magazine opens it, and tries to read. However, he finds that he cannot concentrate because he is distracted due to a ruckus coming from behind one of the doors leading off the reception area. Moishe goes over to the receptionist and asks, "What's going on in there?"
She replies, "It's a partners' meeting."
"But why are they shouting at each other?" Maurice asks.
"It's a battle of wits," she replies.
Maurice asks: "Who is in there?", and she answers, "Horowits, Lebowits, Rabbinowits and Abramowits

Yankel comes to the draft board and the officer asks him at the conclusion of his training how would  he respond in different situations.

“If three Syrian soldiers jumped out and attacked you what would you do?”

“I would shoot them all”- Yankel responded

“And if 20 soldiers with two jeeps and a tank attacked you what would you do?” The officer shot back at him

“That’s easy” Yankel said “I would shoot all of them throw a grenade and shoot my bazooka”

OK but what if there were 200 soldiers, 20 jeeps 10 tanks and 8 fighter planes coming at you, then what would you do?”

“What! Am I the only guy in this army?!

Once he was in the army his officer was giving orders and Yankel endlessly failed to carry them out. Once during an exercise the officer called out incoming planes everyone fall to the floor. They all fell immediately except of course Yankel. When his officer approached him and asked why he didn’t fall Yankel explained that he was taking cover underneath the tree.

“and where do you see the tree?” the officer demanded.

“The same place you see the planes” Yankel responded

Yankels brother Berel was drafted and hearing all the horror stories decided he would try to wriggle out of it, so when it was his turn to meet the draft officer he took out a piece of paper and wrote that he is mute and can’t speak. The officer told him to put his hand down on the table. Berel obliged. The officer then told him to close his eyes. When he did that as well. The officer pulled out a hammer and smashed him on the hand.

“ahhhhhhhh!!!” –yelled Berel

“Very good” the officer said “tomorrow we will continue with the letter Beis.”

An Israeli insider joke told to me by a chayal explaining the different units.

Paratroopers- think before shooting

Golani- Shoot before thinking

Givati- Think they are shooting

Nachal Chareidi- thinks it’s a nice choir

************

Answer is D– This should be a no brainer for the average yeshiva guy I hope. In fact anyone that answers either A or B should be thrown out of yeshiva as they are off by about a thousand years. The last two as well they should know that although they were both tanaim Rebbi yochanan Ben Zakkai was around the destruction of the Temple, while Rebbi Shimon was about a hundred or so years later. I think they threw these together because the Rambam is buried next to Rebbi Yochanan Ben Zakkai. In fact Reb yochanan ben Zakkai is buried by the Rambam’s grave to be precise. Now that should seem strange. Shouldn’t it be called Rebbi YBZ’s grave who was certainly more significant and in a entirely different league than the Rambam. The answer as my tourists know is that the Rambam was there first? How? How is that possible? See the Rambam was buried there in the 1300’s when he died. We didn’t know that Rebbi YBZ was there until the 1500’s when the Kabbalist the AR”I Hakadosh revealed to us that Rebbi Yochanan was there. But by then it was already called the Rambam’s grave and the name stuck.

Insights & Information is sent to e-mail addresses that of have been submitted to the Rabbi Schwartz. To unsubscribe at any time, I send an e-mail to rabbschwartz@yahoo.com   with the words "unsubscribe insights" in the Subject line and/or the first line of text. If you know of anyone that may be interested in receiving this newsletter feel free to pass this on to them...