Ep. 84 - Parsha Ki Teitzei 5786

This week we’re learning Parsha Ki Teitzei, the parsha with more mitzvot than any other in the Torah!

We’ll explore what the Torah’s laws surrounding the captive woman teach us about the powerful influence of our environment, even on the most righteous among us, and what that means for the communities and homes we choose to build.

We’ll also look at the mitzvah of returning lost objects through the Or HaChaim’s beautiful interpretation of helping bring a fellow Jew back to Torah, and take a deeper look at the unusual mitzvah of shiluach haken, sending away the mother bird. Why does the Torah promise long life for this mitzvah, and what does it have to do with compassion, children, and the influence we leave behind?

Later, we’ll discover how the mitzvah of building a fence around a roof can teach us to put healthy boundaries around our spiritual ambitions, why Miriam’s story still has so much to teach us about the way we speak about others, and how even an accidental mitzvah can bring blessing.

Finally, we’ll talk about memory and forgetting. The Torah commands us to remember some things and let go of others—but what happens when we begin to forget Hashem, Torah, and our own Jewish identity? And what does remembering Amalek have to teach us about humility, assimilation, and remaining connected to who we are?

Questions or comments? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this week’s parsha and what stood out to you most.

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