Torah Teasers
Parshas KI TZEITZEI
1. The Torah forbids us to accept into Klal Yisrael Moavim (Ki Seitzei 23:4), because they didn’t greet us with bread and water when we left Mitzrayim. The Gemara (Yevamos 76b) says that Moavi women may be Migayer since it is not proper for women to leave their homes to greet passersby, even to greet the females of Klal Yisrael . This was the reason why Dovid who came from Rus was Kasher. Rav Moshe Feinstein says that this is mind boggling. In the episode of Bilam the Moavi women were more than eager to seduce the men of Bnei Yisrael. Where was their Tzniyus then? Ans… Rav Moshe answers that it is entirely possible that by nature they were indeed very modest. It was the persuasion of the Yetzer Hara that they could not resist in the call to fight Klal Yisrael. Hashem knew their real nature and therefore did not hold them accountable for not being hospitable to Klal Yisrael. Furthermore, he knew that if they chose to become part of Klal Yisrael this Middah would serve them well. Therefore Moavi women, unlike the men, are able to be Migayer and become model Jews.
2. If the Ben Sorer Umoreh is killed because of the act of murder that he will commit, why is his death penalty through stoning, if the Torah states that one who murders is put to death by Sayif – the sword? Ans… Daas Zekainim MiBaalei HaTosfos answers, “Since the pasuk states that the Ben Sorer Umoreh is ‘Einenu Shomei’a B’Kol Aviv U’BKol Imo; He does not listen to the voice of his parents’ – that is considered as if he was Mikallel Aviv V’Imo – he cursed his parents.” The Torah states that one who curses his parents is Chayiv Skilah – death by stoning.
3. The pasuk says [Devorim 22:10] “Do not plow together with an ox and a donkey.” Why? Ans… The Daas Zekeinim MeBa’alay HaTosfos provide an interesting reason for this Issur. A donkey does not chew its cud. An ox, on the other hand, does chew its cud. The donkey and the ox would be walking along, yoked together, and the donkey would see the ox chewing and think that it was eating something. The donkey would become upset: “I missed my feeding. When did it happen?” He would become jealous of the ox, because he would think the ox was fed and he was not.
4. “Ki Kavor Tikbirenu.” (Ki Seitzei 21:23). The Gemara in Sanhedrin (46b) tells us that from here we learn that burying a person is a Mitzva and serves as a Kappara for the person. Rashi explains that if a person says he does not want to be buried, then even if he is buried at the end, the burial in not Michaper. Yet we find the halacha by other mitzvos, like eating matza, that if we force a person to eat, he is yotzei the mitzva. Why is this person’s ultimate burial different and not michaper? Ans … The Mekach Tov answers in the name of the Divrei Chaim of Tzanz. The Rambam says that even though a divorce given by a man to his wife is only valid if the husband does it by free will, still sometimes Bais Din administers force to persuade him to give it. How then is the Get valid if force was used? The Rambam answers that every Jew wants to do what is right. His Neshama only wants to do the command of Hashem. It is his body and his animal instincts that get in the way. Force is used to remove the obstacle to his Yiddishe Neshama, which gives the Get willingly.
5. The Torah permits a soldier in the army of Bnei Yisrael to take a Yifas To’ar in war. What is the logic? Ans… Chazal tell us that this parsha was given because the Torah understands the limitations of a person’s self control. In this case the Torah did not challenge a person to stand up to a test what It considered to be too difficult to achieve, despite the fact that these “soldiers” were all the finest Yirei Shamayim, who made it through the army’s induction process in which all people with even minor aveiros on their resume are dismissed as inadequate! Rav Yechezkel Abramsky points out that the Yifa To’ar is the only time we find the Torah gives us leeway due to impossiblity. We see from here that anything asked of us by the Torah is possible for a person to do. Nothing is out of our reach or made for superhuman tzaddikim. Be confident and stand up to the challenge. The Torah believes in you. You can do it, you just need to believe in yourself!
6. The Gemara in Sanhedrin (107a) says that when running away from Avshalom his son, Dovid wanted to worship an Avodah Zara called “Rosh”. Chushai HaArki then said to Dovid, “Do you want Bnei Yisrael to say that a great king like Dovid worshipped Avodah Zara?” Dovid replied, “And a king like me should be killed by his son?” Chushai then answered that Avshalom the Ben Sorer U’Moreh is the result of his marrying a Yifas To’ar. This is why the Torah in Parshas Ki Setzei puts these Ben Sorer U’Moreh and Yifas To’ar next to one another. What is the meaning of the Medrash? Ans… The Maharsham (Tcheiles Mordechai) explains that all excitement in Olam HaZeh peaks in the initial stage. When someone becomes rich he is very excited at first until the excitement wears off. However in ruchniyus the excitement grows and grows. Dovid HaMelech was pulled from being a shepherd, who was an outcast even among his brothers, and made King of Bnei Yisrael. At first he recognized this as Hashem’s hand being Mikarev him. He expected his success to grow because he viewed it purely as ruchniyus and not gashmiyus. When Avshalom rebelled and Dpvod HaMelech was forced to flee in fear that his own son would kill him, he then thought that his success and his kingdom were destined by the Mazal called “Rosh”. Rosh is the Mazal of worldly success because it is only satisfying initially. His believing in Rosh was tantamount to worshipping Avodah Zara. Only when Chushai HaArki rebuked him and told him that his success was from Hashem and his failure was his own fault since he took a Yifas To’ar, did he then regret having any doubts about the Hashgacha Pratis of HaKadosh Boruch Hu.

Created By Avrohom Sherman
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