SEDRA : KI TETZE Hertz Chumash p. 840 Deuteronomy Chap.21 verse 10

This week's Sedra is generously sponsored by Maitland Lincoln.

SYNOPSIS:

The Torah introduces the subject of a female captives in battles occurring outside Israel. One may not, as was the custom with the neighbouring nations, force free female captives into marriage. The captive was first to shave her head, cut her nails, remove the garments in which she was captured and mourn her parents a full month thus rendering herself unattractive to her Israelite capturer. If then he still wished to marry her this was possible, if not she could not be treated as a slave. (Warring armies were usually followed by beautiful women provocatively adorned in an attempt to be `snapped up' by the warrior heroes. If the battle was lost these women usually became captives of the conquerors who dealt with them ruthlessly ... not so Israel).

The inheritance entitlement of the first born son is a double portion, even where there were two wives, and he was the son of the despised wife.
The rebellious son, who offended in various defined ways, was subject to death by stoning. (as no instance of this law ever being put into practise is recorded, our Sages regard it as an ominous warning). The body of one who was hanged should not remain on the hanging tree overnight. He must be buried the same day.
Lost articles are to be returned to their owners.
Railings must be built around the roof or any platform, as a safety precaution.
Shaatnez (a mixture of wool and linen in the same garment) may not be worn.
Tzitzit must be attached to the corners of garments.
A husband who falsely accuses his bride of having been unfaithful to him before their marriage but after being betrothed, is to receive lashes and a fine. If the charges prove to be true, the wife is to be stoned. If a woman commits adultery, both she and the man involved are subject to death. Marriage to one's father's wife, or a member of Ammon or Moab is forbidden.
One should not charge interest to a fellow Jew.
Whoever utters a vow must fulfill it.
When a husband has grounds for divorce, the marriage is to be dissolved in a formal legal proceeding, involving a Get (Bill of Divorce). If the woman marries again and becomes a divorcee or a widow, she cannot remarry her first husband.
If one lends money to a fellow Jew, he must not take as a security something that provides the borrower with a livelihood. If the borrower is poor, the lender should return the security at night if it is needed then. Hired workers are to be paid immediately on the completion of the work.
If a married man dies leaving no child, his brother is to perform yibum - the levirate marriage. The resultant child will perpetuate the deceased's name. If the surviving brother refuses to marry the widow, he would have to perform Chalitzah (levirate divorce) because he did not perpetuate his brother's name.
Merchants and businessmen are warned to be extremely scrupulous in their trading. They must not have faulty scales and weights or try to cheat the customer.
Finally, the Jews are told to remember for all time the perfidious actions of Amalek, who attacked the Israelites when they were weak. They must blot out the remembrance of Amalek from the earth.

HAPHTORAH HERTZ CHUMASH P 857 Isaiah Chap 54 verse 1

This is the fifth of the Haphtorot of comfort taken from the prophecies of Isaiah. Describing Israel as a widow or abandoned wife G-d Himself will unite with her in everlasting loving kindness.

TELL ME RABBI ..... WHAT IS BATMITZVAH?

A boy has a Bar Mitzvah on the day after his 13th birthday. He becomes obligated to fulfill the Mitzvot, especially the immediate mitzvah of Tefillin. A girl becomes obligated to fulfill the Commandments on the day after her 12th birthday but she does not have a unique Mitzvah which immediately she must fulfill.

On the day a girl becomes eligible for Mitzvot, it is highly desirable to arrange a celebration to mark this special occasion in her life. The celebration should be in the midst of family and friends and should include the participation of a Rabbi. The Rabbi should speak about the great significance of the occasion and encourage the observance and study of Torah.
It is desirable for the girl to wear a new dress and to bless "Shehecheyanoo" over it. She should also prepare a short address appropriate to the significance of the day. The father should also declare the special blessing similar to the one recited for a boy :
"Blessed is He who has absolved me of religious liability for this girl". (Based on a letter to a young girl by the Late Rishon Le-Tzion, Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Israel - Rabbi Nissim.)