SEDRAH SELECTIONS PARSHAS KI SEITZEI 5773 BS"D

Ch. 22, v. 8: "Ki yipole hanofeil mi'menu" - Because the faller will fall from it - We normally translate "mi'menu" to mean "from the roof." Therefore put up a balustrade so he shouldn't fall. However, the Kli Yokor says that "mi'menu" means from the balustrade. You have build a safety wall on your roof to avoid an accident. Nevertheless, the "faller," the person Hashem has decreed should fall and die, will still fall from it. Therefore put up a safety wall so the innocent person shouldn't fall. This is most interesting. Based on the above it seems that we can derive that had you not put up a safety wall even one who was not destined to die would fall. We can explain this by saying that one who is sinless will not fall even with no wall there. One who has some sins will not fall when there is a wall, but he has insufficient merit to be saved from falling from an unprotected roof.

Along the same lines as the Kli Yokor, the Divrei Sho'ul explains that the one who was destined to die by falling from a height will fall even with a "maakoh" in place. This will bring the on seer to realize that he was destined to die in this manner. Had there been no protective railing the on seer might incorrectly conclude that it was an accident.

Ch. 22, v. 18: "V'yisru oso" - And they shall chastise him - The gemara Ksubos 46 explains that this means that he is lashed. He thus suffers three punishments. They are: Lashes, 100 silver coins, and that he may never divorce her. These three punishments fit the crime. He falsely brought great shame on his wife's family, and for this he is lashed. He wanted her to lose the fifty silver coins of her "ksuboh," so he pays double that. He wanted to divorce her as a result of her promiscuity, so he may no longer of his volition divorce her. (Rambam)

Ch. 23, v. 3: "Mamzer" - An illegitimate child - The gemara Kidushin says, "Kesef m'taheir mamzeirim," money purifies illegitimate people. An insight into this expression beyond the application of the gemara is that the gemara says that he who is very audacious is likely a "mamzer." Likewise the verse says, "V'oshir yaaneh azus," a wealthy man answers with temerity, chutzpah. When we have a situation where a person is most audacious we would come to the conclusion that he is illegitimate. If however, it is a wealthy person who has so acted, it removes this stigma from him. He was chutzpadik not because he is a "mamzer," but rather, because he is wealthy, i.e. "Kesef m'taheir mamzeirim." (Rabbi Shmuel Alter)

Ch. 23, v. 7: "Lo sidrosh shlomom v'tovosom kol yo'mecho l'olom" - Do not seek their peace and their good all your days forever - There is an ongoing dilemma that a ben Yisroel faces. He sees that the evil-doers prosper and have a joyous physical life while the righteous suffer. Our verse responses: Do not seek to understand their peace and the good bestowed upon them. Also do not seek to understand "kol yo'mecho" that are sometimes challenging. This can all be explained with "l'olom." In the world-to-come you will have your reward and they will have nothing. They are having it all in this ephemeral world to pay off their few merits. (ChasaN Sofer)

Ch. 24, v. 1: "Ki yikach ish ishoh" - When a man takes a woman - One of the three ways to legally acquire a wife is through giving her an object of value to create marriage. The reason people give a ring is so that she wear it on her finger and constantly realize that she is married and should act accordingly. (Sefer Hachinuch)

Ch. 24, v. 4: "Lo yuchal baaloh horishon loshuv l'kachtoh" - Her first husband cannot return and take her back - The obvious reason for this prohibition is to avoid "wife swapping." However, the Meshech Chochmoh explains that this law is needed to allow for a happy second marriage. In many cases the divorced wife was satisfied to stay with her first husband. Once divorced she marries again. Had she been permitted back to her first husband she would make life miserable for her second husband to the point that she would receive a divorce and have the possibility of her first husband taking her back.

I don't follow the logic of this. If she has this in mind why did she agree to marriage with a second man. As well, "acharei asher hutamoh" doesn't seem to fit with this explanation. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Ch. 25, v. 3: "V'nikloh ochicho l'ei'necho" - And your brother should be demeaned in front of your eyes - The gemara Makos 23a says that upon his having received the lashes he is again "your brother," meaning that he is not to be distanced because of his having sinned, as the sin has now been expiated. The Chid"o in Nachal K'dumim notes that the word "ochicho" has the numeric value of thirty-nine.

Ch. 25, v. 13: "Lo yi'h'yeh l'cho b'kis'cho evven vo'ovven g'doloh uktanoh" - There shall not be in your pocket a stone and a stone a large and a small - Psikta Rabosi 3:5 says that when the bnei Yisroel measure with honest balance scales, with honest weights, and with honest measuring equipment no foreign power has mastery over them. However, when they are suspect on the above, immediately the enemies come upon them.

Why does the medrash says "when they are SUSPECT ……" rather than "when they use improper measuring equipment?" The verse says that one may not have in his pocket, i.e. in his possession dishonest weights, etc. This means that even if he has no intention to use these items for commerce he may nevertheless not even have them in his possession. The medrash is saying that even when one does not cheat through the use of these items, but does keep them in his possession, thus being SUSPECT of using them, the enemy will ch"v come upon him. (n.l.)

Ch. 25, v. 13: "Lo yi'h'yeh l'cho b'kis'cho evven vo'ovven g'doloh uktanoh" - There shall not be in your pocket a stone and a stone a large and a small - The Mekubolim use the terminology "avonim" for the holy letters of the Alef-Beis. When a person prays to Hashem for sustenance he expresses himself quite clearly, detailing all his perceived needs, etc. when Hashem then showers His blessings upon the petitioner he is then indebted to offer a prayer of thanks. It is at this point that he just squeezes out a few words of thanks, and/or offers a minimal amount for charity. Thus he is using large "avonim," letters that form the words of his entreaties when asking for his needs, but when offering thanks he uses small "avonim." Our verse admonishes us to not use large "stones" for requests and small "stones" for thanks. (Ohr Ha'meir)

A GUTTEN SHABBOS KODESH. FEEL FREE TO DISTRIBUTE BY COPY OR ELECTRONICALLY.

FEEDBACK IS APPRECIATED. TO SUBSCRIBE, KINDLY SEND REQUEST TO: SHOLOM613@ROGERS.COM

See also Oroh V'Simchoh - Meshech Chochmoh on the Weekly Parsha, Chasidic Insights and Chamisha Mi Yodei'a