Parshat Ki Tetze - 2025

The name of our parashah, Ki Tetze, means “When you go out” and opens with God’s instructions to Israel soldiers going out to war (Deuteronomy 21:10), before they conquer their promise. Israel is a people forever on the move, a nation in motion, called to obedience even during the heat of life’s battles.

This portion is one of the richest in the Torah, containing no fewer than seventy-four mitzvot, each addressing a different facet of the delicate structure of human existence. Here we encounter laws about the inheritance of the firstborn, the discipline of the rebellious son, the burial of the dead with dignity, the return of lost objects, and even the compassion of sending away the mother bird before taking her young. Nothing is too small or too great for the Torah’s concern, from the battlefield to the rooftop of one’s house, where a fence must be built for safety, because every life is precious before the Creator.

The parashah deals with human frailty. It addresses the seduction of desire in the case of the beautiful captives, the deep wounds of false accusation against a wife, and the heavy cost of immorality. It teaches Israel how to hold justice and mercy together: to pay workers on time, to feed even the animals who labor for you, to treat the vulnerable with righteousness, and not to crush them with interest or humiliation. Even the soldiers' encampment must remain holy, for the presence of the Shekhinah does not abandon Israel in the fields of war.

Marriage and family are at the heart of this portion. We hear the instructions regarding divorce, and the ancient practice of yibbum (levirate marriage), where the widow of a childless brother is redeemed through her brother-in-law. These laws are not merely cultural relics but living testimony that God cares deeply for covenant faithfulness, the protection of all women, and the perpetuation of life and family in Israel.

And at the end of the parashah comes the command to remember Amalek, the cruel enemy who struck the weak and weary of Israel on the road from Egypt. This is not simply a mitzvah about memory; this instruction talks about spiritual vigilance. In context, Amalek represents the spirit that despises God’s redemption and preys on the spiritually weak or immature. Israel is called to never forget, for the battle against Amalek continues in every generation.

Ki Teitzei points us to a greater fulfillment if we ensure Yeshua is at the center of our attention. The Messiah battled human sin and temptation. He embodies God’s compassion of returning what was lost, for He came to seek and save the lost sheep of Israel. He is the Firstborn who does not despise His inheritance but shares it with His people. In Him, the rebellious sons find a new heart, the widows a generous Redeemer, and the exiled and the slaves find their freedom. When He taught us that we are to be “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world,” He was showing how to build in our lives according to Torah’s instructions for every detail of life, from the building of our rooftops to the building of our relationships.

But don’t forget, Amalek still prowls. The adversary whispers to the weary, tempting us to cynicism, to forgetfulness, to compromise. The call of this parashah and of the gospel is the same: remember who you are, remember your calling, and to Whom you belong, and remember to walk The Way as children of the light. And so, we go out, not only into physical battles but into the spiritual opposition, clothed in the Messiah. May we reflect His holiness in ordinary daily life, defending our vulnerable with courage, and carrying His light into the dark corners of this world.