Parshas Ki Saitzai (5761)

Bs”d

Parshas Ki Saitzai (5761)
By Mordechai Dolinsky

In our parsha we have a delicate issue of someone attracted to a non-Jewish captured young lady. Such a great tragedy, to be overcome with false love and infatuation. He allows himself his callous indulgence rationalizing that he is possessed by ahava. Rashi quotes the Chazal that this tragic beginning will likewise end in the tragic relationship developing into hatred. Even our emotion of ahava is Divinely ordained. He was possessed by the love as a test to reject her. He failed and as retribution it will now be Divinely ordained that he will hate her.

We witness an echo and a reflection of this, currently in our society, by the terrible deception in thinking that the main criterion for choosing a marriage partner is solely based on the presence of this feeling of infatuation and false love. True love is cultivated after marriage in the course of years.

As we come closer to Rosh HaShana it is crucial to prepare ourselves for the important mitzva of tikias Shofar. It is highly suggested that we familiarize ourselves with the study of the ten reasons for blowing, enumerated by R’ Saadaia Gaon, found today in many machzorim. One should invest as least a few weeks to study and memorize them and practice integrating these thoughts among the various shofar sounds. It will greatly enhance and give true significance to this most important mitzva.

A lovely Shabbos and a wonderful New Year to all.