Parashat Ki Teitzei

Parashat Ki Teitzei
Elul 14, 5772 ~ Sept 1, 2012
by Alex Hart

She knelt down before her, a movement so seamless, it appeared choreographed as she stepped away from the cast, before blowing her a kiss. In that moment, Laura’s eyes lit up and I could only succumb to the wisdom of the branding; Disney is ‘The Happiest Place on Earth’. From 2 feet off the ground, Sleeping Beauty’s Castle is a wonder, the parades magnificent and the fireworks, well, words failed our little people. It all comes down to perception. If you play by the Disney rules you can give in and be merrily transported alongside barriers for pop-up shows, wait, with formally undiscovered reserves of patience, in lines for rides over in an instant and dispense with the vague hope of finding snacks being anything but a short-lived energy shot. The kids didn’t notice and instead, daily since our return, they narrate their mental snapshots of their time away. We hope that these images remain indelibly magical in their memories forever.  

In Parshat Ki Teitzei, the Torah’s perception in its meting out of the punishment for the wayward son, looks many years ahead. The son, presented to the Beth Din, is referred to as a glutton and a drunk by his parents (יח פסוק כא פרק).  The punishment is death by stoning; sekilah; the most severe death penalty. Many pages of explanation are devoted to this halacha. We are to understand the gluttony was to have been the consumption of meat, together with becoming inebriated from drinking wine, in the company of loafers and criminals. Astonishingly, the term ‘Ben Sorer u-Moreh’ refers only to a boy aged between 13 and 13 ¼. Insights into the Talmud, Sanhedrin 68b, delve into the boundaries as to when a boy is fit to be considered a ‘Ben Sorer U’Moreh’. For example, Rav Yehudah advises that punishment is applicable only when the son reaches the strength of an adult; Rashi understands this to be the beginning of adulthood; the Netziv teaches that liability is once the son reaches the age of Bar Mitzvah and Tosfot interprets the Gemara to be referring to the son right after his Bar Mitzvah. It stands to reason that a person of that age would not have the money for such items, unless by theft.  The Talmud (Sanhedrin 71a) teaches that the boy is put to death because of what he will eventually do, rather than what he has done.  In having stolen, the Torah can foresee the natural progression of events. All the more so, the Kotzker Rebbe suggests ‘al shem sofo’ ‘according to his end’ refers to the end of this appellation ‘moreh’. Translated here as ‘rebellious’, the word can also mean ‘teacher’ i.e. that he would lead others to behave likewise; killing him with the most severe form of death would deter others.  Undaunted by the united scolding of his parents (the source of their prerequisites is to be found in Sanhedrin 71a), he would loot once again. Having a taste for delicacies, his appetite could eventually lead the young adult to intricate heists. For a rebellious son’s conviction, he must have been warned in front of 3 witnesses (in this circumstance, a witness could even be a judge). The court could hand down the punishment of lashes. If the wayward behavior were to continue, one could perceive that neither a single experience nor any individual could prevent the son from even murdering for which the penalty is indeed sekilah. With relief I add that the complexities into the requirements to be derived from this passage to secure conviction of a rebellious son are such that none were, nor ever will, be killed. Rav Hirsch suggests that it comes down to chinuch, education. The perception is that with his education, a boy arriving at his Bar Mitzvah should be thrilled at the opportunity to contribute and the potential for increased responsibility. The parents should burst with hope and encouragement, that the novelty and care devoted to unfurling and laying tefillin will never diminish but instead, provide in time the welcome adjunct to the familiar comfort of daily morning Tefillah. 

If we take a moment to assess the make-up our community, it can be noted that a significant percentage of families feed into Beth Jacob singularly because of Gan Mah Tov’s  existence. The preschool is a place where our children’s spirits are nurtured and the mensch in each tot is enhanced. This year marks the 25th since the Gan was founded and the apple tree, just outside its doors, was planted. Hoping that you have now received the order forms for GMT’s Rosh HaShana cards, one of the preschool’s major fundraisers. The chinuch of our kids is a partnership. It is a combination of us as parents ‘Listen my son to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching’, together with Gan Mah Tov’s Morim, promoting gentle civility with the still quiet voice at playground level, providing tender guidance and displaying a kindly outlook that will ensure our community’s longevity. Your support towards the Gan’s programming is warmly welcomed.

כתיבה וחתימה טובה