Parshat Ki Teitzei כִּי תֵצֵא
August 21-22, 2026
9 Elul 5786
Annual Torah Reading: Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19
Triennial Torah Reading: Deuteronomy 21:10-23:7
This Shabbat we read Parashat כִּי תֵצֵא (Ki Teitzei). In this portion, Moshe presents the greatest concentration of commandments found in any single parasha in the Torah, containing 72 of the 613 mitzvot.
These laws span every dimension of ethical and communal life, including the protection of prisoners of war, family inheritance rights, the requirement to return lost property, the kindness of sending away the mother bird, building a safety fence on a roof, honest weights and measures, fair treatment of hired workers, and the perpetual remembrance of Amalek.
Below, we look at the core themes of this week through three unique lenses.
1. You Cannot Hide Yourself: The Rejection of Indifference
Insight inspired by Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks
In outlining the laws of returning lost property, the Torah commands that if you see your neighbor’s lost ox or garment, you must not ignore it: "You may not hide yourself" (Deuteronomy 22:3).
Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks noted that this brief phrase, לֹא תוּכַל לְהִתְעַלֵּם (lo tuchal l'hit'alem), contains a foundational principle of Jewish ethics:
"The Torah does not allow us to be bystanders. To see injustice or another person's loss and look the other way is a moral failure. In Judaism, responsibility is the price of freedom. We cannot hide from the world, we cannot disown the problems of our neighbors, and we cannot remain neutral in the face of suffering." Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks
Moshe teaches us that building a compassionate society requires active involvement. Empathy is not merely a private emotion; it is an obligation to step forward and restore what has been lost.
2. Refining the Soul: The Mother Bird
Insight inspired by Rabbi Adin Even Israel Steinsaltz
The Torah presents the mitzvah of שִׁלּוּחַ הַקֵּן (Shiluach HaKein, sending away the mother bird) before taking the eggs: "You shall surely let the mother go, and take the young for yourself, so that it may be well with you and you may prolong your days" (Deuteronomy 22:7).
Rabbi Adin Even Israel Steinsaltz reflected on how this small act shapes the human heart:
"The purpose of the mitzvot is not because G-d needs our rituals, but because we need them to refine our character. When we pause to spare a mother bird distress, we train our souls in sensitivity. If we learn to act with restraint and kindness toward the weakest creature, we become incapable of cruelty toward our fellow human beings." Rabbi Adin Even Israel Steinsaltz
Kindness is a muscle that must be exercised continuously. The smallest acts of daily sensitivity prevent our hearts from becoming hardened to the needs of others.
3. Daily Integrity: The Weight of Small Actions
Insight inspired by Sivan Rahav Meir
Toward the end of the portion, Moshe commands the people to maintain completely honest scales and weights in business: "A perfect and just weight you shall have, a perfect and just measure you shall have" (Deuteronomy 25:15).
Educator Sivan Rahav Meir highlights that holiness is often determined in the marketplace rather than the sanctuary:
"It is easy to speak about high ideals and lofty spiritual visions, but the Torah tests our values at the cash register, in our contracts, and in our daily conversations. Genuine faith is proven when we are scrupulously honest in situations where no one else is watching." Sivan Rahav Meir
As we move deeper into the month of אֱלוּל (Elul), our repentance (teshuvah) begins with examining the small, everyday transactions and interactions that define our true moral standing.
הַפְטָרָה: Haftarah Reading: יְשַׁעְיָהוּ (Y'sha'yahu) 54:1-10
We read the fifth of the seven Haftarot of Consolation (Sheva d'Nechemta). The prophet יְשַׁעְיָהוּ (Y'sha'yahu) comforts Yerushalayim, comparing the Jewish people to a barren woman who will soon rejoice with countless children, enveloped in G-d's everlasting kindness:
רָנִּ֥י עֲקָרָ֖ה לֹ֣א יָלָ֑דָה פִּצְחִ֨י רִנָּ֤ה וְצַהֲלִי֙ לֹא־חָ֔לָה כִּֽי־רַבִּ֧ים בְּנֵֽי־שׁוֹמֵמָ֛ה מִבְּנֵ֥י בְעוּלָ֖ה אָמַ֥ר יְהוָֽה׃
"Sing, O barren one who has not given birth! Break into song and shout for joy, you who have not travailed, for the children of the desolate one shall be more than the children of the married woman, says the Lord." (Y'sha'yahu 54:1)
The prophet concludes with an eternal promise of peace and reconciliation that cannot be shaken:
כִּ֣י הֶהָרִ֤ים יָמ֙וּשׁוּ֙ וְהַגְּבָע֣וֹת תְּמוּטֶ֔ינָה וְחַסְדִּ֞י מֵאִתֵּ֣ךְ לֹֽא־יָמ֗וּשׁ וּבְרִ֤ית שְׁלוֹמִי֙ לֹ֣א תָמ֔וּט אָמַ֥ר מְרַחֲמֵ֖ךְ יְהוָֽה׃
"For the mountains may depart and the hills may totter, but My kindness shall not depart from you, and My covenant of peace shall not be shaken, says the Lord who shows you compassion." (Y'sha'yahu 54:10)
Questions to Contemplate
In what areas of my life am I tempted to "hide myself" or look the other way when someone near me needs assistance?
As we continue through the month of אֱלוּל (Elul), what practical steps can I take to ensure complete fairness and kindness in my daily business and personal dealings?
Compiled by Rav Baruch Shamash