Parashas Ki Seitzei :- The Parsha this Shabbos is Parashas Ki Seitzei and the Haftorah for this Parasha is in Yeshayahu Isaiah 54 : 1 - 10 . This Haftorah is one of the Haftorahs of comfort after the period of Tisha B ' Av , and Speaks Of HaShem Returning To us To Save us And HaShem Reminds us that we are not forgotten , And That HaShem's Kindness Will Not Be Removed from us And HaShem , Our One And Only Redeemer , Will Eternally Show us Kindness And Mercy , as a Jewish People . Our Parsha this Shabbos " Ki Seitzei , " begins by speaking of the " Yefas Toar , " - " The Woman of Beautiful form , " where a Jewish soldier goes out to battle , and while in the enemy's territory , sees among them , a woman , a foreign woman , not of Israel , not a Jew , a woman of beautiful form , among its captives and he desires her . The Sedra mentions that he can take her for a wife , but certain things need be done first . It was the way of the nations at the time , to dress their women up very beautifully in times of war , so as to attract and catch the eyes of the invading army's male soldiers . HaShem Understands That at a time of war , a man's Yetzer Horah may be heightened and so , Mercifully Permits him a way of overcoming it , But At No Time , Does HaShem Ever Agree With a Jewish Soldier doing this , for a true proselyte , is one who comes to Judaism , for the love of G-D , not for the physical-only love of a partner , as would be in this case , at a heightened time of war , which is only a physical desire , for the sake of physical reasons , which is certainly not a holy reason to become Jewish . We see that in this Parsha , the opinion of the " Beautiful form , " is only in the eyes of the man that is taken by what he sees and this is why , HaShem Commands That when she is taken back to the Israelite Camp , she is to shave her head and let her nails grow , thus making herself less desirable , in the hopes that the Jewish soldier's desire might lessen so that he changes his mind about wanting to marry her , for the possible reasons he may have wanted her , out of physical desire only , which is heightened in times of war , will hopefully dissipate when he sees her afterwards , away from the war situation , and with her less physically made up . She shall live in his house and mourn for her Father and her Mother for a month , and thereafter , be converted to Judaism and marry him , if he still desires to marry her . But if he does not desire marriage with her , then he is to send her on her own , and he may not enslave her or sell her as a slave , but he is at all times to treat her with respect . HaShem Wants us Jews to follow His Laws , and not seek out foreign women that will lead us astray to their own nation's idol worshiping ways . However , HaShem Looks Most Kindly , upon a true and genuine Ger Proselyte , who chooses with full love , The True Ways Of HaShem and Full Torah Judaism . HaShem So Much Respected the true Proselyte , That He Even Put The Sedra of The Ten Commandments , in the Parsha , of Yisro , who became a Righteous Proselyte . The case here , of a " Yefas Toar " - " A Woman of Beautiful Form , " surely teaches us many lessons , that we are not to just judge by the physical , but to look deeper , because Physicality Changes , but the goodness within , is the True Gem . HaShem , as I mentioned , Prefers that soldiers do not get taken in , by Physical Beauty , skin deep , but rather that the Jew and the Jewish soldier should keep holy , for the Jewish Army , is to be unlike other armies , where a lot of negative things take place in some of the secular Nation's armies . The Jewish Army , is to be different . The Jewish Army , is to be comprised of Learned Holy Men , like King David's general and nephew Yoav ben Zeruyah was , and careful selection would take place , as we learned before in Torah , about how the Jewish army was spoken to by the Kohein anointed for war , and officers , before they would go out to battle , for the Jewish Army , walked With HaShem Before them , and was to be most holy . So such an action of the " Yefas Toar , " was certainly not encouraged among the Jewish Army . Our Sages taught that a " Yefas Toar , " and the very action of marrying a " Yefas Toar " starts a roller - coaster of problems that lead to the very next Law mentioned in this Parsha , the case of possibly such a Father who married a Yefas Toar , putting the son of the woman that was a Yefas Toar , before his firstborn son , of the original wife , for he may have more physical desire for the new wife , and this then may lead to the next Law mentioned in the Parsha , the case of the wayward and rebellious son , who comes from the result of a " Yefas Toar , " marrying for physical desire reasons and not the right holy reasons , and this could then lead to hanging and burial of this resultant rebellious son , so teach our Rabbis , who tell us that this is possibly why HaShem Put these Laws one after the other , in the Torah . Such an idea , was certainly proved , in the case of the happenings of Dovid Ha Melech , who went out to war , and in fact , married a " Yefas Toar , " called Ma'acha , daughter of Talmai of Geshur , who was the Mother of Avshalom and Tamar . Exactly as Torah Teaches us in this Sedra of what will happen in cases like this , Avshalom rebelled against his Father King David , where everyday that King David would go and Judge the people , Avshalom would stand outside and turn the people away from his Father , and it got so bad , that Dovid Ha Melech and his wife Bas-Sheva and their son Shlomo had to run from their own palace because of Avshalom , who even took his Father's Concubines ( as many concubines , as spear thrusts that were put into Avshalom at his death by King David's General , when Avshalom was running away and got his hair caught in a tree ) . Torah Talks of Hanging and so Avshalom faced the result of his own actions . Avshalom , who was a most beloved son of Dovid Ha Melech , where Dovid Ha Melech looked up to Avshalom at times , before his other sons ( like the Torah Parsha Tells us will happen ) , ended up hanging as he was riding away on his steed . The physicality of the whole story of the " Yefas Toar , " certainly came out in this happening with Dovid Ha Melech , for Avshalom , spent much time on his looks and prided himself on his physicality , where he even became a Nazarite , not wanting to cut his hair , the very hair that ended up entangling him when he was fleeing from Yoav . The same physicality came out in his sister Tamar ( daughter of Ma'acha the " Yefas Toar " ) , who also prided herself on her looks , spending much time on her hair and physicality , which ended up attracting David's other son Amnon , where she was very over friendly with Amnon , beyond the Tznius of a part sister , and the results were sadly very tragic , for Amnon wrongfully forced himself upon her at the end and so is the results of a " Yefas Toar , " - marrying a foreign woman just for her physicality . Such are the risks and dangers of going out from Holy Judaism . In the case of the rebellious son , this is the case where the son becomes a glutton and a drunkard , and shows by his behaviour , that he must already be of an age to become accountable for Aveirahs , and such actions at such an early age , show that when he becomes an adult , he will very likely get worse , and commit robbery , and so he is brought for judgement . Also is mentioned , the Laws with regards to hanging and the Jewish Laws of not leaving a body hanging over night , for it is an affront to HaShem , Whose Image , HaShem Gives to each human being . HaShem Then , in the Parsha , Teaches how we are to respect another's property , and if we find an article belonging to our neighbor , we are to return it to them , and if they are not near , we are to keep their article in our home , until they ask for it ,then return it . If we see the donkey of our brother or his ox falling on the road , we are to go and help ease the burden . Our Rabbis say that if we come across two people we know , and their donkeys are struggling , and one of the people we like and the other person we do not like , we are to help the one we dislike , first ( the one that is a bigger attack on our Yetzer Horah ) . If it be a case of both people that we like , we are to help the one with the most burdened animal , for we are to be kind to animals . HaShem Commands That a man and woman shall not wear each other's garb . Such is an abomination to HaShem . HaShem Created us each , with our own special and specific roles in Creation , and we are to totally respect that . Thus things that are known to be women's garments or of things they do for their own physicality , a man is forbidden to do , and women are forbidden things that are pertaining to a man . HaShem Commands about the Chok of " Shiluach Ha Kein , " the Law of sending away the Mother Bird , " and then HaShem Commands us that if we are building a new house , we are to make a fence for the roof , to protect anyone from harm . Such is the beauty of Judaism , that we must not just think for the here and now or just for ourselves , but we are to act in ways that always can lead to goodness , and not act in any way that can later on , cause harm to others , Chas Ve Shalom . HaShem Commands us Again About our Holy Garments of Tzitzis and then the Sedra Talks of defaming a married woman . Torah then mentions the very heinous crime of Adultery , for faithfulness between a couple , is very important to HaShem , just like Faithfulness that we are to keep to HaShem . HaShem Even Compares the two as being alike , in the beginning of the Book of the Prophet Hoseah . Faithfulness between a couple is so important To HaShem , That HaShem Even Allows His Own Holy Name to be erased in the test of fidelity and faithfulness , in HaShem's Law Of The Test of the Sotah . Torah Then Discusses the Betrothed Maiden and the sanctity of Marriage and Betrothal . HaShem Cautions us not to behave like the other nations that at times married incestuously , and even HaShem's Dislike and Law against the forbidden Marriage , and those that come from it , are mentioned in this Sedra , where according to The Torah , Mamzerim may not ever marry into the congregation Of HaShem . Nor are we to ever let a Moabite or Ammonite male ever enter into the Congregation of HaShem , as a Jew , for the Moabite men made the plot to entice the Jewish People to sin using the women , this wicked plan put forward by Bilaam ; and the Ammonite Men , never showed us a drop of kindness when we Jews were coming forth from Egypt , and they never even gave us bread and water . Kindness , is to HaShem , Very Important , and a Nation that displays no kindness , cannot be a part of the Jewish People . We are reminded to allow an Edomite ( our brother ) and an Egyptian ( in whose land we sojourned ) in the third generation , to allow them to enter into the congregation of HaShem . We are to keep our camps holy and pure , even of waste , to keep our Camp pure , For G-D Walks In The Midst of our Camp . Should a Slave be rescued from his master and thus escape his master to you , we shall not return him , and we are to let him stay in our midst and not taunt him . Our Jewish women are to be holy and pure and not promiscuous , but they are to be filled with Tznius and modesty . We shall not take interest from our fellow Jew , not interest in money or food or even in emotional ways . When we make a vow , we are to keep to it , whatever emerges from our lips , we are to keep . We are also to respect the poor in our land and as Boaz did with Ruth and those whom he used to allow to glean in his field , we are to permit them to glean and pick up the fallen stalks or left bundles , or unpicked grapes left after harvesting . We are not to mix two kinds when planting , and we are not to mix wool and linen in garments ( Shaatnez ) and we not to mix two kinds of animals . The mixing of garments among some of the other Laws are Chukkim , Laws that have a deeper reason for their keeping , a reason or reasons beyond just logic . Our Rabbis have put forward that a possible reason for the Law forbidding the mixture of wool and linen , may also go right back to Kayin and Hevel , where Hevel Abel offered the firstlings of the flock , their choicest ( allied to the wool ) , while the other Kayin Cain offered the fruit of the ground - that which had already become overripe and that had already fallen on the ground , termed as fruit of the ground being allied to flax linen , and so acts of generosity and selfless giving should not be mixed with acts of greed and selfishness . Also , the mixing of different species , to make a new one , is very wrong , for The Way HaShem Made Creation , is Perfect as It is , and with no more species needed , Than HaShem Created . HaShem Alone Knows all that Creation needs , to be perfect . HaShem Allows for Divorce and Gives the Laws regarding it , and one that has divorced a woman , shall not , after marrying another and divorcing her , he shall not return again to the first wife . A Husband who wants to divorce his wife , shall write her a " Get " - " A Bill of Divorce Document . " One is not to take a Millstone as a pledge , nothing that is the man's food , for it is like taking his life , Chas Ve Shalom . HaShem Feels Very Strongly , about kidnapping another person , and the punishment for that is death . HaShem Strongly Warns us against Loshon Horah Slander , Reminding us That HaShem Gave us the Tongue and Mouth to speak words of Torah and Kindness , and not to down talk and slander others , Chas Ve Shalom . HaShem Created the Creation , Via Speaking And His Holy Hebrew Alphabet , and so , Speech is there to make holiness around us . HaShem Put the tongue behind the guard of the teeth , to keep it in check and so we must always watch our words . When we lend to someone , we are not to enter their home to take security for it , but must , with dignity for them , wait outside for them to bring the security , and return it to them when the sun sets . We are not to cheat people and we are to always be honest to those working for us , native or proselyte and we are to pay them on their day . No man is to die for the sin of another . No man is to come to die for the sins of the World , for HaShem Tells us , " Father shall not be put to death because of sons , and sons shall not be put to death because of Father , a man shall be put to death for his own sin " Devarim Deuteronomy 24 : 16 . HaShem Forbids human sacrifices for the sin of others , as pagan ways falsely would do . HaShem , The One And Only , Is our One and Only Savior ( Hoseah 13 : 4 and Isaiah 45 :21 ) . HaShem Commands That we Not pervert the judgement of a proselyte or orphan . Torah Commands about Lashes that need to be given and the amount by the count , not a single one more . We shall not muzzle the ox in its threshing , which would be cruel to prevent an animal working around food and wheat , to prevent it from nuzzling too . HaShem Then Commands about the Law of Levirate Marriage , where a man who dies childless , his brother is to marry his wife , referred to as the " Yevamah " performing " Yibum " , so as to bring up children in his name , and if he decides not to marry her , a ceremony called Chalitzah - the Removing of the Shoe , is performed , for as our Rabbis say , he becomes like a mourner , not bringing up children in his late brother's name . HaShem Is Strict on the Laws of Embarrassing another , and on keeping strict fair weights and measures , and it is even an Aveirah to keep such things in the home , even if they are not used to cheat people . The Parsha ends with a reminder to Remember Amalek , who struck down our rear weaker ones later after the time when we left Egypt . HaShem Says , " And He ( Amalek ) did not fear G-D . " HaShem Tells us this , for , at the time when we left Egypt , all the other nations at least acknowledged HaShem's Miracles and the Power of HaShem , but Amalek , did not , making light of HaShem And His Miracles . It was only Amalek , that put HaShem Down as if trying to lessen the value of HaShem , Chas Ve Shalom , which no one can ever actually do , for Amalek would like to try to completely eradicate HaShem from existence , Chas Ve Shalom , which they could never actually do and no one else could ever actually do . Thus Amalek , is a direct attack to G-D Himself , And HaShem Has Made It A Direct Commandment To us Jews , to Remember what Amalek did to us ( which we fulfill just before Purim by reading these verses - that is a true story of Amalek and Haman , who wanted to wipe us out completely , but HaShem Turned it around , and they lost ) and we are never to forget . We are Commanded That Even When HaShem Has Given us rest from all our enemies all around , in the Land That HaShem Our G-D Has Given us as an inheritance to possess it , that we are to wipe out the memory of Amalek , from under the heaven - we shall not forget . Had our first Jewish King , King Saul , listened to HaShem , and destroyed Agag and Amalek totally , we would have overcome them long ago , but now , we will have to wait until the End of Days , to destroy them , for their ' Sar ' - ' their defending Angel above , ' who is ' Samael , ' the Angel that tempted Chava Eve , in Gan Eiden , will only be destroyed at the End of Days . Until then , we are Commanded to wipe them out , wherever they rear their ugly head . May it come soon in our days . So ends the Parsha . This Parsha is called Parashas " Ki Seitzei " - " When you will go out , " and these words so deeply and aptly say so much , for when we go out from the Protection Of HaShem and His Torah Laws , we will encounter much strife and problem . The first thing mentioned is " going out to war , " so when we go out from HaShem , Chas Ve Shalom , to foreign ways , Chas Ve Shalom , we will encounter war , of different types , strife and enemies will abound . We will then be enticed further from HaShem , Chas Ve Shalom , with their foreign ways and marry out of the faith and lose our Judaism , Chas Ve Shalom . This will surely lead to loss of our Land and possessions and we will become very wayward , drifting adrift without proper truth and direction , among wayward and rebellious people , who rebel even more against HaShem's Ways . And where will this eventually lead ? To hanging and death and burial . That is the result of " Ki Seitzei " - " Going Out " from HaShem And His Commandments , His Torah and His Ways . Being enticed , by worthless physicalities , which leads nowhere . They have no long lasting worth , and disappear with the wind . Destruction is their only result , and that is as clear as can be . The following Parsha after this one , is called " Ki Savo " - " When you enter / Come in , " and Speaks of the rewards for following HaShem And His Torah And His Commandments , And His True Path Of Light . " Ki Savo " - " Coming in , " toward HaShem , brings us Light and Life , but as this week's Parsha " Ki Seitzei " teaches , going out from HaShem's Light , Chas Ve Shalom , leads us to Darkness and Death and Destruction . How Clear And Beautiful , Is HaShem And His Torah . The Choice , HaShem Gives To us . As we learned in last week's Parsha and in the week before , in Parashas Shoftim and Parashas Re'eh , that we are given a choice to choose the good or the bad , to correctly choose HaShem , or to wrongly choose negativity , and here , in this and next week's Parsha , the results of our choice , are most plain to see . A good choice , leads us to HaShem , His Light , And Life Eternal , but a bad choice , leads us to war and worthless physicalities , loss of the physical Blessings HaShem Blesses us with , a Home Land , homes and rights , our very selves and our True and Only Path to HaShem , and a wrong choice sadly results in our complete loss of Life and our very destruction . The Right Choice , leads to HaShem's Sweet Light , in Gan Eiden Shamaim . Torah Is HaShem's Gift To us . It is our Lighthouse Home to the Shore of True and Everlasting Light And Life . It Is our Passage Home to HaShem . Torah , just like the Clouds of Glory , That Surrounded us and our Jewish Camp in the Wilderness , is our Protection , from the " Ki Seitzei , " - the results of what will happen if we Chas Ve Shalom " Go Out " from HaShem . While we were within the Clouds of Glory , We were Protected , but when we stray , we leave HaShem's Protection , and as happened to those hinder-most , outside The Clouds of Glory , they were attacked by Amalek . The answer is so clear and so sweet . We must always stay within HaShem's Loving Arms And HaShem's Gift Of Torah , and then , Gan Eiden will be our Final home with HaShem's Beauty and Sweetness And Love , Within The Protective Arms Of HaShem Ha Kadosh Baruch Hu , HaShem , The Holy One Blessed Be He . I wish Most Beloved HaShem With Everlasting And Forever Sweetest Love , A Most Beautiful And Special And Sweet Shabbos Kodesh With Forever Love , and to all my fellow Jews and to all of Creation , a most Beautiful and Special and Sweet Shabbos Kodesh with love .