Parashat Ki Teitzei: Strengthening for the New Year

As we approach Rosh Hashanah, the Day of Judgment, we naturally look for inspiration and strength to prepare ourselves spiritually. In Parashat Ki Teitzei, we find powerful messages that offer just that—tools to help us fight our personal battles and uplift our spiritual lives.

“Ki Teitzei LaMilchama Al Oyvecha” — When You Go to War Over Your Enemy

This phrase appears twice in our Parashah, each time in a slightly different context. The first is at the very beginning of the Parashah, where the Torah speaks about the yefat to’ar, the beautiful captive woman a soldier desires to bring home after war. The verse states:

“Ki teitzei la’milchama al oyvecha” – “When you go out to war over your enemies.”

Why does the Torah use the phrase “over your enemies” (עַל אֹיְבֶיךָ) instead of the more straightforward “against your enemies”? What is the deeper message here?

The Inner Struggle Is Also a Battle

The Lubavitcher Rebbe זצ״ל offers a profound insight. In life, we are not only confronted with physical or external battles—we also face inner wars, the constant struggle against our own yetzer hara, doubts, fears, and moral challenges.

The Torah uses the word “over” your enemies to remind us: you are above them. You have the strength to overcome. Why? Because Hashem has imbued each of us with a divine soul and unique capabilities—spiritual koach (strength)—to triumph over our personal battles.

You are not on equal footing with your enemies—you are meant to rise above them.

Guarding the Camp: “V’nishmarta Mikol Davar Ra”

Later in the Parashah, we encounter a second “going to war” moment:

“Ki teitzei machaneh al oyvecha, v’nishmarta mikol davar ra” – “When you go out to encamp against your enemies, you shall guard yourself from every evil thing.”

This section focuses on maintaining purity and holiness in the camp, even during war. Soldiers were required to carry a small shovel (yatet) to relieve themselves outside the camp—a symbolic act of preserving modesty and cleanliness.

The Holy Home

Our sages explain that this is more than just military hygiene—it’s a spiritual blueprint for life.

Just like a soldier must guard his camp, we must guard our homes. If we want to withstand the challenges of life and remain strong in our values, we must maintain an atmosphere of kedushah (holiness) in our surroundings.

Holiness begins at home—with what we allow into our environment, and what we keep out.

Clean Speech, Clean Ears

The Torah tells us: “V’nishmarta mikol davar ra”—guard yourself from every evil thing. But the word “davar” can also mean speech (dibur). Many commentators explain that this verse is also teaching us to be careful with our language.

In moments of stress or tension—like war or everyday struggles—it's easy to speak in ways that are harsh or inappropriate. The Torah reminds us:

Guard your speech. Use refined, respectful words. When we speak with dignity, we create an atmosphere of peace and holiness around us.

There’s a beautiful Midrash that connects the word “azenekha” (your weapons) to “oznekha” (your ear). Just like you must be careful with your speech, be careful with what you listen to. Your ear has a soft lobe so that you can block it when necessary—don’t listen to gossip or harmful speech. Protecting our speech and our ears is a key way to build a spiritual home.

Seventy-Two Mitzvot: Hashem’s Gift of Chesed

Parashat Ki Teitzei contains 72 mitzvot—more than any other Parashah in the Torah. These mitzvot span all areas of life: from interpersonal relationships to agricultural laws, from business ethics to family purity.

The number 72 is the gematria (numerical value) of chesed—lovingkindness. Why so many mitzvot? Because Hashem, in His great kindness, gave us endless opportunities to uplift our lives.

The mitzvot are not a burden—they are a gift.

Hashem gave us mitzvot not to weigh us down, but to elevate us, to give us opportunities to become better people and draw closer to Him.

As it says in the pasuk:

"Hashem chafetz le’zakot et Yisrael”—“Hashem desired to purify and uplift Am Yisrael, so He gave us many mitzvot."

Mitzvot in Everyday Life: A Tiara and a Lifeline

The Midrash compares mitzvot to two things:

1. A tiara on your head and pearls around your neck – The more mitzvot you do, the more spiritually beautiful you become. Just like a crown beautifies a person, so too mitzvot beautify the soul.

2. A rope thrown to a drowning man – Life is full of turbulence, but Hashem gave us mitzvot as a lifeline. Every mitzvah is a rope pulling us out of spiritual danger. Cling to it—and you will rise.

Wherever we go, we encounter mitzvot. Whether you're walking along the road (shiluach haken—sending away the mother bird), building a house (ma'akeh—placing a fence on the roof), or seeing your friend's lost object (hashavat aveidah)—Hashem placed mitzvot in our path as tools to grow, refine ourselves, and bring light into the world.

"Or zarua la’tzadik" – A light is sown for the righteous. Each mitzvah brings light into our lives.

In These Last Days of the Year...

As we enter the final weeks of the year, we’re looking for ways to show Hashem that we truly want to grow. Parashat Ki Teitzei gives us a roadmap:

• Go to battle—but know you are above the enemy.

• Guard your home, speech, and ears—preserve an atmosphere of kedushah.

• Embrace the mitzvot—not as restrictions, but as Hashem’s loving gift.

• Recognize every moment of life as an opportunity for holiness.

And when we do our part—when we show Hashem that we want to be better—He will surely help us, uplift us, and bless us with a new year of peace, growth, and closeness to Him.