Parashat Ki Teitzeh is a comprehensive code of social justice. As the people of Israel prepare to enter Eretz Israel, God reminds them of the key elements of a moral and just society. They did not have the privilege of living in such a society in the past and, therefore, our parashah spells out the minutiae of such a society.
The term zachor ("remember") appears prominently in our parashah. It first appears in the context of the plague of tzara'at: "Remember [zakhor] what the Lord your God did to Miriam...." (24:9); and then again in two verses (24:18 and 24:22): "But you shall remember [ve-zakharta] that you were a slave in Egypt...."; and finally, in the most famous verse in our parashah, "Remember [zakhor] what Amalek did to you...." (25:17)
As for remembering Miriam, chazal see this as a reminder to avoid slanderous speech. It is the virulence of lashon hara that undermines a just society. All gossip erodes the spiritual betterment of society. We need to remember that when someone defames another the entire nation suffers for it (in Miriam's case, the entire nation lost seven travel days waiting for her to recover and purify herself).
As for remembering our slave status in Egypt, it is the memory that we were once downtrodden slaves that will motivate us to empathize with the poor and oppressed. As long as we remember what it was like to be victimized, we are less likely to take advantage of others.
Finally, in parashat "Zachor", Amalek symbolizes for us the antithesis of a just and caring society. They didn't attack us head on; instead, they attacked the tired, the weak, those who had fallen behind. In the command to wipe out the "memory" of Amalek, we are told to wipe out any memory of an unjust society, so that we may build a world based on the Torah values of protecting the weak, and being fair and kind to all.
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Mrs. Shonny Solow is the dean of Machon Gold, a seminary in Jerusalem. She has been living in Jerusalem since 1986. She and her husband Moishe are the proud grandparents of six sabras.
The term zachor ("remember") appears prominently in our parashah. It first appears in the context of the plague of tzara'at: "Remember [zakhor] what the Lord your God did to Miriam...." (24:9); and then again in two verses (24:18 and 24:22): "But you shall remember [ve-zakharta] that you were a slave in Egypt...."; and finally, in the most famous verse in our parashah, "Remember [zakhor] what Amalek did to you...." (25:17)
As for remembering Miriam, chazal see this as a reminder to avoid slanderous speech. It is the virulence of lashon hara that undermines a just society. All gossip erodes the spiritual betterment of society. We need to remember that when someone defames another the entire nation suffers for it (in Miriam's case, the entire nation lost seven travel days waiting for her to recover and purify herself).
As for remembering our slave status in Egypt, it is the memory that we were once downtrodden slaves that will motivate us to empathize with the poor and oppressed. As long as we remember what it was like to be victimized, we are less likely to take advantage of others.
Finally, in parashat "Zachor", Amalek symbolizes for us the antithesis of a just and caring society. They didn't attack us head on; instead, they attacked the tired, the weak, those who had fallen behind. In the command to wipe out the "memory" of Amalek, we are told to wipe out any memory of an unjust society, so that we may build a world based on the Torah values of protecting the weak, and being fair and kind to all.
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Mrs. Shonny Solow is the dean of Machon Gold, a seminary in Jerusalem. She has been living in Jerusalem since 1986. She and her husband Moishe are the proud grandparents of six sabras.