Rabbi's Sermons

Shabbat shalom!

From the six hundred and thirteen commandments of the Torah, this week's, “Ki Tetze” Torah portion accounts for over 12% of them, a total of seventy-four commandments. Most of them coincide with the modern vision of morals and ethics, others less... the vast majority sounds inspiring and beautiful to us, the rest... not as much. Almost every one of these seventy-four commandments are mitzvot of “BEIN ADAM LECHABERO”, in the group of relationships between man and his neighbor. Parashat “Ki tetze”, is practically, attempting to establish the foundations of a moral, just, upright, equitable and honest society, emphasizing, with peculiar intensity, that animals are part of this society and hence, deserve special care. In fact, many of those mitzvot, are based on ecological principles for the protection of flora and fauna, with special emphasis on animal welfare.

The idea of ​​setting the foundations of a moral society, also includes the concept of protecting the weak, and also, those who can err – who can make mistakes or fall. One of the most unusual Mitzvot, in this regard, which are by the way, part of the modern construction protocols to build houses and to make a construction “Kosher”, is the erection of walls on the roofs of the houses. The commandment is found in the book of Deuteronomy chapter 22 and reads, as follows: "⁸ When you build a new house, then you shall make a parapet for your roof, that you bring no blood upon your house if any man fall from it". The English translation says – “if any man fall from there”, however in Hebrew says – “יפול הנופל” YIPOL HANOFEL - “the one who falls may fall”. If we look closely into the text, we will recognize the semantic problem that it presents: Why does it say – "HANOFEL" - "the one who falls"? It would have made more sense, if it had been written: "the man", or "someone". How can HANOFEL - "the one who falls" – refer to someone who has not even climbed up the roof, or before having a chance to fall? Does the Eternal know, in advance, that any of us is going to fall? In other words, is there a message or warning against the potential of falling? Are we all, destined or predefined as – "fallen"?

From here arises, once again, the fascinating concept of free will. Let's take a look back into the book of Genesis chapter one. The story of the creation includes, at the end of every instance of the created beings, kind of a signature, by saying: "And God saw that it was good". However, at the end of the creation of man, these words are omitted. When the commentators wonder, why wasn’t it mention, most of them conclude, that it was because man himself, has the ability to decide if his own creation was for good or bad, if it was for better or for worse. Almost to the end of the book of Deuteronomy, Moshe tells us: " I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing "; and only if you want – "choose in life".

In addition to all this, we have in these days the symbolism of the month of Elul, until Yom Kippur. We are living forty days of analysis and introspection of our actions. This is a time, in which we can exercise our free will, during which we can fall, err, but also, we can place railings to help us not to fall, or prevent others from falling. That is why, it is not said about us, humans, "And God saw that it was good", because only us, by our actions, can make this world something good, or a true hell.

The world where we live in today, is a very complex one, and we have been feeling it even more intensely, since the beginning of the war of Israel and many other enemies, since October 7^th, 2023. This week's portion teaches us that we can all make mistakes, that each one of us, potentially, is “HANOFEL - the one who falls”, the one who makes mistakes. This Parasha also tells us, that there are not and there will not be in the Torah clear and definitive answers for all people and for all cases. Apparently it is better to create railings and prevent the YIPOL HANOFEL, to stop the fall of the falling, or to help one avoid making a mistake, or as we say in the world of Halacha, to create a GADER, or a fence, which may prevent a fall, a misunderstanding, a wrong answer, a bad time, a wrong business deal, a failed marriage, children without moral values, a war... The list goes on!

According to the law of gravity, we know that no one floats neither flies! Therefore, all things and people having a weight are potentially “HANOFEL - fallen” from the roof to the earth, from the sky to the bottom of the earth. We are the only ones that can avoid it, the decision is ours: we can take care of ourselves, we can put railings or fences, we can educate, we can teach, we can avoid quarrels, we can take care of our health, we can take care of our relationship with our spouse or partner, we can take care of our workplace, we can take care of ourselves by avoiding dangerous situations, we can prevent diseases, and above all – we can forgive the mistakes of others.

During these forty, very special days, from the 1^st of Elul until Yom Kippur, I would like to ask from all of you, during your introspection and analysis of your actions from this ending year, that you may not only think, regret, or remember. But build a MAAKE a railing or fence, which will protect you and will take care of your beloved ones. A fence that will avoid problems in the future. Do not just chant SLICHOT songs or feel sorry. Build a new railing that will prevent future failings. Remember that we cannot go against the law of gravity, and eventually, there will be those who fall, those who make mistakes, those who fail. The only thing we have in our own hands, is the ability to make changes in our environment, to take precautions so the Creator of the Universe will understand our relationships with those around us, and on this coming Yom Kippur, may say about us: "And God saw that YOU were good".

Shabat Shalom!

Rabbi David Laor

September 5^th 2025