Parshas Ki Seitzei

Hi everyone, I hope this helps you go into your Shabbos more prepared and I hope you learn something new!

This week’s Parsha is called, Parshas Ki Seitzei (KEY ZT-AY-ZT-AY). The first passuk (passage) in this week’s Parsha is “When you go out to war against your enemies, and Hashem your G-d will deliver them into your hand…” If you look further into the text of the Parsha you will think this passuk uses the word “enemies” to refer to Amalek who is an eternal enemy of the B'nai Yisroel (the Jews) and on the simple level that may be true. However, there is a more cryptic message or lesson the Torah is bringing us. That message is that when you go out to battle not only Amalek but the "Yetzor Horah” another eternal enemy of B'nai Yisroel, Hashem your G-d will deliver him into your hand.

The Yetzor Horah is a spiritual force that Hashem created and put into each and every one of us to tempt us to do something wrong. All day, every day, the Yetzor Horah is working inside our hearts and heads trying to convince us to do things we shouldn't. Picture the tough little devil with the horns and pitch fork that sits on your shoulder encouraging you to do bad things while the gentle little white angel with the halo sits on the opposite shoulder quietly trying to get you to do the right thing. The first is the Yetzor Hora (YH) and the second is the Yetzor Tov.

Here's a real life example of how the YH is alive and working in each of us. Try to make a commitment to yourself not speak about or listen to anyone speak about another person for just 3 consecutive days. Obviously if it is to help somebody that does not count. You can talk about Torah, school, camp, work, ideas, plans, etc but not about other people. No matter how hard you try the YH will convince you that what you are about to say is NOT Loshon Horah or "what this person is telling me is not really Loshon Horah" or "I can't just walk away and be rude while someone is talking to me." This is all the handiwork of the YH. The Yetzor Horah takes small steps and slowly nudges you off the right path. A lot of times you might have no idea and think that you’re the biggest mentch (good person) in the world when really the Yetzor Horah has slowly pushed you away from doing what’s right.

Knowing this and knowing the YH is not going away, it might be easy for a person to throw in the towel and say "what good is it for me to try not to sin (whether it's cheating in business, speaking Loshon Horah, etc.) if the YH is just going to always be there fighting me and getting me to do the wrong things"?

So, that is exactly what the first passuk is teaching us! If you go out to war with the Yetzor Horah then, Hashem will help you win, (“deliver him into your hand…” ). Hashem is saying "I'm not telling you that you have to win every battle with the YH but you have to try! You have to go out and start the battle and fight the good fight and keep fighting," if we do Hashem will finish it for us by "delivering him into your hand!"

As we are now in the month of Elul when we are approaching the day of our judgment (Rosh Hashana) it is a good time for us to "go out to war" with our Yetzor Horah.

We should all merit to conquer our Yetzor Horah in every battle!- Amen!

HAVE A GREAT SHABBOS AND WEEKEND!

Stay tuned for next week’s Parsha called, Parshas Ki Savo (KEY SAH-VO)!