Off Balance – Ki Teitzei
זָכוֹר אֵת אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לְךָ עֲמָלֵק בַּדֶּרֶךְ בְּצֵאתְכֶם מִמִּצְרָיִם (דברים כה,יז).
Parshat Ki Teitzei contains more mitzvot than any other (single) parsha in the Torah, 74 in total. One of these mitzvot appears at the end of the parsha - the mitzva to remember what Amalek did to us and to wipe out the memory of Amalek.
In previous shiurim (Vayishlach 2021 and Va'etchanan 2024) we discussed the origins and defining characteristics of Amalek in great depth. What I would like to do in this shiur, is to explore the precursor to Amalek, the trigger that causes Amalek to rear his ugly head in the world.
There is a machloket in the Gemara (Brachot 10a, Yevamot 4a) and in the Midrash (מדרש ההלכה, במדבר פיסקא קלא) whether it is an acceptable practice לִדְרֹשׁ סְמּוּכִין, or not. In other words, can one infer a principle based on the proximity of two paragraphs in the Torah? For example, in parshat Emor, the paragraph of the מְקַלֵּל immediately follows the paragraph describing the Lechem HaPanim. Is the fact that these two paragraphs are adjacent of any significance or not?
As stated above, this is a machloket between R' Akiva and R' Yehuda. According to R' Akiva we do use the tool of דּוֹרְשִׁים סְמּוּכִין to infer principles and halachot. According to R' Yehuda we do not. The third opinion, R' Yosef, says that although R' Akiva and R' Yehuda disagree whether you are allowed to use דּוֹרְשִׁים סְמּוּכִין in the other books of the Torah, in sefer Devarim, they both agree that this tool is permissible.
If so, let us examine the paragraph immediately preceding Amalek in our parsha.
לֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ בְּכִיסְךָ אֶבֶן וָאָבֶן גְּדוֹלָה וּקְטַנָּה. לֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ בְּבֵיתְךָ אֵיפָה וְאֵיפָה גְּדוֹלָה וּקְטַנָּה. אֶבֶן שְׁלֵמָה וָצֶדֶק יִהְיֶה לָּךְ אֵיפָה שְׁלֵמָה וָצֶדֶק יִהְיֶה לָּךְ לְמַעַן יַאֲרִיכוּ יָמֶיךָ עַל הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר ה' אֱ-לֹקֶיךָ נֹתֵן לָךְ כִּי תוֹעֲבַת ה' אֱ-לֹקֶיךָ כָּל עֹשֵׂה אֵלֶּה כֹּל עֹשֵׂה עָוֶל (דברים כה-טז).
This paragraph discusses the subject of "just measurements". You shall not have in your "pocket" two stones, one with the true weight and the other with a false weight. You shall not have in your home two different "eifa" measures (a measure of volume, much like a measuring cup for baking), one with the true volume and another with a false volume. Instead, you should have one complete and true stone and one complete and true eifa measure.
On the surface, the level of the pshat, it appears that this sugya is talking about integrity and honesty in commerce. According to the Kli Yakar (ibid.) one should not have two different "stones" (weights, used for weighing goods), one with the true weight (which is used when the person purchases goods for himself – to make sure he is given the correct amount), and the other with a smaller (false) weight (which he uses when selling goods, to give his customer less than the true weight, so that he can save money). Similarly, one should not have two different size measuring cups (used for measuring goods using volume, not weight), for the same purpose.
From the pshat of these psukkim it seems that they are addressing people who buy and sell goods, like shopkeepers, that they should be honest in their business dealings and not shortchange and swindle the customer by giving them less that is actually owed. For example, the packaging says 1kg, but in reality only contains 920g.
If that were the case, the two psukkim should be combined, the weights (אֶבֶן) and the volumes (אֵיפָה) and the single passuk should be לֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ בְּעִסְקְךָ אֶבֶן וָאָבֶן, אֵיפָה וְאֵיפָה גְּדוֹלָה וּקְטַנָּה. Instead, the two psukkim are separated and the location given for the weights is בְּכִיסְךָ, while the location for the volume measure is בְּבֵיתְךָ, and the question is why?
Sefer Meir Panim (פרק טו, ע' קסד) brings the principle that Chava "picked" 1 eifa measure of "fruit" from the עֵץ הַדַּעַת (which was wheat), which she ground into 1 isaron of solet and made from that a chametz bread. One bread she ate herself and the second, she later gave to Adam to eat. This is what, sefer Meir Panim says, the passuk means לֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ בְּבֵיתְךָ אֵיפָה וְאֵיפָה. See also the shiur on Kedoshim 2024.
In this shiur I would like to explore a different, but connected, perush to these psukkim and explain the link between them and Amalek.
The Gemara (Brachot 28a) describes how Rabban Gamliel posted a "guard" at the entrance to his Bet Midrash that would only allow the talmid in, if תּוֹכוֹ כְּבָרוֹ, his "inside" was like his "outside". This guard had a special "sense" that enabled him to detect if the talmid entering was pretending to be someone different to who he really was, i.e. putting on a façade for the outside world, while in his heart he was something else.
The Kli Yakar (עוללות אפרים קמ"ב) says that this is why the Luchot were transparent, that it did not matter from which angle you looked at them, you could read what was written on them, to teach us that we should also be "transparent", that our "inside" should match our "outside".
Why does the passuk above use the word בְּכִיסְךָ, your "pocket" - לֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ בְּכִיסְךָ אֶבֶן וָאָבֶן? The word כִיסְךָ is not alluding to the pocket in your pants or jacket, but to something much deeper - it is referring to your mouth and your heart. The gematria of בְּכִיסְךָ is "בְּפִיךָ" and also "בִּלְבָבְךָ בִּלְבָבְךָ", (twice the word בִּלְבָבְךָ), as it says in the passuk referring to the Torah ... בְּפִיךָ וּבִלְבָבְךָ לַעֲשֹׂתוֹ (דברים ל, יד). What comes out of our mouth usually originates first in our heart.
(Incidentally, the gematria of בְּכִיסְךָ is also "אֶבֶן וָאָבֶן". What are the statistical chances of that? Zero. Just another wondrous illustration that the Torah is not written by man, all of Tanach is encoded in a Divine code with myriad interconnections).
The Torah is teaching us that one should not have two "stones" in our heart (or two hearts). The gematria of אֶבֶן is "הוֹגֶה בַּלֵּב", a thought process in your heart. A person should not have two conflicting thought processes in their heart, which is then externalized in speech, through the mouth. Instead, a person should have only one, integral thought process in their hearts and mouth אֶבֶן שְׁלֵמָה וָצֶדֶק יִהְיֶה לָּךְ.
The following passuk is referring to a similar principle, except this time, it is not בְּכִיסְךָ – in your heart and mouth, but בְּבֵיתְךָ - in your home. The gematria of אֵיפָה is "אֶבֶן הָאָזֶל" and "פִּיו", a direct link to the preceding passuk. An אֶבֶן הָאָזֶל is a "signpost" (שמואל א, כ, יט) that points you in a certain direction.
The Torah is teaching us, do not have conflicting "signposts" in your home, or conflicting things coming out of your mouth. If you want to educate your children correctly, the signposts in your home need to all be pointing in the same direction, the parents cannot have conflicting "signposts", standards, as this is transmitted to the children as confusion and lack of clarity.
If you want to educate your children correctly, whatever comes out of your mouth must apply equally to you. You cannot educate children with "do as I say, not as I do". You cannot say to your child "Stop eating junk food, it is bad for you", but during lunch break at work, you pile into a Big Mac. The gematria of אֵיפָה is "בְּחִנּוּךְ".
HKB"H wants each and every one of us to be like the Luchot, totally transparent and consistent, within and without. He wants our homes to be the same and by extension, the entire Am Yisrael. If we are like that, as individuals and as a nation, we will live long lives in the land He promised us. HKB"H despises lack of parity in Am Yisrael, כִּי תוֹעֲבַת ה' אֱ-לֹקֶיךָ כָּל עֹשֵׂה אֵלֶּה כֹּל עֹשֵׂה עָוֶל, when there is אֶחָד בַּפֶּה וְאֶחָד בַּלֵּב, pretense.
Immediately following this is the paragraph about Amalek. In other words, as a result of lack of parity in Am Yisrael, Amalek rears his ugly head, it is a cause and effect.
Let us now examine the previous time Amalek is mentioned, in parshat Beshalach. The passuk says וַיִּקְרָא שֵׁם הַמָּקוֹם מַסָּה וּמְרִיבָה עַל רִיב בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְעַל נַסֹּתָם אֶת ה' לֵאמֹר הֲיֵשׁ ה' בְּקִרְבֵּנוּ אִם אָיִן (שמות יז, ז). Immediately following that וַיָּבֹא עֲמָלֵק וַיִּלָּחֶם עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּרְפִידִם (שם, ח).
When Am Yisrael reached Refidim, there was no water to drink, so Am Yisrael complained to Moshe, "Give us water to drink! Why did you take us out of Egypt, to die of thirst in the Midbar?"
Why is that not a legitimate claim? Am Yisrael were thirsty, is it not legitimate to ask for water? A person cannot survive more than a day or two without water! The Or HaChaim (ibid.) says the claim was illegitimate, because they were asking Moshe for water, instead of asking HKB"H directly. Did Moshe have extra water reserves in his tent that he could give the entire Am Yisrael to drink? But, no! וַיָּרֶב הָעָם עִם מֹשֶׁה they placed the blame on Moshe – אַתָּה אָשֵׁם!
What did Am Yisrael say? הֲיֵשׁ ה' בְּקִרְבֵּנוּ אִם אָיִן. That could mean a number of things.
It could mean that all of Am Yisrael were doubting whether or not HKB"H was watching over them or not.
It could mean that only part of Am Yisrael doubted whether HKB"H is watching over us, while the other part believed that HKB"H is watching over us. (The Malbim makes a distinction who complained - the 70 elders did not complain, it was only the remainder of Am Yisrael).
It could mean that part of Am Yisrael believed that HK"BH's Shechina resided within them, while another part questioned HKB"H's very existence!
It could mean that part of Am Yisrael believed that HKB"H's Shechina resided in their part, but not in the other part of Am Yisrael.
This disparity resulted in Amalek – cause and effect.
When we understand this principle, it should cause chills to run up and down our spines. This shocking principle is a 1:1 reflection of what happened to Am Yisrael on the 7th of October.
Prior to October 7th there was (and still is) a very vocal and powerful minority in Israel who were saying one thing with their mouths but their hearts harbor something else entirely. This minority, sensing a threat to their hegemony, began a campaign of delegitimization of the democratically elected government, headed by Bibi Netanyahu. In their hearts the thought process was (and is) – "We have to retain control, no matter what, no matter how many red lines we cross".
However, that is not what came out of their mouths. The slogans that issued forth were רַק לֹא בִּיבִּי, there is nothing that Bibi can ever possibly do that is right – he is rotten and evil to the core and must be removed. But that in itself is a lie, because it is not just Bibi. It is also Smotrich and Ben Gvir.
But that too is a lie, because it is not just Smotrich and Ben Gvir, it is also everyone who voted for them, in other words the majority vote of the citizens of Israel. When this hegemonic minority are delegitimizing Bibi, Smotrich, Ben Gvir, the Charedim etc., they are in fact delegitimizing the democratic majority in Israel.
They chant slogans like "We are protecting democracy!" when in fact there is no red line that they will not cross to trample democracy. To them democracy and the rules of democracy are only relevant as long as they are in power. If they are not in power, the rules go out the window. That is "protecting" democracy? They call the right wing "messianic", when it is their very "messianic" philosophy of "peace at all costs" that has brought us to this debacle.
This is a perfect, vivid example of לֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ בְּכִיסְךָ אֶבֶן וָאָבֶן.
This hegemonic, non-democratic minority (none of its institutions are democratic in any way – the justice system, academia, the higher echelons of the military, the economic sector) have a dual set of standards – one for themselves, the left wing and another for the opposing faction of citizens of Israel, the right wing.
They have two different sets of standards in the courts for the left wing and right wing. They have two sets of standards for how the police handle left and right demonstrators. They have two sets of standards for left wing youngsters who seek exemption from military service and for Charedi youngsters who do the same.
This is a perfect vivid example of לֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ בְּבֵיתְךָ אֵיפָה וְאֵיפָה.
Prior to (and following) October 7th Israel is experiencing a persistent malady of הֲיֵשׁ ה' בְּקִרְבֵּנוּ אִם אָיִן.
Part of Am Yisrael believes in HKB"H and that He watches over us, while another part believes that HKB"H cares nothing about us (He allowed 6 million of us to die in the Holocaust).
Part of Am Yisrael (some factions of Charedim) believe that HKB"H's Shechina resides only in them and not in any other part of Am Yisrael. To such an extent they are prepared to demonstrate together with Hamas on the streets of New York and to meet with leaders of Iran. Yet other Charedi factions try to delegitimize Dati Leumi candidates for the position of the Chief Rabbi of Israel.
Part of Am Yisrael believe that HKB"H does not exist at all and that any exhibition of Judaism must be erased from the public arena – no public tefilot in Tel Aviv on Yom Kippur, no religious expression in the IDF, etc. Their "woke" counterparts overseas have no qualms joining pro Hamas demonstrations in the street and on university campuses. Just like Am Yisrael in Refidim complained against Moshe, so too do they chant incessantly against Bibi – הוּא אָשֵׁם.
Precisely everything that HKB"H despises - כִּי תוֹעֲבַת ה' אֱ-לֹקֶיךָ כָּל עֹשֵׂה אֵלֶּה כֹּל עֹשֵׂה עָוֶל.
It is a simple cause and effect. If this is the state of Am Yisrael, then Amalek rears his ugly head, which he has, in full force, on multiple fronts. HKB"H warned us of this in the Torah and Am Yisrael did not heed the warning.
Am Yisrael should have woken up after October 7th, instead all the different factions had a brief, temporary flicker of awakening, but soon after reverted back to their previous ways.
Am Yisrael is in a mess. And there seems to be no way out of the mess.
Those of us who believe in HKB"H and want things to change for the better, need to begin doing one thing and one thing only. We need to pour our hearts out to HKB"H and say "Ribono Shel Olam, this is beyond us, we cannot fix this rift in Am Yisrael, only You can".
There are things that only HKB"H can do, but there are also things that only we can do. One of these things is the war on Amalek. We cannot rely on HKB"H to do this for us. HKB"H gave this task to us to perform (in our parsha). The more we persist and continue doing this task, the closer the solution will be.
Interestingly enough we have the same phenomenon occurring in Edom. You have one candidate for president who has one thing in her heart and another coming out of her mouth. You have the second candidate who is WYSIWYG, "what you see is what you get", totally transparent – for better or for worse.
Neither is such a "groyse metsie", but Jews in Israel (and in the USA) better daven that HKB"H has mercy on us and that the latter gets in. קמלה means "wither and disappear" (ישעיהו יט, ו), b"H.
As we approach Yom HaDin, we need to repeat over and over, multiple times a day in all our tefilot - אֵין לָנוּ עַל מִי לְהִשָּׁעֵן אֶלָּא עַל אָבִינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם and beg HKB"H to send a wave of דַּעַת ה' to wash over our nation and bring about reconciliation and achdut and help us to triumph over our enemies.
Shabbat Shalom
Eliezer Meir Saidel
Machon Lechem Hapanim
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