S5E6 Ki Teitzei 2023

In this week's parsha, Ki Teitzei, we explore laws that address human dignity and responsibility. These include, but are not limited to:

• The law of a beautiful captive. A man must reflect before deciding to marry her, and once he does marry her, must treat her as a full-fledged wife.
• The law of inheritance. One must give the double portion to the firstborn son, not the son of the wife one prefers.
• The law of a hanged man. Since each human is created b'tzelem Elokim, we are obligated to bury this man before nightfall.
• The law of the wayward son. From here we learn the importance of rebuke- it is a parent's job to try to prevent their child's behavior from escalating and getting worse over time.

The big ideas behind these laws still resonate today.