September 6, 2025: Torah Portion Parashat Ki Teitzei - "When You Go Out"
- Front Lines
- Sep 6
- 9 min read
In this study, we will explore the Torah Portion Ki Teitzei - "When You Go Out"
Torah Portion: Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19
Haftarah: Isaiah 54:1-10
Brit Chadashah (New Testament): Matthew 5:27-30; 1Corinthians 5:1-5
📜Torah Portion Ki Teitzei - "When You Go Out"
In last week's Parashah Shoftim, Moses defined a system of justice for the Israelites and pointed to the coming Messiah who would be the rightful King of Israel.
In this week's portion, he returns to the immediate concern of the conquest of the Promised Land by providing a number of specific laws and instructions to be enforced regarding civil life in Israel.
This Parashah covers over 70 commandments, out of the 613 that Moses gives to the people, making it one of the most mitzvah-filled portions in the Torah.
Topics Include:
Laws of warfare and treatment of captives.
Inheritance rights (firstborn son).
Laws concerning a rebellious son.
Rules about lost property and kindness to animals.
Prohibitions of mixing kinds (wool/linen, animals, crops).
Laws of marriage, divorce, and sexual morality.
Rules about vows and loans.
Remembering Amalek’s attack and the command to blot out Amalek.
Torah Highlights:
Compassion in Warfare – “When you go out to war against your enemies, and the LORD your God delivers them into your hands…” (Deut. 21:10). Even in war, Israel is commanded to show restraint and humanity.
Family & Inheritance – Firstborn rights protected (Deut. 21:15–17).
Rebellious Son – Warning about covenant disobedience (Deut. 21:18–21).
Kindness in Everyday Life – Returning lost property (22:1–3), helping a fallen animal (22:4).
Holiness & Separation – No mixing seeds, animals, or garments (22:9–11).
Marriage & Purity Laws – Instructions about betrothal, divorce, and immorality.
Justice & Mercy – Fair treatment of workers (24:14–15), protection for the poor, orphan, and widow (24:17–22).
Memory of Amalek – “You shall blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. You shall not forget.” (25:17–19).
The Parashah Begins:
Specific topics addressed in this week's portion include treatment of females captured in war, the legal rights of the firstborn, the case of a "rebellious son," and many other subjects concerning Jewish law.
A general outline of the parashah follows:
1. The Beautiful Captive - Deuteronomy 21:10-14:
The parashah begins with a discussion of what has been called eshet yefat-to'ar, a woman of "beautiful form."
If an Israelite soldier captured a female prisoner of war whom he found attractive, he was forbidden to marry her immediately, but was to have her head shaved, her nails cut, her clothes changed, and she must undergo a one month mourning period. If, after this period, the man still wanted to marry her, she was brought before the Bet Din (court of law) and the judges would ask her if she was willing to convert and obey the Torah of Moses and to become a member of Israel. If she agreed, then the soldier was allowed to marry her; otherwise, he must release her from captivity.
2. Inheritance Rights of the Firstborn - Deuteronomy 21:15-17:
The first born son bechor, is to inherit a double portion from his father, regardless of the status of the mother.
3. Stubborn and Rebellious Son - Deuteronomy 21:18-21:
A stubborn and rebellious son ben soreir u'moreh who does not heed his father or mother and does not obey them even after they discipline him, is to be stoned to death.
4. A Man Hanged on a Tree Is Cursed - Deuteronomy 21:22-23:
The Law of Moses allowed that someone who was to be executed could be hung (or impaled) and exposed "on a tree", perhaps based on the precedent set earlier in the desert (Numbers 25:4).
According to the Talmud (Nezakim: Sanhedrin 6:4:3), the Great Sanhedrin decided that "a man must be hanged with his face towards the spectators" upon a wooden stake, with his arms slung over a horizontal beam. It should be noted that while this is technically not the same thing as the gruesome practice of Roman crucifixion, the reasoning based on this verse was apparently used to justify the execution of YESHUA (Mark 15:9-15; John 19:5-7; 15).
The exposed body was required to be buried before sundown to keep the land from being defiled (Deuteronomy 21:22-23). Besides the shame and degradation of this manner of death, the one so executed would be unable to fall to their knees as a final act of repentance before ADONAI, thereby implying that they were under the irrevocable curse of YHVH.
In this connection, we should note that YESHUA was falsely charged with blasphemy before the corrupt Sanhedrin of His day (Matt. 26:65; Mark 14:64; John 10:33). An offence that was punishable by stoning (Lev. 24:11-16).
However, since the Imperial Roman government then exercised legal hegemony over the region of Palestine, all capital cases were required to be submitted to the Roman proconsul for adjudication, and therefore we understand why the Jewish court remanded YESHUA and brought Him to be interrogated by Pontius Pilate.
Because Roman law was indifferent to cases concerning Jewish religious practices (ex: charges of blasphemy), the priests further slandered YESHUA by illegitimately switching the original charge of blasphemy to that of sedition against Rome. The Sanhedrin undoubtedly rationalized their duplicity because the Torah allowed for an offender to be impaled or "hung on a tree" (Numbers 25:4), and since they were unable to carry out this judgment because of Roman rule in the area, they needed Pilate to condemn Him to death by crucifixion (Matt. 27:31; Mark 15:13-4; Luke 23:21; John 19:6,15).
The apostles of YESHUA understood the connection between this provision in the Torah and the salvation of the LORD as a way of explaining how the substitutionary death of YESHUA satisfied God's wrath for sin on our behalf (there was no way to impute sin without also imputing its penalty).
Therefore the Apostle Paul wrote,
"The Messiah redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us - for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.'" Galatians 3:13
The Apostle Peter also had this in mind when he wrote:
"The God of our fathers raised YESHUA, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree." Acts 5:30
"39 We are witnesses to all He did, both in the Judean countryside and in Jerusalem. They put Him to death by hanging Him on a tree, 40 but God raised Him up on the third day and caused Him to be visible—" Acts 10:39-40
"He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed." 1 Peter 2:24
And of course the prophet Isaiah foretold of the sacrifice of the "Suffering Servant" centuries before the advent of YESHUA:
"But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed." Isaiah 53:5
5. Miscellaneous Instructions - Deuteronomy 22:1-12:
One should return all lost articles to their rightful owners, thus loving your neighbor as yourself :
“’Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD';
34You must treat the foreigner living among you as native-born and love him as yourself, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God." Leviticus 19:18; 34
To promote safety, one should build a railing around his roof.
Sha'atnez is any fabric made of wool mixed with linen, and is prohibited to be worn. A Jew should also wear Tzitzit on the four corners of his garments.
6. Various Additional Laws - Deuteronomy 23:8-25:16:
Moses gave a number of additional laws that are to be observed as part of the new Jewish society, including rules about maintaining the purity of the camp; Prohibitions about returning an escaped slave; The duty to pay a worker on time; The proper treatment of a debtor and the prohibition against charging interest on a loan; The laws of divorce; The penalty of 39 lashes for transgression of a Torah prohibition; and the procedures for "levirate marriage," of the wife of a deceased childless brother. The degrading chalitzah ceremony ("removing of the shoe") is explained for the case of a brother-in-law who is unwilling to marry the wife of his deceased brother.
7. Remembering Amalek - Deuteronomy 25:17-19:
The parashah ends with the people being instructed to remember the deeds of Amalek who attacked the Jews when they were weak. They are told that they must blot out the remembrance of Amalek from the earth:
"When the LORD your God gives you rest from all the enemies around you in the land he is giving you to possess as an inheritance, you shall blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget!" Deuteronomy 25:19
To this day, a sofer (scribe) will test his quill by writing the word "Amalek" and then crossing out the word with one bold stroke and then vigorously scraping both the stroke and the offending name from the parchment:
The Name Amalek:
The perpetual enemy of God is called "Amalek" ﬠמֲלָקֵ, a name that begins with Ayin (symbolizing the eye) and whose value (in gematria) is 240, the same value for safek ספָקֵ, the Hebrew word for doubt.
Amalek therefore suggests "the eye of doubt," or even "the severed eye", the Hebrew verb means "to chop" or "sever" in reference to the "eye" of Ayin.
Unbelief is a spiritual blindness that makes it impossible to see the path of blessing.... Unlike the doubtful Amalek, we walk in emunah, faith. And we must be unflinching in our devotion to the truth!
"For we live by faith, not by sight." 2 Corinthians 5:7
📜Haftarah Connection – Isaiah 54:1–10
Israel as the Bride – “For your Maker is your husband, the LORD of hosts is His name.” Isaiah 54:5
Covenant of Peace – Even if the mountains move, God’s lovingkindness will not be removed: Isaiah 54:10
Messianic Fulfillment: YESHUA, the Bridegroom, brings eternal restoration
"7Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready. 8 Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.”
(Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.)
9 Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.” Revelation 19:7–9
The Haftarah of Ki Teitzei is called the fifth of the "Haftarot of Consolation," offering encouragement to Israel even in the face of exile.
In this beautiful and poignant reading, the LORD compares the children of Israel to a wife who has long been barren. According to the sages, God tells the "Wife of His youth" to sing out with joy, for soon she will have a hard time keeping track of all her children! Many will return by means of a mighty wave of repentance that will sweep over the world when Jerusalem is finally redeemed and the MESSIAH reigns in Israel.
Though the LORD hardened Israel for a season (Rom. 11:25-29), His love for her is sure, and all His promises will be established. In the End of Days all Israel will be saved, in times "like the days of Noah", where ADONAI swore that the waters of Noah should never cover the earth again, so He has sworn that Israel will be regathered and restored:
“To me this is like the days of Noah, when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth. So now I have sworn not to be angry with you, never to rebuke you again."
"For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed," says the LORD, who has compassion on you" Isaiah 54:9-10
📖Brit Chadashah Insights:
Marriage & Divorce – Yeshua affirms God’s original design for marriage (Matthew 19:3–9).
Workers’ Rights – Paul quotes Torah about not muzzling the ox.
(Deut. 25:4 → 1 Cor. 9:9).
Curse of the Law & Redemption – Messiah became a curse for us (Galatians 3:13).
Spiritual Warfare – Amalek’s remembrance parallels Paul’s call to “Put on the full armor of God” (Eph esians:10–20).
Messianic Prophetic Themes:
Compassionate Justice – Torah laws reveal the Father’s heart for protecting the vulnerable.
Amalek vs. Messiah – Amalek seeks to destroy Israel’s destiny; Messiah secures eternal victory.
Bride & Bridegroom – The portion ends with remembrance of Amalek, but the Haftarah ends with God’s covenant of peace — pointing to YESHUA, the Bridegroom, who restores His people!
Devotional Prayer:
Avinu Malkeinu, Our Father, our King,
Thank You for giving us Your Torah, which teaches compassion, holiness, and justice. Help us to walk in Your ways, to remember the vulnerable, and to act with mercy in all we do. Strengthen us in the battles we face, and remind us that YESHUA has already won the victory. Clothe us with the armor of God, that we may stand against the spirit Amalek in our generation. Restore us as Your bride, in holiness and love, and seal us in Your eternal covenant of peace.
In the name of YESHUA our Messiah, Amen!
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