By Rabbi Dovid Markel
In this week’s parsha, Ki Teitzei, the Torah expresses the curious law of the Eshet Yifat Toar, saying (Devarim 21:10-11):
“If you go out to war against your enemies, and the Lord, your G-d, will deliver him into your hands, and you take his captives, and you see among the captives a beautiful woman and you desire her, you may take [her] for yourself as a wife.”
While there are many curious things about this mitzvah, there is as well an interesting question, posed by the Orach Chaim
He asks: “How can it be that at the time when they are going out to war and are experiencing G-d’s miracles, they can have such a desire to sin?!”
He answers, explaining, that this is in fact the litmus test for one to know that their actions are positive. The verse (Kohelet 8:5) states: “Whoever keeps the commandment shall know no evil thing.” If so, when the individual is drawn towards a woman at this tremendous time, it is not for an outer beauty, but rather that his soul senses a certain holiness in this woman.
Indeed, the holiest souls are embedded in the souls of gentiles and the only manner to redeem them is if these individuals produce Jewish offspring.
While today there is no practical war where this commandment can have implication, there is nevertheless relevance in our lives.
The Sifrei (21:1) states concerning this war that it is “referring to an optional war.” In our lives too there are the “optional” wars, when a person involves themselves in physicality for the sake of Heaven.
At times, a person can lust after the physical. While the assumption is that “Scripture [in permitting this marriage] is speaking only against the evil inclination (Tanchuma 1),” in truth, the lust for the physical is that there is a spark of holiness that is awaiting redemption.
This is expressed in the Bal Shem Tov’s explanation of the verse (Tehillim 107:5) “Hungry as well as thirsty, their soul enwraps itself in them.” The reason that one has a desire for food is because one’s soul feels that there are sparks within it that await redemption.
Indeed, our focus in the physical should be with this perspective of keeping in mind our ultimate goal.
When we do so, we will indeed be able to elevate the world until ultimately in can be a dwelling place for the Almighty-with the coming of Moshiach Now!
