Jayda Sacks – Year 9

Isabel Sarraf – Year 9

This week’s parashah, Ki Teitsei, contains 74 commandments that are based on a variety of different aspects explored throughout Judaism. This specific Torah portion contains more mitzvot than any other, covering a wide assortment of rules relating to ethical welfare, family life, burial of the deceased, property laws, the humane treatment of animals, fair labour practices and proper economic transactions for the Jewish people living in the Promised Land. These various laws are delivered by Moshe to the Jewish people and also involve many aspects of daily living, justice, family responsibility and work. The aim and motive behind these laws is to encourage the people of Israel to live a fulfilling life, where they treat those around them as equals and are concerned with the wellbeing of their surroundings.

This week’s parashah teaches us that giving back to others and helping those in need is one of the most important mitzvot. Sometimes, as we give, we subconsciously think about what we’ll receive in return. When we help someone, we often do so for personal benefits. As selfish as this may sound, Judaism actually teaches us that we should still lend a helping hand, regardless of any ulterior motives, as the main concern is the person being helped. A mitzvah is a mitzvah.

Our tradition also teaches us that if we do a good deed for someone regularly, even if it’s for personal gain, eventually we will find that we are just giving, purely for the sake of giving. For example, when you are walking down the street and you see an elderly person struggling to carry shopping bags, your parents may instruct you to go and help that person in need. You might be doing so just because your parents told you to. However, over time, you will begin to help the elderly carry their shopping bags without your parents’ instruction because you now see that as the right thing to do.

In my opinion, it is better to help someone out, for the sake of doing a good deed, without ulterior motives. However, as Judaism teaches us, it is important to just give or help whenever you can, whenever someone is in need.