Parshas Ki Seitzei contains more mitzvos than any other parsha, and among them, perhaps one of the most closely examined and explored mitzvos in the entire Torah. But before we introduce today’s song, I wanted to bring our attention to a subtle, yet seemingly significant similarity that is found in this week’s parsha that we can immediately apply to our lives.
כִּי יִקָּרֵא קַן צִפּוֹר לְפָנֶיךָ בַּדֶּרֶךְ בְּכָל עֵץ אוֹ עַל הָאָרֶץ אֶפְרֹחִים אוֹ בֵיצִים וְהָאֵם רֹבֶצֶת עַל הָאֶפְרֹחִים אוֹ עַל הַבֵּיצִים לֹא תִקַּח הָאֵם עַל הַבָּנִים. שַׁלֵּחַ תְּשַׁלַּח אֶת הָאֵם וְאֶת הַבָּנִים תִּקַּח לָךְ לְמַעַן יִיטַב לָךְ וְהַאֲרַכְתָּ יָמִים
“If, along the way, you chance upon a bird’s nest, in a tree or on the ground, with fledglings or eggs and the mother sitting over the fledglings or on the eggs, do not take the mother together with her young. You shall surely send away the mother bird and take the young for yourself, so that it will be good for you and you will prolong your life.” (Devarim 22:6,7)
An entire chapter of Mishnah and Gemara – the twelfth and last perek of Chulin – is devoted to understanding this mitzvah (which actually involves two mitzvos, a prohibition against taking the mother, and a positive mitzvah to send away the mother). However, what immediately stood out to me are the words יִקָּרֵא and בַּדֶּרֶךְ. If a bird’s nest happens to appear before you along the way.
The usage of these words can in no way be coincidental, as they are also found at the end of our parsha, despite being used in an almost completely contrasting context:
זָכוֹר אֵת אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לְךָ עֲמָלֵק בַּדֶּרֶךְ בְּצֵאתְכֶם מִמִּצְרָיִם. אֲשֶׁר קָרְךָ בַּדֶּרֶךְ
“Remember what Amalek did to you along the way, when you were leaving Mitzrayim. That he happened upon you along the way…” (25:17,18). On the surface, the first is a mitzvah of engaging in an act of compassion, the other is rooted in the exact opposite – a commandment to completely wipe out the name of our archenemy, to the extent that we are to rid the world of their animals as well!
The truth is, our Parsha is actually full of situations that we may happen to come across along the way – something which could get our attention, but which we could just as conceivably ignore. For example, if we notice a lost object, or that an animal has strayed, or that its bundles have fallen…
The message is clear. Just as it does in both Shiluach Hakein and Mechiyas Amalek, the Torah tells us in each instance that we are not to sit idly by. Rather, we are to stand up and take action.
When something happens to us – when we “chance upon” a scenario in life – we have to realize that it was not by chance at all. On the contrary! Hashem is giving us a handpicked, finely tuned, perfectly personalized opportunity to elevate ourselves towards our fullest spiritual potential. We must train ourselves to be aware of this concept at all times, even when things are made to look as if they are merely “happenstance.”
I thought this was especially applicable today, as we “just so happen” to find ourselves in “Ki seitzei lamilchama” – writes the Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh, on the way out to fight our Yetzer Hara. Elul is the perfect time to put this lesson to use. Let’s not let a single opportunity for growth pass us by, as this will surely be good for us and will prolong our lives.
🎵 Yigal Calek and The London School of Jewish Song might be one of the most iconic and nostalgic groups in Jewish music history. For over 50 years we have danced and cried to the beautiful tunes they sang. Yigal and “The London Pirchim Choir” actually date back to the late 1960’s – the enthusiastic elementary school rebbi and his charges performing regularly in and around the London neighborhoods to minimal acclaim. Calek would eventually join forces with then fellow Stamford Hill resident Jeffrey Craimer, and in 1970, the two Pirchei partners would go on to release their iconic debut album “Mah Novu.”
The following year, as their popularity began to increase, Calek and Craimer founded “Yad Bezemer” and with that changed the choir’s official name to The London School of Jewish Song. As was the case with all their records, the beneficiaries included charities that provided a helping hand to our brethren who were stuck behind the Iron Curtain – hence, Yad Bezemer – A Helping Hand through Song.
Fast forward to July of 1974. Yigal Calek, who is a sabra himself, would form his newest choir – Pirchei Yerushalayim. By October, they had already sold out 12 performances in Israel’s three biggest auditoriums. Today’s classic, Kan Tzipor, was one of ten songs sung on this great record and is a perfect example of Calek’s signature compositions – pure Jewish expression, with a unique variety of moods, rhythm and originality.
Enjoy!
Wishing you a happening Shabbos!
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