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Why does Parshas Ki Seitzei repeat many mitzvos from other places in the Torah (תורה), sometimes with stricter requirements and sometimes with leniencies? The shiur develops a fundamental yesod that mitzvos have two dimensions: what we owe others (bein adam l'chavero) versus what we need for our own perfection (tzeiruf es habriyus). Parshas Ki Seitzei teaches the second dimension—elevating ourselves to emulate Hashem (ה׳).
The shiur opens with a perplexing Midrash about circumcision introducing Parshas Ki Seitzei, then addresses the fundamental question of why this parsha repeats many mitzvos already found elsewhere in the Torah (תורה). The Ramban (רמב"ן) notes numerous examples: hashavat aveidah (returning lost objects) appears in both Mishpatim and Ki Seitzei with different requirements; ribbis (usury) laws appear in both Vayikra and here with additional details; wage payment obligations appear with different formulations. Rabbi Zweig develops a fundamental yesod that mitzvos operate on two distinct levels. Parshas Mishpatim and similar sections teach what we owe to our fellow Jews—their legitimate rights and expectations from us. This is the realm of bein adam l'chavero, where the focus is on what others can reasonably demand. However, Parshas Ki Seitzei introduces an entirely different dimension: tzeiruf es habriyus (purifying our character), which focuses on what we need for our own spiritual perfection.
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Parshas Ki Seitzei
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