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Why does Torah (תורה) exempt newlyweds from military service for a full year? The shiur develops a yesod that marriage represents a fundamental metamorphosis from self-centeredness to responsibility for others. This psychological transformation is essential preparation for communal responsibility that warfare demands.
This shiur analyzes the Torah (תורה) law exempting newly married men from military service for their first year of marriage, found in Parshas Ki Seitzei. Rabbi Zweig begins by contrasting this complete exemption from all war-related activities with the partial exemption given to engaged men, who must still provide support services. A student's question from decades earlier frames the discussion: logically, shouldn't the tragedy be greater for someone already married who dies, rather than someone merely engaged? The shiur develops its core thesis through a Baal HaTurim who explains that the phrase 'naki yihyeh l'beiso' (he shall be free for his house) hints that newly married men have all their sins forgiven. Rabbi Zweig connects this to a Talmud (תלמוד) Yerushalmi teaching that three categories of people receive complete forgiveness: converts, those appointed to leadership positions, and newly married individuals.
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Parshas Ki Seitzei - marriage exemption from military service
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Why does the Torah separate Avrohom's eulogy for Sarah from his crying for her? The shiur shows that Sarah required a public eulogy focused on the communal loss of a leader, not Avrohom's private grief. This teaches that we must view Jewish tragedies through a national lens first, seeing attacks on Am Yisrael as collective losses that dwarf personal concerns.
