Parashat Ki Teitzei

Do Not Rely on Miracles for Protection

by: Yosef Zvi Rimon

Founder and Board Chairman, JobKatif

Throughout Devarim the Torah expresses concern with safety of the Jewish people. It says, “Be most careful- guard yourself” in Devarim 4:15, and “Take utmost care and watch your self conscientiously” in Devarim 4:9.  In our parasha, the Torah goes even further and tells us, “When you build  a new house for yourself, you should make a railing around your roof, so that you should not bring blood onto your house if someone should fall from it” (Devarim 22:8).

Why is the Torah so paranoid about our safety that goes out of its way to command us to do something that is so seemingly obvious?

Before we can understand this logic we must look at the above pasuk (22:8) more scrupulously.

Why does the Torah mention specifically that you have to build a railing only on a “new house”? What if you buy an old house, and there was no railing around the roof already; do you then have to put one up yourself?

The Chatam Sofer, one of the leading Rabbis in 19th century Europe explains the historical reality of the Jewish people when this commandment was given:

The Jewish people had been wondering in the desert for 40 years where their lives were based on miracles. Their food, shelter and wars were all accomplished through divine intervention. Now they are about to enter the holy land of Israel and all of that is about to change. The Torah refers to a new house because when the Jewish people first came into Israel, all standing houses were previously owned by Canaanites. The Canaanite people defiantly put fences around the roofs because this is an obvious safety precaution. G-d had to specifically tell the Jews that when they build a new house they must put up a fence because He was speaking with a people who completely relied on G-d’s care. They wouldn’t have put railings around their roofs because they would have believed that G-d would protect them.

This commandment, when first given, must have aroused the Jewish people’s understanding that they would soon start living more naturally, but the commandment still resonates in our lives. G-d is teaching every generation that He certainly does help those who help themselves.

With G-d’s help may we never have to rely on a miracle, yet may we continue to see G-d’s hand in everything in this world.

Shabbat Shalom!