Monday, August 27, 2012
Parshat Ki Teizei
14 Elul 5772 / August 31 – Sept. 1, 2012
Dvarim 22:5 – 25:19
Cross Dressings and Momma Birds?!14 Elul 5772 / August 31 – Sept. 1, 2012
Dvarim 22:5 – 25:19
by Zvi Bellin, MHHQ
In this week’s parsha I would like to consider why two scenarios
are presented next to each other. The verses from Parshat Ki Teitzei are pasted
below from Chapter 22. The first case is a prohibition about cross dressing and
the second is an obscure law about sending a mother bird away before taking the
young birds or eggs. The later mitzvah is known as Shiluach HaKen (שלוח הקן) Sending from the Nest.
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5 A woman shall not wear that which
pertains unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment; for
whosoever does these things is an abomination unto the LORD thy God. {P}
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ה לֹא-יִהְיֶה כְלִי-גֶבֶר עַל-אִשָּׁה,
וְלֹא-יִלְבַּשׁ גֶּבֶר שִׂמְלַת אִשָּׁה: כִּי תוֹעֲבַת יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֶיךָ, כָּל-עֹשֵׂה אֵלֶּה. {פ}
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6 If you happen upon a bird's nest on the way, in any tree
or on the ground, with young ones or eggs, and the mother is sitting upon the
young, or upon the eggs, thou shalt not take the mother with the young;
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ו 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.
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7 thou shalt let the mother go, but the
young thou may take unto thyself; that it may be well with you, and that thou
may prolong your days. {S}
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ז שַׁלֵּחַ תְּשַׁלַּח אֶת-הָאֵם,
וְאֶת-הַבָּנִים תִּקַּח-לָךְ, לְמַעַן יִיטַב לָךְ, וְהַאֲרַכְתָּ
יָמִים.
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What might the Torah possibly be teaching us by juxtaposing
these two commandments together?
I would like to suggest that these two cases can provoke a
discussion about the qualities of human empathy and compassion. In the first
verse we are prohibited from dressing up like the other gender. Rashi commented
that this is purely in the case where dressing up like the other gender is for
the purpose of sexual deviance. For example, dressing up like a woman to sneak
into the Women’s locker room for voyeuristic sexcapades. This is very different
from a woman wearing pants or a transgender male to female wearing lipstick.
The ability to assume another’s role or experience is rooted in the expression
of empathy. While empathy is one key to human connectivity, compassion is
lacking in a situation of deceit, as emphasized by Rashi. Thus, there are
limitations to “walking in another’s shoes” that seems to be a good protective
measure for a just society.
Similarly, shooing away a mother bird and
stealing her eggs is not an example of compassion at first glance. But when we
consider what a fox might do who happens upon a bird’s nest – goodbye momma
bird and so long chickies! Perhaps this commandment gives us pause to recognize
our base-animal tendencies and also our ability to act against them. Thus,
shooing away momma is perhaps not better then leaving the chicks alone, but it
forces us to think about compassionate and respectful involvement in the chain
of life.
Many Blessings!
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