Ki Tetze: The Secret to Victory in War and Education

At the beginning of our parasha we read: “כִּי־תֵצֵא לַמִּלְחָמָה עַל־אֹיְבֶיךָ וּנְתָנוֹ ה’ אֱ-לֹקיךָ בְּיָדֶךָ” — “When you go out to war against your enemies, and Hashem your God delivers them into your hand” 

The Torah emphasizes “Ki Tetze” -– when you go out to war. In other places, however, the Torah uses a different expression: “Ki Tavo Milchama…” when war comes to you. Sensitive commentators point out that this shift in wording carries a deep message. When Israel goes out proactively to face challenges, the Torah promises victory. But when we wait passively for challenges to come to us, the outcome is far less certain.

The same is true in Jewish education. If we “go out” to anticipate struggles, to prepare our students and children with Jewish values, resilience, and Torah before the tests arrive, we set them up for success. But if we wait until the challenges come to them and only then try to respond, it is often much harder. The Torah here reminds us to be proactive in our battles, whether on the field of war or in the sacred mission of raising the next generation of Torah leaders. We must always be proactive when it comes to chinuch and preparing our students for what will lie ahead.

Rabbi Aviad Bodner

K-12 Judaic Studies Principal and School Rabbi