Shabbat Greetings

This week’s portion, Ki Tetzei (Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19) contains more mitzvot (commandments) than any other portion. While the laws seem unrelated, they share a common message: holilness is found in the ordinary. The Torah teaches that our everyday choices such as returning a lost object, paying workers fairly, using honest measures, and building a guardrail around a roof are all expressions of living a holy life.

This is also the work of the month of Elul which we currently are in. As we prepare for the High Holy Days (Friday, September 11, 2026), we often think about making dramatic changes. But Ki Tetzei reminds us that lasting spiritual growth comes through small, intentional acts repeated day after day.

One mitzvah is especially meaningful for Elul: returning a lost object. The Chasidic masters (Likkutei Torah – Re’eh) teach that sometimes what is lost is not something we own, but something within us; specifically our joy, our purpose, our faith or within someone else. Elul invites us to ask: What have I lost this year? What relationships need to be restored?

The mitzvah to build a guardrail around our roof offers another lesson. Repentance is not only about regretting the past; it is about creating safeguards for the future such as our habits, boundaries, and practices that help us become the people we aspire to be.

As we journey through Elul, may Ki Tetzei remind us that preparing for Rosh Hashanah is not about perfection. It is about paying attention, repairing what has been lost, and choosing, one mitzvah and one act of kindness at a time, to bring holiness into everyday life.

SHABBAT SHALOM