Parashat Ki Tetze: Which is the Most Moral Army in the World?

 

Parashat Ki Tetze
Which is the Most Moral Army in the World?

Genocide or Morality – How Does the World Dare Judge the IDF?

Time flies, and since I never had a bat mitzvah, my birthday parasha is once again approaching. Although Parashat Ki Tetze is only of average length, it contains no fewer than seventy-four mitzvot that touch nearly every aspect of life. The range is striking: from returning a lost object to sending away the mother bird, to building a fence around one’s roof, to paying a worker on time, and even to the eradication of Amalek. This industrious parasha, overflowing with mitzvot, resonates with my own life, which likewise spans many activities – teaching, writing, creating graphic art, gardening, overseeing staff, practicing spiritual healing, playing music, and so much more.

One mitzvah in particular speaks deeply to me: the command that soldiers in war camps, alongside their weapons, must also carry a spade to cover their excrement. Growing up in a home where cleanliness, personal hygiene, and respect for human dignity were emphasized, I can appreciate this mitzvah. If even soldiers on the battlefield – in conditions where, in most cultures, “anything goes” – are required to maintain dignity and cleanliness, then surely we, in our daily lives, are obligated to show the same care, even down to using a toilet brush when necessary.

Beyond the physical, this mitzvah reflects the high moral standards the Torah expects of Israeli soldiers. If the Torah commands them to maintain discipline even in the most private of matters during war, how much more so must they be scrupulous in the ethical treatment of enemy forces. Indeed, the IDF has internalized many of these Torah principles of warfare and is rightly regarded as the most moral army in the world.

This stands in sharp contrast to the barbaric attacks of October 7, when Hamas brutally assaulted innocent Israeli civilians, and to their ongoing atrocities in holding Jewish hostages in cruel captivity. Yet, instead of condemning such savagery, most of the world turns its accusations against Israel. Amnesty International denounces Israel with claims of inhumane siege, the BBC echoes allegations of war crimes, and even Wikipedia repeats slanderous fabrications accusing Israeli soldiers of sexual and gender-based violence, including gang-rape, sexualized torture, and genital mutilation. Such accusations could not be further from the truth. If the international community truly cared about protecting civilians, it would unite in demanding an end to Hamas’s use of human shields and call with one voice for the immediate release of the hostages.

Why does Parashat Ki Tetze Interweave Ritual and Daily Laws?

Parashat Ki Tetze is remarkable for its sheer breadth. At first glance, the laws seem scattered and without a common thread. But when viewed through the lens of Eretz Yisrael, a deeper coherence shines through – the Torah is deliberately weaving together the sanctity of the Land with the holiness of daily living. As Israel stood poised to cross the Yarden and enter Canaan, Moshe had to ready them not only for the practical challenges of settlement that confront any new nation, but also for the spiritual and moral trials of facing a surrounding culture steeped in corruption and seduction.

The Torah, therefore, does not divide its commandments neatly into categories of ‘ritual’ on one side and ‘civic duty’ on the other. Rather, it interlaces them freely, reminding us that the human personality is whole only when both dimensions are nurtured. A Jew cannot claim closeness to God while trampling on the dignity of other people – nor can one uphold impeccable ethics in human relationships while ignoring the service of the Divine. Our service to Hashem and our service to others are not parallel tracks but are deeply intertwined, forming one seamless expression of holiness.

It is precisely in Eretz Yisrael that this integration is most urgent. For here, every detail of life – from the way we build our homes, to how we treat our workers, to how we conduct ourselves in the most private spheres – becomes an expression of the covenant with Hashem. The Torah prepares us for this reality by blending laws of heaven and earth, worship and work, compassion and sanctity, into a unified vision of life in the Land (Inspired by Rav Michael Hattin, Ki Tetze, The Sanctity of Israel's Military Camp).

Why is it so Vital that Israel’s Military Camp be Holy?

ספר דברים פרק כג פסוק י כִּי תֵצֵא מַחֲנֶה עַל אֹיְבֶיךָ וְנִשְׁמַרְתָּ מִכֹּל דָּבָר רָע: (יא) כִּי יִהְיֶה בְךָ אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר לֹא יִהְיֶה טָהוֹר מִקְּרֵה לָיְלָה וְיָצָא אֶל מִחוּץ לַמַּחֲנֶה לֹא יָבֹא אֶל תּוֹךְ הַמַּחֲנֶה: (יב) וְהָיָה לִפְנוֹת עֶרֶב יִרְחַץ בַּמָּיִם וּכְבֹא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ יָבֹא אֶל תּוֹךְ הַמַּחֲנֶה: (יג) וְיָד תִּהְיֶה לְךָ מִחוּץ לַמַּחֲנֶה וְיָצָאתָ שָׁמָּה חוּץ: (יד) וְיָתֵד תִּהְיֶה לְךָ עַל אֲזֵנֶךָ וְהָיָה בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ חוּץ וְחָפַרְתָּה בָהּ וְשַׁבְתָּ וְכִסִּיתָ אֶת צֵאָתֶךָ: (טו) כִּי הַשֵׁם אֱלֹהֶיךָ מִתְהַלֵּךְ בְּקֶרֶב מַחֲנֶךָ לְהַצִּילְךָ וְלָתֵת אֹיְבֶיךָ לְפָנֶיךָ וְהָיָה מַחֲנֶיךָ קָדושׁ וְלֹא יִרְאֶה בְךָ עֶרְוַת דָּבָר וְשָׁב מֵאַחֲרֶיךָ:

“When a camp goes out against your enemies, you shall beware of everything evil. If there is among you a man who is unclean because of a nocturnal emission, he shall go outside the camp. He shall not come within the camp. And it shall be, towards evening, he shall bathe in water, and when the sun sets, he may come within the camp. And you shall have a designated place outside the camp, so that you can go out there [to use it as a privy]. And you shall keep a stake in addition to your weapons; and it shall be, when you sit down outside [to relieve yourself], you shall dig with it, and you shall return and cover your excrement. For Hashem, your G-d, goes along in the midst of your camp, to rescue you and to deliver your enemies before you. [Therefore,] your camp shall be holy, so that He should not see anything unseemly among you and would turn away from you” (Devarim 23:10-15).

This unusual passage deals not with combat strategy but with the most ordinary of human functions. At first glance, it seems surprising that the Torah interrupts its discussion of war to speak about how the proud and confident warriors must address the matter of evacuating their bowels! Yet precisely here, the Torah teaches us something profound about the character of Israel’s army.

The Ramban explains that “Guard yourself from every evil thing” is not a general warning but one directed specifically at the military camp. War is a setting where cruelty and rage easily take over – and even otherwise decent individuals can slip into theft, violence, sexual immorality, and shameless behavior. The Torah, therefore, cautions Israel’s soldiers to remain vigilant, lest the chaos of battle corrupt their moral core.

Because Hashem’s Presence dwells in Israel’s camp, sins committed there are especially grievous – like defiling Hashem’s own house. Worse still, transgression in the camp forfeits Divine protection and leaves the nation vulnerable to its enemies. The Ramban adds that we learn from the word דָּבָר/davar in verse 15 that even lashon hara must be avoided, for divisive speech can shatter unity and wreak more devastation than the enemy itself.

What armies of the world have always tolerated – cruelty, vulgarity, unchecked passion – is not permitted to the soldiers of Israel. The Torah insists that even in the heat of war, discipline, modesty, and sanctity must prevail. Verse 15 is perhaps one of the most ennobling passages in all of world literature. The Torah demands that the camp of Israel be different from every other army: holy, pure, and worthy of G-d’s Presence walking in its midst.

Why does Victory in Israel’s Wars Depend on Moral Integrity?

The reason for the mitzvah of extra refinement in matters of עֶרְוָה/ervah – which includes both sexual immorality and unseemly bodily exposure – is that Hashem walks in the midst of Israel’s camp, to save us and to deliver our enemies before us (Devarim 23:15). What applies to the camp of soldiers applies equally to the entire people of Israel: just as Hashem’s Presence rests upon the Mishkan only when Israel conducts themselves with holiness, so too His Presence that grants victory in battle depends on the moral integrity of the warriors – even in matters of bodily exposure. The Sifrei teaches that ervah – whether sexual transgression or indecent exposure – drives away the Shechinah (Sifrei, Ki Tetze 48). Specifically in the Land of Israel, this heightened morality is vital, for here Hashem Himself fights our wars and walks in the midst of our camp. This standard continues to guide the IDF – the most moral army in the world. While the Torah ideal is not always fully achieved, the striving itself reflects the Torah’s vision. Remarkably, many Israeli soldiers today are becoming ba’alei teshuva as they sense Hashem’s Presence with them on the battlefield – a living reminder that Israel’s victories depend not only on military strength, but on moral integrity.