Parashat Ki Tetze

This parashah begins: “When you go out to war against your enemies, and God delivers them into your hands and you take them prisoner, if you see among the captives a beautiful woman who attracts you, you may take her as your wife. Rabbi Moshe Alshij, more than five hundred years ago, explains in Kabbalistic terms, that the woman mentioned here alludes to our soul, but who took her prisoner, and to what war does the Torah refer? When our souls descended into this world, each one entered a material body, which tends to be inclined only to physical pleasures. The soul, on the other hand, is ethereal, created from the purest celestial place, so if it is not nourished properly, it can feel uncomfortable, confused and even depressed in its passage through this world. This is similar to a diesel car that is filled with benzine, its engine will quickly be ruined. However, there are also hybrid cars, which work perfectly by combining combustion and electricity. The secret of our happiness in life lies in finding the harmonious balance between body and soul, enjoying material pleasures, but understanding that they are a means to help us reach our goal. God assures us that if we go to war against our enemy, that is, our evil inclinations, we will be assured of victory and we will be reunited with our beloved prisoner called the soul, to finally form a balanced and peaceful marriage with the different internal forces, through the help of the Torah, the precepts, and good deeds.