Parshat KiTetze

This week’s parsha is concerned with mitzvot — mitzvot in time of war, mitzvot concerning marriage, mitzvot concerning lost property, mitzvot concerning animals. So, you ask, what’s a mitzvah? Well, it’s a good deed! Actually, that is only half the answer. The absolute correct answer is that a mitzvah is a commandment given by God to help direct Jews to lead a life that is meaningful and noble. Even if we don’t completely understand why we are asked to do (or not to do) something, we know that each mitzvah has a very important reason for its existence. And even if we and our families choose not to observe certain mitzvot, we can always learn something from them.