Parashat Ki Tetzei has some lovely lessons for children... and some very inappropriate ones. Starting with the eshet yifat toar (the laws of ravaging a female captive of war) and followed by the ben sorer (the execution of a rebellious child) the list of inappropriate ones is pretty high.
The third aliyah commands people to put a guard rail around their fence, so that people do not fall off.
"But no one goes on our roof to fall off," Cohava noted.
"That is true. We don't have a flat roof that people would go on. But where do we have a fence to keep people safe?"
"The pool!" Gabi yelled.
Next the aliyah describes things which don't mix. Plants should not be joined. It is forbidden to wear Shatnez, a garment which combines linen and wool. Then comes another fashion rule. Men wear men's clothes. Women wear women's clothes. My girls thought it was funny that this is a mitzvah.
"Why would Abba wear a dress? Maybe Purim but that is silly!" Gabi remarked.
When Cohava was in Kindergarten, it was reported to me that she was bullying a child and made her cry. That wasn't her usual nature so I queried it.
"She called Sarah a boy," the teacher explained.
"Why would you call her a boy?" I asked Cohava.
"She is wearing pants and a shirt with buttons. That makes her a boy," Cohava explained simply. I still don't know if she was being a bully or if her 3 year old logic was sound.
This mitzvah is the one we choice to celebrate in our project of the week (it was certainly easier than installing a roof fence).
With some old dresses and puff paint, the girls went wild, making their clothes, unique to them. I want them to appreciate and enjoy wearing dresses. If I had a son, the mention of tzitzit in the next pasuk would be his project.
Shabbat Shalom!
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