Connecting Subjects

There is a term used related to Torah study, called סמיכות הפרשיות. This is where we analyze why one topic follows another. A great example of this is from Parshat Ki Teitze.

The first topic speaks of the case of the יפת תואר, the woman taken captive. This is followed by the laws related to first born rights when one has a wife that he loves, and another wife he dislikes. The subject that follows this, is the בן סורר ומורה, the totally rebellious son.

The connection between the subjects is that if one chooses to marry the captive woman, based solely on lust, she is destined to be the wife that is hated by her husband.

The result of such a union is that they will have a son who is totally rebellious, and needs to be put to death when he is only thirteen years old.

The Alshich even connects these subjects with the laws that follow related to the obligation to return a lost object.

The one who took the captive woman might justify his behavior by claiming he is returning a lost Jewish soul, trapped in the body of a non-Jew. This is why he needs to convert her and marry her.

This is a foolish argument because one of King David’s faithful advisers, Chushai Ha’arki, reprimanded David for marrying a woman taken captive. She gave birth to Avshalom, who was a very rebellious son.

In any case, we see how this concept of “Semichut Haparshiot,” comes into play. Some wanted to say that the Mitzva of sending away the mother bird in order to take her eggs or chicks, has an element of Hashavat Aveida, returning a lost article, connected to it.

There are numerous examples of situations where we look for the connection in the Torah between one subject and another.