Parshat Ki Tetze contains 74 mitzvot, but one, in particular, the “bird’s nest,” becomes the trigger for a fascinating discussion as to the validity and legitimacy of exploring the meaning of the mitzvot. In this week’s Pardes from Jerusalem podcast, Rabbi Meir Schweiger enters into that discussion and examines its relevance for today.
Ki Tetze: Searching for Meaning in Mitzvot
Introduction
Meir Schweiger
Rabbi Meir Schweiger taught at Pardes for more than four decades before retiring in 2020. Originally from the Bronx, New York, he made aliyah in 1972. He studied at Yeshiva University, Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavneh and Yeshivat Har Etzion, received rabbinic ordination in Jerusalem, and later earned an M.Ed. in Teaching Bible from Herzog College.
At Pardes, Meir taught a wide range of subjects including Chumash, Talmud, Halakha and Siddur. He served as Mashgiach Ruhani, guiding the school’s spiritual life through coordinating and supervising tefillot, tiyulim, shabbatonim, and pre-holiday yemei iyun. For more than 10 years, Meir was also the Director of the Pardes Fellows’ Program for returning 2nd year students and the Educational Director of the Pardes Learning Seminar.