Many of the passages refer to some aspect of marriage and relationships. We read about the rites of marriage itself. We also read about the laws of divorce. Unlike some religions, Judaism reluctantly accepts the need for a formal ending of a marriage.

However, just as a marriage involves a religious ceremony, so too a divorce involves a religious ritual — something that is perfectly logical. This takes the form of a ‘Bill of Severance’ known, of course, as a ‘Get’. Unless a ‘Get’ has been given, the marriage has enot ended in Jewish law and neither party may remarry.

If a married man dies childless, his widow may not remarry immediately. She must either marry her late husband’s brother or perform a ceremony at the Beth Din known as Chalitza. This entails removal of a special shoe from the foot of her husband’s brother (if the deceased did not have any living brothers she may remarry immediately).

Nowadays, the rabbis do not permit the first option and Chalitza is the only alternative.

Incidentally, any woman undergoing the Chalitza ceremony or a Get may not subsequently marry a Kohen. This includes remarrying one’s former husband (in the case of a get). Other than this restriction, a divorcee is fully permitted to remarry (unless there was a previous adulterous relationship with that man prior to a Get).

If a divorced lady remarries and subsequently divorces a second time — or is widowed, she may not remarry her first husband.

It is also forbidden to wear a garment containing wool and linen. This is known as Shaatnez.

The sedra concludes with a command to remember the atrocities of the Amalekites.

This is the portion read for Parshat Zachor. Many of the Nazis were thought to be descendants of Amalek!

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