Greetings,
This week's parashat is Parashat Tzav. Also, this week is Parashat Zachor, which is the second of four special parshiyot that we read during this time of year (Shekalim, Zachor, Parah, Hachodesh). From these four parshiyot, Zachor is probably the most important one, because it is a mitzvah from the Torah to read it. This Shabbat, it is important that we all read it. But, it would be nice if we were to understand what we were reading, as well, right? So I will write a shorthand of what happened, and they I will write down a loose translation of the parasha that we will be reading this week.
After we left Egypt, the entire world was scared of the Jewish people. We were untouchable. Hashem performed open miracles for us, and He even drowned an entire empire. The Egyptians were the most powerful nation in the world, and in a matter of minutes, they became simply nonexistent. Everyone was scared of us, and no one would dare do anything to threaten us in any way. But Amalek was not scared. He attacked the Jewish people. But he didn't attack our soldiers, our able-bodied warriors. He went to the end of the camp, and he attacked the weakest of the weak. He killed helpless infants and defenseless poor people. (I'm not sure if you are in tune with the news, but if you heard about the Fogel family that was brutally murdered this past Shabbat, the only thing you can think of is Amalek. Who can be so sick as to murder an infant? What can possibly be going on through your mind as you stab a 3-month-old baby? You must be proud of yourself, a real warrior. This is exactly what Amalek did - he attacked the helpless.) But the this had a tremendous effect. The entire world began to think twice. "Maybe the Jewish people are not so untouchable, after all." And Amalek opened the door, he gave other nations the necessary precedent and established a social norm, to attack the Jewish people. And not only did our enemies feel more confident, but this crushed the Jewish people, as well. The Jews began to doubt. "Why would Hashem allow something like this to happen to us? Maybe He's not with us anymore." The Jewish people were scared, and they feared. As you can see, Amalek changed the momentum of everything. He allowed the nations of the world to believe that they, too, can attack us. But even worse, they introduced an element of fear within the Jewish people. The Jews lacked complete faith in Hashem, due to Amalek's tragic attack.
This is a loose translation of the passukim:
"Remember that which Amalek did to you, on the way, when you were leaving Egypt, that he happened upon you on the way, when you were faint and exhausted, and he did not fear G-d. And when Hashem gives you rest from all your enemies in the Land that Hashem gives you as an inheritance to possess, you shall wipe out the memory of Amalek from under the heaven - you shall not forget!" (Devarim 25:17-19).
There are three things that we are told to do here:
(1) Remember what Amalek did; (2) wipe out Amalek's memory; and (3) not to forget what he did.
[Seemingly, (1) and (3) are the same thing - remembering that which Amalek did. It's just that (1) is said in a positive fashion ("remember") and (2) is said in a negative manner ("do not forget"). These two lines are referring to the same event, and they are, in effect, requiring the same thing. The only difference is that the negative aspect of this commandment ("do not forget") is an inner thing, in our hearts, that we should never forget what Amalek did, but that doesn't require that we actually verbalize it. The positive aspect of it ("remember") requires that we actually verbalize what Amalek did, remember it through words and through speech, which is why we are even reading this parasha this week.]
However, there is an apparent contradiction is this very small portion. Are we supposed to remember what Amalek did? Yes. In fact, we must even verbalize it. But the second command of this parasha is: you shall wipe out the memory of Amalek from under the heaven. If I need to wipe out his memory, why do I keep bringing him up? On one hand, you tell me to forget about it, to wipe out his memory from this world. On the other hand, you won't let me forget it. You require that I say it all the time. So what am I supposed to do? Should I forget about what he did, remove his memory, or should I keep on remembering it? To forget, or not to forget? That is the question.
I posed this question over breakfast this week, and one of my friends offered the following answer. The phrase you shall wipe out the memory of Amalek from under the heaven, is referring to a physical action. We are commanded to kill any offspring of Amalek. So I asked him, but the verse states, "you shall wipe out the memory." He responded that "memory" here means the remaining, the remnant, the remainder. Eradicate the remainder of Amalek, i.e. his children. So we have to remember that which he did, but we have to eradicate Amalek himself from this world. There is no longer a contradiction. Eradicate him, but hold onto what he did.
I believe that this is a wonderful answer. It is not the one that I have thought of, but I think it is great.
The answer that I thought it (I may have heard it, but I'm not sure) has a different twist to it. The first and third commandments in this parasha ("remember" and "don't forget") are referring to the action that he did. We must never forget that we have enemies, and that our worst enemy attacked the weakest amongst us. We have to constantly remind ourselves this. But what does the Torah mean when it says you shall wipe out the memory of Amalek from under the heaven? We must wipe out the effect that he had on us. We must forget about the effect. As I have explained, Amalek introduced a fear amongst the Jewish people. He made us doubt ourselves, and even doubt Hashem, chas veshalom. We are obligated to eliminate that fear. That little voice in our heads that say, "Maybe Hashem is not protecting us" - that doubt came from Amalek, and that is exactly what we must forget. Remove it from your nature. Hashem will always be there, and there is nothing that He cannot do. If you explain it this way, there is no contradiction in the Torah. We are obligated to remember what Amalek did - but, we must remove the effect that he left on us.
After the tragedy in Itamar this past Shabbat, one may fear our enemies and think that we are helpless. But that is Amalek's effect. That is exactly what we are commanded to wipe out. As we read Parashat Zachor this Shabbat, realize that no matter what our enemies want to do to us, they can never break us. They may be successful in murdered a 3-month-old baby, but they can't shake our belief. They are sick in their heads, and we must remember that forever. But we must not allow them to lose confidence in ourselves.
Be'ezrat Hashem, may this be the last incident that we ever see from Amalek. May Hashem protect us, and may we all have a stronghold belief in Hashem and His protection.
Sincerely yours,
Adam Sabzevari
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