[Par-reg] for Shabbat Zachor - 5768

Fri Mar 14 08:24:51 EDT 2008

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    THE TANACH STUDY CENTER  www.tanach.org
      In Memory of Rabbi Abraham Leibtag
   Shiurim in Chumash & Navi by Menachem Leibtag
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       Likrat Shabbat ZACHOR - 5768
   "Wiping out AMALEK" - Vendetta or Virtue?

	Had it not been for our custom to read Parshat
Zachor every year, the nation of Amalek most probably
would have been long forgotten.  So what's the logic
behind the Torah's 'eternal' command to 'wipe out their
memory'?
	In the following shiur, we attempt to answer
this question, by comparing this commandment of "zachor"
[to remember Amalek] with the other commandments of
"zachor" in Sefer Devarim.

PARSHAT ZACHOR IN THE CONTEXT OF SEFER DEVARIM
	Parshat Zachor (Devarim 25:17-19) is only one of
the numerous mtizvot that Moshe Rabeinu teaches Bnei
Yisrael in the "chukim u'mishpatim" section (chapters
12-=26) of his 'farewell address' in Sefer Devarim.  In
our shiurim on Sefer Devarim, we explained how those
laws, which Moshe Rabeinu is now teaching to the new
generation - were first given to him by God during the
first forty days, as an integral part of "brit Sinai".
We also explained how those laws provided guidelines for
exemplary behavior - as adherence to these laws would
transform the nation into a "mamlechet kohanim v'goy
kadosh" (see Shmot 19:5-6 & Devarim 26:16-19), i.e. a
people designated to represent God - the very essence of
the covenant at Mount Sinai. 
[For example, that section includes laws to establish an
exemplary judicial system (16:18-17:13), a just economic
system (chapters 14-15), and special laws for how God's
nation goes to war (chapter 20). It also contains many
laws relating to social justice (see chapters 22-25).]

	It is in this context that we must approach our
study of the underlying meaning of "zachor" in Parshat
Zachor.

TWO OTHER "ZACHOR"'s
    One chapter before Parshat Zachor, we find numerous
mitzvot that remind us of our need to help the poor and
needy, such as the orphan, widow and stranger (see
Devarim 24:10-22).  As a 'motivator' to encourage the
people of Israel to keep these laws, Moshe Rabeinu
reminds the people twice - "And you should remember -
that you were also once a slave in Egypt" (see 24:18 &
24:22, in their context).
Clearly, this commandment to 'remember that you were
once a slave in Egypt' is not to be understand as an
independent commandment - to simply remember a
historical event. Rather it serves as a statement of
motivation, reminding God's special nation of their need
to be extra sensitive to the needs of the downtrodden -
especially as they themselves were once taken advantage
of by the Egyptians (compare with Shmot 23:9 and Devarim
10:16-19!)
Earlier in chapter 24, we find yet another commandment
to "remember what God had done to Miriam" (see 24:8-9).
According to Ramban's beautiful interpretation of this
pasuk, this is to be understood as a positive
commandment not to speak "lashon harah" [evil speech].
Once again we find a commandment to remember a
historical event, for the primary purpose of improving
once personal behavior.  In other words, when we
'remember' what God did to Miriam, that 'memory' will
cause us to be more careful in our daily conversations
about other people.

REMEMBER WHAT AMALEK DID
        In this context, one can offer a very similar
approach to the explanation of the opening two psukim of
Parshat Zachor.  We must remember what Amalek did to us,
i.e. how they attacked the back lines of our camp;
specifically those who were tired and unprotected  (see
our TSC shiur on this topic on Parshat Beshalach,
especially in regard to the phrase "v'lo yarey Elokim").
We must remind ourselves of this despicable type of
behavior, not simply to increase our hatred of that
nation, but rather to increase our disgust from that
type of behavior.  
This approach neatly explains why this mitzvah continues
to have meaning, even way after there are no more
'genetic traces' of Amalek left.  The emphasis is not on
our need to remember to kill Amalek, but rather to
remember their terrible behavior - to remind ourselves
how we should not act.  In this manner, it becomes yet
another of one of the many mitzvot of Sefer Devarim,
where the active memory of certain historical events
serve to shape the very character of Am Yisrael as God's
model nation.

A JOB FOR THE KING 
         The final pasuk of Parshat Zachor (see 25:19)
leaves us with an interesting question.  Why does the
commandment to wipe out Amalek apply only after we have
achieved rest from our enemies that surround us?
If Amalek is a nation who's entire existence is
dedicated to looting and brutally stealing from those
who are unprotected (such as innocent, but unprotected
travelers on the international highways - see our shiur
on Parshat Beshalach) - this type of phenomena cannot be
uprooted by a single individual.  Rather, it can only be
accomplished by a sovereign nation - with an army and
the necessary resources in engage in such combat.
Hence, the practical application of the law only becomes
feasible once the Jewish people establish themselves as
a sovereign nation with a King.  [See Rambam Hilchot
Melachim 1:1-2, based on I Shmuel 15:1-4.]  
However, even after our own country has achieved
relative quiet and stability within it's on own borders,
nonetheless, it remains our international responsibility
to protect the 'unprotected travelers' in our region -
from raiders such as Amalek.  This may explain why the
mitzvah to wipe out Amalek, is only incumbent on the
King; while the mitzvah to remember Amalek applies to
every individual.

BETWEEN AMALEK & ISRAEL
 	If the Biblical Amalek represents a nation
dedicated to taking advantage of the vulnerable and
unprotected, the nation of Israel - especially according
to the laws in Sefer Devarim - represents precisely the
opposite type of behavior.  While Amalek searches out
the weak and unprotected - in order to loot and steal;
the nation of God searches out for the weak and
unprotected - in order to provide them with assistance
and support.  The individual Jew fights Amalek on a
daily basis by the way he acts.  He must remember what
Amalek did [wrong], to remind himself how he should act
[right].
	Just as the memory of our slavery in Egypt and
the acts of Miriam, serve as guides for our daily
behavior, so too the memory of Amalek.

AMALEK & ISRAEL TODAY
       Unfortunately, new forms of Amalek seem to appear
in every generation.  This last week, our people
suffered terribly as eight innocent and unprotected
Yeshiva students were gunned down by a terrorist in
Jerusalem.
This year on Shabbat Zachor, it will be difficult not to
remember that horrific incident.  Nonetheless, we must
also remember how the Jewish nation fights back.  On the
national level, God has blessed us with a sovereign
nation with the military capability to fight this type
of terror.   And we must pray for the success of all
their endeavors.  
However, as individuals, we must also remember how we
must act according to the guidelines of Sefer Devarim.
Just as Mordechi & Esther instituted "mishloach manot
ish l'reyahu" & "matanot l'evyonim" - active acts of
kindness-  to remember the victory of the Jewish people
over the Amalek of their time period - so too we must
remember - to think of innovative ways to help the
downtrodden of our own generation, in order to become
worthy of God's help in our struggle with the Amalek of
our own time period.

   			shabbat shalom,
			menachem

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