Don’t be Cool - Tetzave Zachor 5786

“Zachor et asher assa lecha Amalek.”  Remember what Amalek did to you...  This section of Deuteronomy (Devarim 25:17-19) is always read, in addition to the regular weekly Parsha, on the Shabbat before Purim.  We take two Torahs out of the Ark, and after reading the Parsha of Tetzave, we roll up the Torah and then open the second Torah and read “Parshat Zachor.”

Listening to the reading of Parshat Zachor is considered a Biblical commandment, as the verse itself says: Remember Amalek.  Mitzvot are active, and “remember” doesn’t mean just in the mind, but to say the words from the Torah.  This is similar to the Mitzvah of “Remember the Shabbat day to sanctify it.  This verse also begins with the word “Zachor, and means to actually recite the Kiddush.

In the days when many Jews lived alone in rural places, running farms or roadside inns and bars, they would make every effort to come to town for this Shabbat to hear the Torah reading.  Today it is much easier to arrange.  People who don’t live within walking distance to a Shul can stay with a friend, or at a hotel or Airbnb for Shabbat.  

This Mitzvah of remembering Amalek, in addition to the annual Torah reading, is observed daily.  At the end of the morning service we say the verse “Zachor...Amalek” as one of the “six remembrances that we are obligated to say every day.  Why the obsession with remembering Amalek?  As the Torah describes it, when the Jews left Egypt the nation of Amalek met them on the way and fought against them to try to stop them from going to Sinai to receive the Torah.  That happened over 3,000 years ago.  How long can we carry a grudge?

We can answer this question on two levels.  First of all, Amalek is not just history.  The descendants of Amalek have been a threat to our existence throughout the ages, and still continue to be today.  While there are many antisemites in the world, what stands out about Amalek is their unconditional, unbridled and unprovoked deep hatred of us.   It is pervasive and constant and cannot be explained.This was Haman’s reason to try to destroy the Jews.  He came up with false excuses, but his real reason was Amalakite hatred.

I think the best way to describe this Mitzvah of Zachor is that the Torah warns us to always remember and never forget Amalek’s nature, because when we do, they come and bite us.  We cannot apply regular logic to these people.  “If we are nice to them, they’ll be nice to us.”  This is precisely what the Torah warns us against.  Remember that Amalek hates you, and there is nothing you can do to change that.  Unfortunately we saw that dynamic play out a couple of years ago in Israel, followed by a lot of the rest of the world.  There are others who may have biases and false perceptions of us, and they often can be convinced of the fallacy of their ideas and that their hatred (often fueled by Amalek’s public relations and press reporting) is baseless, but not Amalek.

Then on a mystical level, Amalek is a voice of evil within each of us.  As in the time of the Exodus, we often get excited to get away from our “Egypt,” the “exile” that our soul experiences in our negative drives and habits, the darkness of our environment and perhaps the toxic ideas we have developed, and move toward “Sinai,” a life of Torah and light.  Along comes that Amalek within us and says: “Come on, what are you so excited about?”  As the verse states about Amalek:  “Asher karcha baderech.”  The simple translation is that Amalek “met you on the way” to receive the Torah.  But the word “karcha” also means “who cooled you off.”  Our sages compare the story of Amalek to a person who sees a boiling hot bath tub that everyone is afraid to touch.  The fool jumps in and gets burned, but  he has cooled it off for others.  This was Amalek.  Hashem had performed many miracles for the Jews and destroyed the world superpower, Egypt.  Everyone was terrified to mess with the Jews.  Amalek jumped in and went to war against them.   “Asher Karcha,” Amalek “cooled you off.”

This is the internal Amalek.  The irrational doubt that gets in the way of any spiritual excitement that moves us toward Sinai.  The excitement comes from the recognition of the greatness of Torah and the immense satisfaction of living our purpose.  It is natural for our Divine soul to feel that excitement and fire.  But almost inevitably we begin to doubt, to “cool down,” and that is sometimes the end of our growth.

Remember Amalek every day.  Let the soul express itself and celebrate the want and heat of Torah.  When the doubt creeps in, remember that this is Amalek, coming with excuses and perspectives that may seem rational, but whose source is the desire to stop any spiritual excitement and movement in the direction of Sinai.  

In truth, this approach of not allowing Amalek to cool us off also applies to the physical Amalek.  At as meeting of local community leaders the other day, Rabbi Yitzchak Feldman pointed out that our response to the haters should not be to engage them or to back off in any way on our Judaism.  Our response should be to strengthen our Judaism, to learn what the Torah teaches about what it means to be a Jew and to enhance our Jewish connection and observance.  Remember Amalek and don't let him hinder you.

Just as we saw the end of Haman, we will see the end of our current Amalekite enemies.  Purim is the time of great miracles and a mighty Divine revelation.  It is also a wonderful opportunity to overcome our inner Amalek and reconnect to Torah.  The joy of Purim leads to true inner joy all year.  And we tap into it by connecting with the practical Mitzvot of the day.  To hear the Megillah reading from the scroll Monday night and Tuesday, to give gifts of food to friends and acquaintances (or strangers) and charity to at least two poor people (or to a fund that distributed the charity to the poor); and to celebrate with a festive meal on Tuesday, with bread and wine and more.

Happy Purim!