“Zachor Es Asher Asah Lecha Amalek”
“Remember that which what Amalek did unto you”
Parshas Ki Seitzei 25:17-19
The Halacha
dictates, (Orach Chaim, Siman 785 Se’if 7), that since the reading
of Parshas Zachor is considered by some Poskim, among them the
Trumas Hadeshen, to be Min HaTorah, a biblical commandment, it is
incumbent upon all Jews to listen to the Kriah being read in the
presence of a quorum of ten, a Minyan Asarah. It is therefore
considered by many, that the severity, or Chomer, of this Kriah
mandates that women also attend the reading of Parshas Zachor in the
synagogue, (Sefer Binyan Tziyon, in the name of HaGaon R’ Noson
HaKohein Adler Zt’l).
This Chiyuv, or
requirement, is actually based on the commandment to eradicate and
destroy the Nation of Amalek to avenge their treacherous attack on
the Jewish Nation upon their Exodus from Egypt as recounted in
Parshas Beshalach 17:8-16.
The Rambam explains
in Hilchos Melachim 5:5 that the Mitzvah to remember the evil deeds
of Amalek, “Zachor Es Asher Asah Lecha Amalek,” is intended to
reinforce and foster enmity in our hearts towards Amalek, thereby
motivating us to eradicate his memory by warfare.
The Rambam’s
categorization of the Mitzvah of Zechirah, remembering Amalek’s
deeds, as a stimulus to propel us to perform the Mitzvah of Mechiah,
eradication, poses some difficulty in understanding why we read
Parshas Zachor, which is in effect, our performance of the Mitzvah
of Zechirah.
A most interesting
question is that, Nashim, women, who are precluded from engaging in
Milchama, should be exempt from this Mitzvah. Why then do we find
this widely accepted, and well founded practice, (as mentioned
above), of Nashim attending the reading of Parshas Zachor?
[Although the issue
of our not having the Halachic infrastructure necessary to engage in
Milchama,(Malchus and Melech etc.) would seem to render the entire
Mitzvah of Zechirah moot in present times, the various Sifrei
Halacha offer many definitive solutions to this problem.]
In fact the Sefer
Hachinuch (Mitzva 703) makes this very point when arguing that
Nashim should be exempt from the Mitzvah of Zechirah, remembering
Amalek’s deeds, since women are not required to wage war.
One compelling
reason for the all-inclusive attendance of this Kriah, can be found
in the writings of HaGaon HaKadosh R’ Elchonon Wasserman H”yd, (Chidushei
Aggadah in Kovetz HaAros Siman 10).
R’ Elchonon
explains that in addition to Amalek being a nation that is at odds
with HaShem’s will, it is also representative of an inferior way
of life and force of evil that presently permeates and pollutes our
world and poses a threat to the spiritual well-being of each and
every Jew. When the Pasuk in Beshalach 17:16 declares, “Milchama
LaShem BaAmalek,” HaShem maintains a personal war against Amalek,
this means that this struggle is in fact the ultimate battle between
Good and Evil both in the world at large, as well as in the heart
and mind of every individual. This is why Chazal teach that the
salvation of Mashiach is only complete upon the destruction of
Amalek, (see Rashi Beshalach). In other words, it is not just
physical war that is called for, but an eradication of Amalek-like
tendencies and immorality both from ourselves as well the world at
large.
R’ Elchonon
proceeds to recount a fascinating comment his Rebbe, the Holy
Chofetz Chaim, Z’tl, made regarding the Yevsekes. (The Communist
Party created a Jewish Division, or Yevre-Sektzia, in order to
destroy Torah Judaism in Soviet Russia. The members of this
Division, all of whom were Jews, were called the Yevsekes. They were
known for their tragically horrific and murderous treatment of
rabbis and yeshivah students. They shed more Jewish blood in Russia
at the time of the Revolution than any other organized group.)
The Chofetz Chaim
said, “It is clear to me that they are Amalek!” His disciple R’
Elchonon explains that an individual, albeit of Jewish lineage, can
be, in fact, plummet to a level of depravity and sin that can only
be deemed as the personification of Amalek. He goes on to quote both
the Zohar as well as the Gaon of Vilna Z’tl as sources that discuss
this phenomenon.
In other words,
Amalike-like behavior is potentially not foreign to us at all. It
becomes quite clear now, that the battle against Amalek, is not
relegated to the battlefields of antiquity, but is very much
relevant to us today, both for Anashim as well as Nashim. It is
through reading this portion of the Torah that we strengthen our
resolve to sever any personal connection to anything that is Amalek-oriented,
as well as to move closer to HaShem through Torah and Mitzvos. May
we witness the victory of HaShem with the arrival of Moshiach
Tzidkeinu speedily, in our day. Amen.
Shabbat Shalom!
