Parshas Tzav—Parshas Zochor

This week, besides Parshas Tzav, we read the Maftir of Parshas Zochor, which contains the Mitzvah of “Timche es Zecher Amalek.” This Mitzvah is unique, as we are commanded to be absolutely ruthless and uncompassionate in our pursuit and destruction of Amalek. Meforshim point out that Mitzvah goes against our basic genetic makeup, as we know that Jews are inherently Rachmanim: we are not a violent people, and so a Mitzvah that requires ruthlessness is certainly noteworthy. In fact, as we see from the story told in Navi about Shaul fighting Amalek, the Mitzvah extends not only to the people, but to animals as well. The Medrash even seems to say that there is a Mitzvah to destroy the trees of Amalek! In Parshas Beshalach Hashem says about Amalek: “Ki Macha Emche es Zecher Amalek: I will erase the memory of Amalek.” The Ba’al HaTurim points out that the word “Emche” is used twice in the Torah: once here and once in regards to the Mabul (“Emche es HaAdam”). Just as during the Mabul everything on earth was totally destroyed, we are commanded to seek similar decimation for the children of Amalek. Why does the Torah require such unrelenting destruction when it comes to Amalek? Nowhere else do we see this level of destruction is required of the enemies of the Jews, what is different about Amalek? The Passuk, in referring to the story of Amalek attacking the Jews in the Midbar uses the words “Asher Karcha Baderech.” Chazal teach us that the word Karcha is related to Karah or happenstance. Amalek represents the notion of Mikreh—that things happen in this world for no reason, by coincidence. This is the Middah and the tactic that Amalek employs in their fight against the Jews. It is understandable that the idea of Mikreh runs counter to our perception of the world. We know that nothing happens "by chance” and that there is a master plan beyond our comprehension. But there are many ideas and attitudes that are opposed to the Derech HaTorah. What is it specifically about Amalek’s idea of Mikreh that is so offensive, and leads to the Mitzvah of Michias Amalek? I heard an interesting thought that might help us understand this. There are many nations in the world, and each is remarkable in its own right. While one may be more physically able, another may have more cerebral abilities. The nation that has the mightiest army may not produce the most intellectual advances, but each country and culture has something that sets it apart. Klal Yisroel is different. We are set apart not by our own strengths and weaknesses, but by virtue of the fact that we are the Am HaNivchar, Hashem’s chosen people. We don’t need rest on our accomplishments in the realm of the mundane, though many they may be, to be remarkable: we are inherently so because of our relationship with Hashem. This is why Amalek is different than other enemies of the Jews. Even if one serves Avodah Zarah and believes in a force other than Hashem—as our other historical enemies did—they can accept that there may be people, or a nation, that is favored by that force. Amalek, on the other hand, was totally Atheistic and could not accept that there was an Am Hanivchar. If one does not believe in any sort of Devine intervention into this world, it is impossible to assume that there is any sort of “chosen people” or that any nation is set apart for a reason other than tangible abilities or accomplishments. While other nations might resent us for it, or claim that we have lost our status or that that we stole something from them, they can recognize that there is a chosen nation—a concept that Amalek is diametrically opposed to. This is why our reaction to Amalek must be so strong, and our responsibility to destroy them so absolute: they are the antithesis of Klal Yisroel as the Am HaNivchar. Amalek, with their attitude of Mikreh, and their conviction that there is no reason that Klal Yisroel is any better than anyone else, cannot be left to stand. Because of this, specifically when Klal Yisroel is lacking in our own recognition of ourselves as the Am Hanivchar, Amalek has an opportunity to act. We first read of Amalek in Parshas Beshalach, and the Passuk tells us that Amalek came to fight Klal Yisroel in Rifidim. Chazal tell us that the location was so called because there “Rafu Yidehem min HaTorah: Their hands were weakened from the Torah.” In Rifidim there was some sort of a lessening of Klal Yisroel’s observance, and it was that Rifui that led to Amalek’s opening to attack. Which Mitzvos was the Rifui related to? Rifidim was before Matan Torah, they hadn’t yet received the entire Torah and all the Mitzvos. But it was after Marah, and in Marah we received the Tzivuy of Shabbos, Parah Aduma, Dinim and according to some Kibud Av V’em. These Mitzvos are all signify the special relationship that we have as a Nation with Hashem. Shabbos is an Os, a sign, of our relationship with Hashem, and it is reserved for Klal Yisroel—a non-Jew who observes Shabbos is Chayiv Misah. Parah Aduma is related to the laws of Tumah and Tahara, which again, are specific to Klal Yisroel to the exclusion of non-Jews. Additionally, the entire concept of a Chok is reserved for Klal Yisroel: we keep Chukim because of our unwavering devotion to the word of Hashem. Dinim, civil laws, are one of the Sheva Mitzvos B’nei Noach—non-Jews are responsible to set up court systems and have civil laws—so Klal Yisroel had the Mitzvah of Dinim even before Marah, to some extent. But in Marah we were given this Mitzvah on a different level, specifically as the Am Hanivchar. Kibud Av V’em also represents our identity as a nation as it highlights the importance of Mesorah—we have a special Kavod for our parents because they represent a link in the chain of the Mesorah. This too is unique to Jews. In Rifidim, on some level there was a loosing of our relationship to these Mitzvos, and this represented a lack of self-identity as the Am Hanivchar. When this happened, it created an opening for Amalek to act. This was true in the time of Mordechai as well. We know that the reason that Haman was allowed to make his decree was because we ate at the Seudas Achashverosh. The Jews at that time wanted to blend in with the other nations, who were all participating in the party. Their actual participation may not have constituted an Aveirah—Meforshim say they were served food of the highest standard of Kashrus: “La’asos K’ritzon Ish V’ish.” But the fact that they sought to act as the other nations, to join in the party with them, was again a lack of self-identity as the Am Hanivchar: we are different and we are better because of it. Mordechai realized that their attendance at the party was inappropriate and he warned them not to go, but his advice was not heeded. They felt that as there was no overt Halachic issue, the choice of whether or not to go was their own, and outside of Mordechai’s purview. This lack of attention to the words of their leader was itself contrary to our Mesorah—that everything in life can be viewed through the lens of the Torah, and our Chachamim are best suited to do so—and as such was also a weakening of our status as the Am Hanivchar. Haman, the direct descendant of Amalek, therefore had the opportunity to strike: when our status as Hashem’s children is weak in our eyes, Amalek can attack. But this concept also held the key to our ultimate salvation. When Esther learned of the evil plot of Haman, to destroy people just because they were Jews, and to erase any memory of a chosen nation, her reaction was immediate: “Lech Knos es Kol HaYehudim: Gather all the Jews together.” This was not a time for personal introspection; it was a time for us to act as a unit, as an Am. In this way we would be reminded that we are not just a group of people with similar backgrounds, we are the Am Hanivchar. Our actions as whole are greater than each of us as individuals, and if we gather together we can once again hold ourselves to the standard of the Am Hanivchar and Amalek will not have his opening to act. On Purim we commemorate this by doing Mitzvos that unite us: Mishloach Manos, Matanos L’evyonim, even the Seudah, are not Mitzvos that can be done privately and individually. The very nature of the Mitzvos Hayom require us to interact with others—and especially those who we may not interact with during the rest of the year—to remind ourselves that we are part of the Am Hanivchar, Hashem’s chosen people, and that we are not only different, but elevated. In this way we can prevent Amalek from having further opening to act against us.