Vulnerability. Yes, we are vulnerable. Today, too, in 2025.
“Don’t take anything for granted” is the thought that goes through the mind at this time of the year.
Many people correctly associate Parshas Zachor and Purim with great simcha, with upbeat anticipation. And yes, that is definitely an important ingredient in these days of Adar, when we increase our simcha. Still, Parshas Zachor and Purim also show us just how vulnerable we really are and how we are completely dependent on Hashem’s chesed. If there is anything we can learn from the story of Amaleik and the story of Purim, it is that we can never feel secure. It is only Hashem’s kindness that keeps us secure.
From the Highest Heights to the Lowest Depths
Let’s look at what happened in the story of Amaleik. The Bnei Yisroel had just experienced the most supernatural miracles. The Egyptians, who had tormented them for generations, forcing them to be slave laborers, had gotten their just deserts as Hashem brought one plague after another, decimating them and destroying their country.
Then, after they left, the Egyptians engaged in one last-ditch effort to bring back their slaves, and it seemed as if they were succeeding. Suddenly, Hashem made the neis of all nissim, splitting the Yam Suf, thereby allowing the Bnei Yisroel to cross, and then dumping the sea on the beleaguered Egyptians.
At that point, it was clear that no one “messes” with the Bnei Yisroel. The Bnei Yisroel had every right to be confident that no one would dare start up with them. After all, the entire world had seen and heard what had happened.
What happened? Something else entirely.
Amaleik slyly decided to confront the Bnei Yisroel and tried to kill them all, every last Yid. It was a serious war, and the Bnei Yisroel almost lost the war. If Moshe’s hands would have faltered, who knows what would have happened? The story of Amaleik showed them that as convinced as you are that you are okay, that you are secure, you really are not.
That is the lot of the Jew in golus. He is never secure. Things can always change.
From “A Sister in the Palace”… to Haman
The Purim story shows a similar theme. The Jews had a lot of influence in the court of King Achashveirosh. They even had a sister in the palace whom they could rely on. Yet, things could turn on their head very quickly, and they did.
Suddenly, Haman gained tremendous influence. He bribed greedy Achashveirosh with the thought of tremendous riches if he would just agree to the annihilation of the Jews.
All of a sudden, everything changed. From having a sister in the palace and influential ministers such as Mordechai, a death sentence hung over their heads. Things moved so quickly.
The Best of Times and the Worst of Times
Observing the present situation of the Jews throughout the world brings with it a contrasting sense of security and trepidation. The Oval House fiasco last week between the president, the vice president, and Ukrainian President Zelensky was a reminder of how quickly things can go south.
Let’s take a realistic look at the situation in which Jews find themselves. On the one hand, these seem to, in some ways, be the best of times in golus. We have a president of the United States who stands with Jews and who has vowed to protect Jews and prosecute those who oppress Jews on campuses across the country and elsewhere. He also has shown himself to be an ally of Israel and probably the first president to realize that the Palestinians can’t just be “reformed,” and no amount of “talks” and concessions will cure them from their diabolical, genocidal hatred of the Jews.
That is great.
On the other hand, Jews, even in America, are facing significant threats from both the right and the left. The threats from the left have become more and more glaringly obvious since October 7th. Almost the entire academia and large swaths of the Democrat Party don’t just tolerate overt anti-Semitism and Jew-hatred. Many of them encourage it. Not just the Tlaib, Omar, and AOC division of the party, but even those who have purported to be our friends, such as Charles Benedict Schumer, have shown us clearly that the Jews are the problem and the Jews are expendable.
The leftist international organizations such as the UN, the ICC, et al., have shown that the only time they might sympathize with the Jews is when the Jews are dead, r”l.
Thus, the left certainly poses a threat to the Jews.
The “Tucker Carlson” Wing
The reaction to the meeting in the Oval Office this past Friday with Ukrainian leader Zelensky was concerning to me. Let me explain.
The Trump coalition is comprised of many disparate groups with different interests. As any reader of this column knows, we have found common ground with the president on many matters. His anti-woke stance, his pro-Israel stance, his clear-eyed understanding of the world and his ability to destroy paradigms that either don’t work or are unrealistic have truly been game-changers. His curiosity to look at all government funding and so many other matters that career bureaucrats from both parties have been hiding from the people for decades has been very refreshing.
That said, there is another very important component in the Trump coalition that may share some interests with us but at their core are very different and possibly dangerous. For lack of a better term, we will call this the “Tucker Carlson wing” of the party. It is a very large, very powerful wing. This wing purports to want America to stop being the world’s policeman, stop getting involved in foreign wars, and start being ruthlessly pro-American. The problem is that there is a strong current of anti-Semitism and wariness of Jews in that wing. Anyone who has seen Carlson’s views since he left Fox News and is more at liberty to express them cannot help but be concerned, not because of Carlson himself, as he is just one person, but the worldview he represents is enthusiastically backed by many millions.
Watching their gleeful reaction to the takedown of Zelensky was, frankly, scary. Yes, Zelensky behaved foolishly. The Oval Office was not the place to take on the president. Yes, he had a lot coming to him, but that is not the point. The point is that they want America to become isolationist and nativist, and that always leaves the Jews as the “other.” When the haters see an opening, they always come out of the woodwork.
The way they are almost goading Trump to support Putin, a ruthless dictator, and are being gleeful about it, shows that they couldn’t care less if America abandons any allies.
A Chilling Reality
That is chilling.
In addition, Europe has also gotten the message. The message is that they can no longer rely on America for anything. Therefore, they must rearm.
I don’t think that any Jew who knows history should be happy about Europe going on a frenzied rearmament binge. Europe with strong armies was never good for the Jews.
In the times of Amaleik, when we thought things were finally going smoothly, they were upended. At the time of Purim, when we had influence, Haman came along and upended everything. We were only saved because of Hashem alone. So too, in our times, we should never depend on anyone or any country to save us.
All we have is Hashem. Ein lonu lehisha’ein ela al Avinu shebashomayim.
