It is told that just before the reading of Parshas Zachor, the Brisker Rov would seclude himself for a few moments. He would emerge soon after with a stern and even angry expression. His close talmidim explain that he was fulfilling the directive of the Rambam, who teaches that in order to properly perform the mitzvah of remembering what Amaleik did to us, we must arouse in ourselves hatred for this arch-enemy of Klal Yisroel. I am not certain if Hamas is a modern-day Amaleik or not. There is a mesorah from the Brisker Rov’s father, Rav Chaim Soloveitchik (see Teshuvos Vehanhagos, Purim, page 109), that states that all those who deny Hashem and His omnipotence are considered Amaleik and we must wage war against them. I would venture to say that none of us need to enter a room to inspire ourselves to hate Hamas. Just thinking about the tragic image of the Bibas brothers Hy”d is certainly enough to evoke that animosity and aversion. But if, indeed, Hamas is one manifestation of Amaleik, what can each of us do to counteract their evil and tumah? Most of us are not fighting on the front lines and are not capable of helping the cause directly. So, what is our obligation at this special time of the year?
My rebbi, Rav Yitzchok Hutner (Pachad Yitzchok, Purim, Inyan 3), cites a fascinating takanah, a statute established by Dovid Hamelech in the war against Amaleik. The pesukim (Shmuel I 30:24-25) tell us that Dovid instituted the rule that soldiers at the front and those behind the lines, guarding vessels and utensils, should share equally in the spoils of war. The rosh yeshiva makes a beautiful connection between the first Kabbolas HaTorah at Sinai and the second at Purim. He links those who are learning Torah for the first time with those who are reviewing their studies.
However, I would like to add a dimension to this important connection. We know from Medrashim (Esther Rabbah 8:5; Yalkut Shimoni, Esther 1056) that the essence of Amaleik’s heresy is that he tries to instill in the world—and particularly in Klal Yisroel—that the universe is controlled by coincidence. The entire focus upon a pur—lottery—that gives the Yom Tov its name signifies this issue, which defines our great philosophical battle with Amaleik. They say that Hashem does not exercise Hashgocha Protis—Divine Providence—over the world. We, on the other hand, believe that Hashem controls everything.
The Netziv (Ha’amek Dovor, Bamidbar 24:9 and 20) makes it clear that “Moshe Rabbeinu wanted to demonstrate to Klal Yisroel that Hashem is in charge even when there are no apparent miracles. Even when the laws of nature have not been openly broken, Hashem is there with us, taking care of us.” Of course, Klal Yisroel knew that Hashem was performing the colossal miracles of the ten plagues and Krias Yam Suf, but we had still not fully understood or accepted that our daily lives are also completely under His aegis. That is the reference to the words mikreh and korohu, which recur throughout our encounters with Amaleik and Haman. These enemies try to infect us with the thinking that when we can’t perceive Hashem openly, it is the laws of nature that are in charge. Moshe Rabbeinu, however, counteracts this by showing us that even what seem to be military victories are actually the very same Yad Hashem.
This explains Dovid Hamelech’s takanah as well. Everyone instinctively understands that the soldiers are fighting, while those behind the scenes are not. Dovid’s rule is a teaching moment, reminding us that all we need to do is our hishtadlus and leave the rest to the Creator. The Vilna Gaon (see Sefer Emunah Vehashgocha) calls Amaleik “the first and most egregious of the deniers of Hashem’s omnipotence.” One of the things that we can all do, even if we are not soldiers or even in Eretz Yisroel, is to strengthen our emunah in Hashem. What seem to be inconsistencies, G-d forbid, in the world are merely a lack of understanding on our part.
In preparing for a parlor meeting on behalf of Lev L’Achim this week, I had the privilege of speaking to one of the leaders of this wonderful organization. He shared with me that he cannot remember a time when so many previously irreligious Jews were thirsting for Yiddishkeit and looking to become baalei teshuvah. It is perhaps they who are seeing more than those of us who have always had Hashem in our lives. They perceive that all the promises of the experts, politicians, and pundits have proven empty and useless. Even many of those who have suffered the most, with unspeakable tragedies, have turned to Hashem and embraced belief and bitachon in the Ribono Shel Olam. This, in and of itself, should inspire us all to see that Hashem is drawing His children closer than ever.
Rav Moshe Chaim Luzzato (Derech Hashem 4:4) wrote of this three centuries ago, when he said that “when we begin to recognize Hashem’s monarchy, He reveals even more.” This is a time for us to give chizuk to those who have suffered and continue to be in pain. They are looking to us, maaminim bnei maaminim, to strengthen them on their difficult journey, and this may be our role at this trying time for us all.
Interestingly, the Sefas Emes (Bamidbar 24:20) defines the evil of Amaleik in one word. The Torah says, “Reishis goyim Amaleik.” The Sefas Emes notes that the first letters of these words spell rega, meaning a moment. He explains that, often, Amaleik steps in when the yeshuah and geulah are very close, and in a split second, he ruins the salvation.
For instance, at Krias Yam Suf, Klal Yisroel was universally on the level of nevuah, all the nations were trembling before us, and the geulah could have been shleimah. Even Rochov described the scene to the meraglim as “none of us had the breath to stand up against you because Hashem, your G-d, is the Master of heaven above and the earth below” (Yehoshua 2:11). At that propitious moment, Amaleik, as Rashi (25:18) says, came and “cooled off the hot bathwater.” Where just moments before the world was in awe of Hashem and His people, we no longer seemed invincible. That was the crucial rega, which delayed geulah for millennia. An incredible tragedy. Although Yehoshua weakened Amaleik (Shemos 17:13), the damage was done, and the great geulah was postponed for what has seemed like forever.
Additionally, there is a well-known gematria. Amaleik adds up to 240, equaling the same number as safeik, which means doubt. Amaleik did not preach atheism as much as agnosticism. They didn’t seek to prove that there is no G-d as much as to poison us into thinking that there is no valid proof of His existence. Even more subtly, while they have admitted that there are moments when G-d manifests Himself to us, the rest of the time, it is “Mother Nature” or some other euphemistic term that removes Hashem from being an active participant in our lives. It is Purim that restores Hashem to our everyday lives because the Megillah doesn’t reference Hashem’s name at all. In fact, He is hidden inside the misleading word Hamelech, the King, which could mean a frail mortal or the Creator of the universe. Amaleik’s depravity is such that he is willing to get burned and even scalded just to remove emunah from our system.
This approach explains why Amaleik is referred to by Chazal (Shemos Rabbah 27:6), based upon Mishlei (19:25), as a letz, a scoffer. He is cynical and sarcastic about Hashem and Klal Yisroel. Of course, he not only cannot disprove that Hashem is the Creator, but he has personally seen and experienced His power. Amaleik’s strength lies in claiming that miracles are severely limited in time and place, whereas nature is ubiquitous. Through pirsumei nisa—spreading word of the miraculous rescue of Klal Yisroel from an Amaleik descendent—we annually have the opportunity to override Amaleik’s blasphemy.
This year, perhaps even more than most previous ones, we have the ability to tap into the wave of teshuvah rising like a righteous tsunami throughout the world. This rising tide proves once again that it is not logic or science that triumphs in the end. It is the word of Hashem and innate Jewish heart and soul that will be victorious in the end and at the End of Days as well. May it be speedily in our days, bimeheirah beyomeinu.
A freilichen Purim to all.
