This Shabbos is the last Shabbos before we celebrate the holiday of Purim. Haman, the villain of the Purim story was a descendant of Amalek, we, therefore, read a special maftir reading about the mitzvah to destroy Amalek this Shabbos. “…you shall wipe out the memory of Amalek from under the Heaven – you shall not forget!” (Devarim 25:19)
What is unique about Amalek that they are the only nation that must be “wiped out”? The Jewish people have had many enemies, why must Amalek be completely destroyed?
Rav Yitzchak Hutner Z”l, discusses the essence of Amalek in his first essay in Pachad Yitzchak, Purim volume. Rav Hutner points to the prophetic statement of Bilam, “First of nations is Amalek, and its end is utter destruction.”(Bamidbar 24:20) The Midrash explains Bilam’s intent; Amalek was the first nation to attack the Jewish people after their miraculous exodus from Egypt and Amalek will be utterly destroyed in the end of days unlike the other nations who will repent and serve Hashem when He reveals Himself. Rav Hutner asks what makes Amalek unique among all the nations of the world that they have no part in the end of days, they do not even have the opportunity to repent. What makes them worse than all the other idolaters, atheists, and anti-semites of the world? Rav Hutner also notes that Bilam’s words are not merely poetic, there is deep meaning behind his words, there must be a correlation between Amalek being the first to attack the Jewish people and their ultimate doom.
Rav Hutner explains that the fact that Amalek was the first to attack the Jewish people was not merely a crime that they committed, it was an expression of their essence. Rashi in his commentary to the maftir reading of Zachor cites the Midrash Tanchuma which comments on the words “asher karcha baderech.” The Midrash uses an analogy comparing Amalek to a lawless individual who jumped into a boiling hot tub; though he was burned, he cooled it for others. “Karcha” can be translated “who cooled you.” The Jewish people were that boiling hot tub. Before Amalek’s attack the Jewish nation was untouchable; who would dare attack the nation of G-d!? Amalek’s actions changed that forever, they made opposing the Jewish people into a reality.
Rav Hunter takes this further and explores why Amalek was the first to attack the Jewish people. He cites the Midrash Shemos Rabba (27:6) that describes Amalek as the letz, scoffer. A letz mocks important things, he has no values, nothing is important in his eyes. This is Amalek, even the nation of G-d, who had just exited Egypt after Hashem Himself brought the mighty Egypt to it knees, was nothing special in the eyes of Amalek. They were unphased, unimpressed, and willing to attack.
Rav Hutner explains that there is a fundamental difference between an idolater and a scoffer, which explains the difference between the rest of the nations of the world and Amalek. An idolater answers to a higher power, he has values, but they are misplaced. A scoffer answers to no one, he has no values at all, nothing matters to the scoffer, to Amalek. This is the depth of mockery, to take something important and turn it into a joke. When Hashem reveals Himself in the end of days, the truth will become clear to the entire world. All the nations of the world will redirect their worship and values to Hashem and Torah. But Amalek is hopeless, they were witness to great revelation, the exodus from Egypt, but they remained unchanged. Hashem’s revelation in the end of days will be no different, even when the truth is clear, Amalek will not repent.
“First of nations is Amalek, and his end is utter destruction,” that same Amaleki philosophy that “nothing matters” led Amalek to be the first to attack and that same philosophy is why their end is utter destruction. This is why Amalek must be destroyed, because they have no future, they will never take part in Hashem’s purpose in creation.
In the end of Parshas Beshalach the Torah identifies the location of Amalek’s attack, “Amalek came and battled Yisroel in Rephidim.” Our Sages teach that the name Rephidim alludes to the fact that the Jewish people were weak in their Torah study, “raphuy yedeihem min a HaTorah”. Rav Hutner notes that the more typical language used to express a lack of Torah study is “bitul Torah” here a different language is used? Rav Hutner explains that the short-coming that brought on Amalek’s attack was not a lack of Torah study but the way it was done, it was weak, lacking appreciation for the value and significance of Torah. This is what brought Amalek who says that nothing matters.
We may not be able to fulfill the mitzvah to eradicate Amalek in the literal sense, but we can fight Amalek’s philosophy. To fight Amalek’s philosophy, we need to be careful not fall into the ways of a scoffer, never to make light of serious matters. When we allow the opportunity to do a mitzvah to excite us, we are wiping out Amalek. When the fire of Torah burns inside of us, when we study Torah with an intensity hanging on every word, we are wiping out Amalek. When we are passionate about strengthening our relationship with Hashem, we are wiping out Amalek. “You shall not forget!”