English translation — תצא ד

1.

At the conclusion of the series on the verses¹

"Remember what Amalek did to you on the way when you went out of Egypt ..

you shall not forget",

our Sages, of blessed memory, say²

that "remember" is "with the mouth" and "you shall not forget" is "with the heart".

Regarding this it stands in the Torat Kohanim³

on "Remember the Sabbath day to sanctify it⁴

- one might think in your heart; when it says 'guard' behold heart-guarding is stated; what then do I uphold 'remember'? That it should be repeated in your mouth."

This comparison of the remembrance of Shabbat and the remembrance of the deed of Amalek is also found regarding the time of remembrance:

Regarding the remembrance of Amalek, the Rambam says⁵

: It is a positive commandment to remember <b>always</b> his evil deeds and his ambush in order to arouse hatred against him, as it is said: "Remember what Amalek did to you."

(And he then adds: "From the oral tradition they learned: 'Remember' with the mouth, 'do not forget' in the heart.")

- that "Remember what Amalek did to you" is a <b>constant</b> commandment⁶.

that the commandment of remembering Amalek is

its obligation once,

or once a year,

etc. - it can be said,

that also they hold&lt;sup&gt;8&lt;/sup&gt;

that when one mentions the episode of Amalek &lt;b&gt;every day&lt;/b&gt;&lt;sup&gt;9&lt;/sup&gt;

one fulfills each time&lt;sup&gt;10&lt;/sup&gt;

a commandment from the Torah&lt;sup&gt;11&lt;/sup&gt;].

Similarly, we also find regarding the remembrance of Shabbos,

whose main subject is "Remember the day of Shabbos to sanctify it" - on the day of Shabbos¹²,

but the Ramban says¹³

"according to the simple meaning",

that the verse "Remember the day of Shabbos to sanctify it - it is a commandment that we should always remember, every day, the Shabbos."

B.

Based on the above, one can seemingly add explanation in the Tanchuma¹⁴

on the verse "Remember what Amalek did to you": "Here it is written 'remember' and by Shabbos it is written 'remember'; both are <b>equal</b>

(in wonder)

said Shlomo, etc.';"

Also what he says in Pirkei d'Rabbi Eliezer¹⁵,

that when Moshe Rabbeinu said: "Remember what Amalek did to you on the way when you went out of Egypt," Israel said to Moshe Rabbeinu: One verse says "Remember what Amalek did to you" and another verse says "Remember the Sabbath day to sanctify it," how can both be fulfilled, this "Remember" and that "Remember"? -

Because both the remembrance of Shabbat and the remembrance of Amalek is: a)

The remembrance in speech

(In addition to the remembrance <b>in the heart</b>),

b)

The constant remembrance,

Both <b>already</b> - and therefore one asks: "How can both be fulfilled",

Since

(According to this view)

They are both constant commandments.

But in truth one cannot explain it this way¹⁶,

because on the contrary we find additional matters whose remembrance must be every day

(in the manner of the remembrance of¹⁷

the Exodus from Egypt¹⁸

and the like)¹⁹,

it is understood that even when two

(or more)

remembrances are constant commandments they are not a contradiction one to the other,

because there is room for both or more remembrances.

that it need not be every moment of the day; and also the remembrance in the heart,

even if one accepts that it must be <b>constantly </b>in his heart - it is also not a hindrance to another constant remembrance in his heart - and the proof: there are six commandments²⁰

which the Chinuch²¹

says that "their obligation <b>constantly </b>does not cease from a person even <b>a moment </b>all his days"]²².

3.

Also one must understand what the Pirkei d'Rabbi Eliezer says in the answer of

Moshe Rabbeinu: "He said to Moshe: Not similar is a cup of konditon to a cup of vinegar; this cup and that cup,

remember to guard and to sanctify the Shabbos day, as it is said: Remember the Shabbos day to sanctify it, and this is 'remember' for punishment" -

a)

How is this question - how can both remembrances be together - answered with the excuse of Moshe Rabbeinu?

b)

In what consists the similarity to the cup of condiment and of <b>vinegar</b>.

3)

What is the exact nuance "this <b>cup</b> and this <b>cup</b>".

What is he here <b>innovating</b>,

that Shabbos is "remember to guard and to sanctify etc. and this remember for punishment" - it is indeed <b>explicit</b> in the commandments from the outset that the purpose of remembering Amalek is <b>the opposite</b> of "remember the day of Shabbos".

4)

4.

The explanation in this:

In mitzvos in general there are three types: mitzvos that are in action,

mitzvos that are in speech,

and mitzvos that are in thought.

And the perfection in the fulfillment of the mitzvos is,

that also mitzvos that are in action should be with the intention and thought of the person; and on the other hand: also mitzvos that are in speech and in thought should have an effect upon the person until in actual deed²³,

And regarding faith in the heart - what needs to effect &lt;b&gt;fulfillment of all the commandments&lt;/b&gt;,

and as our sages of blessed memory said*&lt;sup&gt;23&lt;/sup&gt;

Habakkuk came &lt;b&gt;and established them &lt;/b&gt;on one, as it is said, "And the righteous shall live by his faith."

Among these commandments

(in speech and thought)

themselves are divided the

Mitzvos whose concept is remembrance — that even when the remembrance must be through speech,

but its content and purpose is the thought and intention of the person; the true remembrance is not the verbal reminder

(and in thought — transient)

of the mentioned concept,

but that it should “grasp” him,

his entire essence,

he lives over the concept that he remembers²⁴.

And as is also understood from the language of the Rambam regarding the remembrance of Amalek²⁵

that this must bring about that “we awaken the souls with words to fight him”.

And therefore the question arises: How can there be a remembrance

(state and arousal of the souls)

together of two such opposite concepts,

like Shabbos and Amalek?

Granted, regarding the six mentioned mitzvos — faith in God, love of Him, fear of Him, etc. — a constant remembrance that includes them together is applicable to them,

since they are all of one type and content

(connection to the Above through faith,

love and fear²⁶

etc.)

; but Shabbos and Amalek are, in their content, very far from each other,

to the extent — opposites from one extreme to the other:

The content of the remembrance of the Sabbath day is that through this "we remember the act of creation at all times and we give thanks at all times that the world has a Creator"&lt;sup&gt;27&lt;/sup&gt;,

and as the Chanokh&lt;sup&gt;28&lt;/sup&gt;

says: "We fix in our hearts the belief in the renewal of the world, for in six days the Lord made, etc."

D.

The remembrance of the Sabbath day consists in that one constantly remembers that the Creator created the world and He renews daily, constantly, the act of creation,

and consequently it is understood that in this remembrance it is heard and felt how the Creator is the ruler and master of the world and of everything that is in the world.

Amalek,

whose essence is indeed,

as known²⁹

"knows his Master and intends to rebel against Him"; d.

H.

h.

not only that he knows about the existence of G‑dliness,

but moreover,

he knows that the Supreme One is <b>his Master</b>,

a master over him,

over the world and nevertheless he is "<b>intends</b> to rebel against Him"; his entire intention and action is to rebel against G‑dliness,

to negate the dominion of the Supreme One.

And consequently, when there needs to be among Jews the remembrance of Amalek,

although the intention in this is to negate the essence of Amalek — and as this is simply understood,

that the purpose of "Remember what Amalek did to you" is: "<b>you shall blot out</b> the memory of Amalek"³⁰

— but there must be heard in the remembrance that according to Torah there is a reality of a rebellion against G‑d

(which brings about the reality of the commandment "you shall blot out"),

it is a contrary remembrance to the remembrance of Shabbat.

And this Jews argued: "How can both be fulfilled, this 'remember' and this 'remember'": since for both there must be a true remembrance,

so how can it consist of two opposite subjects,

the memory of the day of Shabbat which must permeate the entire essence of a Jew with the feeling that the Supreme One is the Master of the entire world,

and together with this he should truly remember that there is a reality of Amalek,

which rebels against the dominion of the Supreme One over the world&lt;sup&gt;31&lt;/sup&gt;.

He.

To this Moses our teacher answered: "A cup of sweet wine is not comparable to a cup of vinegar; this cup and that cup are 'remember' to guard and to sanctify ..

and this 'remember' is for punishment."

And the explanation: vinegar

one finds two opposite matters: this is a thing that is not fit for drinking; and on the other hand,

our sages say

that vinegar restores the soul.

Moreover: one finds in several places

that vinegar is considered not as an entity in itself,

but as a thing that comes from wine.

In the inner dimension of matters it means: also Amalek

(vinegar)

has a root in holiness,

i.e.,

that is,

the very thing,

that there should be able to be an existence of "intending to rebel against Him",

when in truth "there is none besides Him",

is

This from the aspect of the power of the Above

that He is omnipotent.

But the revelation of the Godly root of Amalek

occurs through that which one nullifies and erases the “intending to rebel against Him” of Amalek — then his inner root is revealed,

that also such an existence which is “intending to rebel against Him” is no contradiction to Godliness.

And this is sweetened — and in accordance with the principle

“Everything that the Merciful One forbade us, He permitted us its equivalent” — one finds something similar, to distinguish, in holiness: they disagree

in the heavenly academy, etc. The Holy One, blessed be He, says etc. The heavenly academy says etc.

And this Moshe Rabbeinu said "Not similar is the cup of konditon to the cup of vinegar, this cup and this cup etc.": That which can be the remembrance of Amalek together with remembrance of the day of Shabbos is it therefore,

because both are a matter of "cup" - a vessel receptacle to receive through it the revelation of holiness and G‑dliness,

because also Amalek has a root in holiness as mentioned above,

but nevertheless is "Not similar ..

Remember to guard and to sanctify ..

And this remember for punishment",

I.

e.

The revelation of G‑dliness by

The remembrance of Shabbos is in itself: "Remember to guard and to sanctify the day of Shabbos" - the "Remember" itself opens up the holiness,

The revelation of the unity of Hashem; but the revelation of G‑dliness through the remembrance of Amalek is opened up specifically through remember <b>for punishment</b>⁴⁰,

through nullifying and annulling the movement of "intending to rebel against Him"⁴¹.

And then is revealed the "cup of vinegar" as also "vinegar" is a thing which restores

(reveals)

the soul,

because specifically through the remembrance of Amalek is revealed that also the matter of Amalek comes

(specifically)

from the aspect of the power of the breath of the mouth of Elokus⁴².

This is founded and corresponds to the explanation of the Alter Rebbe in Tanya⁴³,

that there are "two kinds of satisfaction",

just as in physical delicacies there are two kinds of delights: one from pleasant and sweet foods and the second from "sharp things or sour things",

only they are "seasoned and corrected well until they become delights to restore the soul"; which is what it says⁴⁴

"Everything God made for His sake and also the wicked for the day of evil, meaning that he will return from his wickedness and make his evil day and light

“Above”,

d.

e.

Also the “fall” of the wicked,

That also this is “the fall of <b>G‑d</b>”,

Is in order that “he return from his wickedness and do his evil of day and light”.

f.

And from this emerges a directive to every Jew in divine service,

And in both extremes:

When a Jew stands on a high level,

on a level of the day of Shabbat⁴⁵,

which is holy to God,

he may think that he does not need to have any caution,

since he is in the category of holy and he has nothing to do with weekday matters⁴⁶

-to this comes the instruction,

that together with Shabbat there must be remembering Amalek.

For since Amalek has a root in holiness,

even when one stands on a higher state and condition,

one must have an extra caution,

that the husk of Amalek should not affect him - a movement

(in subtlety at least,

like the hair of the measuring rod⁴⁷

etc.)

of rebellion against the Holy One, blessed be He.

And on the other hand: Even such a Jew who it seems to him that he has fallen so low down to the category of Amalek,

he may not despair and must know,

that since even Amalek has a root in holiness,

he can make from it a "cup of vinegar" which restores the soul - and the advantage of light from within darkness⁴⁸.

And consequently also the instruction that even he can hold not only at remembering Amalek

(remember for punishment),

but together with it also "remember to guard and to sanctify the day of Shabbat" - at the level of holy to God - and furthermore,

he sanctifies the day of Shabbat,

more than Shabbat sanctifies and establishes⁴⁹.

Parshas Zachor,

5732)