English translation — פ' זכור

A.

On the enactment¹

of reading Parshat Zachor²

- reading in the Torah on the Shabbat before Purim the portion of "Zachor³

et asher asah lecha Amalek" - asks the Magen Avraham⁴

We find indeed so many commandments of "zachira" - like the "zichirot"⁵

that one must remember⁶

in the blessings of Shema

(and Shema)

: M"T,

the deed of Amalek,

the deed of Miriam,

Shabbat and the deed of the calf - why was it enacted to read in the Torah specifically the portion of Amalek,

and not "other remembrances"?

And he answers,

that "What [scripture] do we have? The festival of Atzeret and it is Shabbat,

and the incident of Miriam and the incident of the [Golden] Calf they did not establish because it was a disgrace of Israel."

At first glance, however, this is not a sufficient answer.

Because also regarding the incident of Amalek - there is indeed Purim,

which is

connected with remembering and erasing Amalek⁷,

until that the reading of Purim is⁸

- the portion of the war of Amalek

("And Amalek came"⁹)

; and even more: that which Parshas Zachor is the Shabbos before Purim is "because so that the doing should not precede the remembering"¹⁰,

it means then,

that Purim is the "<b>doing</b>" of the remembering of Parshas Zachor -

today why does one need to have a separate enactment on the reading of remembering Amalek,

and until that the Shabbos is called "Shabbos Parshas Zachor" and the like?

From this it follows,

that the enactment of Parshas Zachor is

(not only because there is no specific time to remember the incident of Amalek,

because there is an advantage and special aspect in remembering the incident of Amalek¹¹

regarding the other remembrances.

One must understand: What is the special aspect regarding remembering the incident of Amalek,

that is not present regarding the other remembrances,

and therefore specifically for this remembrance was a special reading established?

And superficially,

<b>On the contrary</b>: the other remembrances are general matters in the conduct of a Jew and at all times and in all places: the Giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai is the foundation of the entire Torah and its commandments; Shabbat is among the general commandments¹²

and what is effective

(not only on the day of Shabbat,

but)

but)

also on all the six weekdays¹³

; and on the other hand,

the incident of the Golden Calf — the opposite of "I am" and "You shall not have."

And further,

since that "And on the day of My visitation, I will visit etc."¹⁴

— it reminds a Jew how one must be careful in turning away from evil, that it should not come to "I will visit upon them their iniquities,"

which is after all inclusive — also being careful in doing good; and even the incident of Miriam,

which is superficially a private matter,

which did not bring any consequences for the entire Jewish people for all generations — but even in this there is a lesson¹⁵

for all Jews as to how great the caution regarding lashon hara must be¹⁶,

which is among the most severe sins,

as our Sages of blessed memory¹⁷

say that it "weighs sins as much as the three sins of idolatry, forbidden relations, and murder."

And together with this — among the hardest to be completely guarded from it¹⁸.

But not so the remembrance of the deed of Amalek is a particular commandment,

and it does not contain,

superficially,

any lesson for every Jew in his conduct and — still less a general lesson¹⁹.

2.

The wonder in this is even stronger:

The purpose of remembering Amalek is - <b>blotting out</b> Amalek²⁰,

as the continuation of the verses

(after "Remember what")

- "And it will be²¹

when the L-rd your G-d gives you rest from all your enemies around... you shall blot out the memory of Amalek...".

And as the Rambam²²

explains it: "He commanded us to remember what Amalek did to us...

(and to hate him²³)

at all times and to stir up the souls with words <b>to fight against him</b>".

And since in the present era it is not possible to fulfill the commandment of eradicating Amalek in practice - because:

(a)

The commandment of eradicating Amalek is only when Jews are on their land²⁴

(and in a state of rest - "when the L-rd your G-d gives you rest from all your enemies around in the land which...")²¹

(b)

Even if there would be

the above conditions,

it is not possible to carry out the eradication of Amalek,

because "Sennacherib has already come and mixed up the world, and whatever separates from the majority is [considered] separated from the majority"²⁵

It turns out,

that the matter of remembering Amalek in this time is not

(so)

<b>relevant to practice</b> - and nevertheless,

did they specifically establish for <b>this</b> remembrance a special reading and a special Shabbat?

3.

One will understand this by first introducing the explanation in the very matter of the commandment of remembering Amalek,

for prima facie:

a)

Since the purpose of remembering Amalek is²⁶

- erasing Amalek

(as above),

why is there the obligation to remember Amalek also at a time when <b>according to the Torah</b> the actual erasing of Amalek is not applicable²⁷?

b)

Why does one need to come to a separate commandment²⁸

"Remember what Amalek did to you" in order to arouse "the souls in the discourses to fight him",

and is the commandment of "you shall blot out the memory of Amalek" alone not enough?

(in the manner of the command "you shall not let any soul live"²⁹

in relation to the seven nations,

that one does not find a separate command to remember their evil deeds etc.³⁰

which should bring about that "we awaken the souls ..

to fight against them"³¹).

is from this itself compelled,

that although the purpose of remembering Amalek is the obliteration of Amalek,

but there is a matter that takes place in remembering Amalek <b>by itself</b>

- for which the Rambam counts³²

(and likewise other enumerators of the commandments³³)

obliteration of Amalek and remembering Amalek as <b>two </b>separate commandments with separate laws.

For example - obliteration of Amalek is among the commandments that are "an obligation upon <b>the community</b>"³⁴

(and according to several opinions³⁵

this is a commandment upon the <b>king </b>

(of the community³⁶)),

and <b>this </b>commandment has several conditions

(specifically after the entry of the children of Israel into the land and more)

However, <b>remembering</b> Amalek is a commandment upon every <b>individual</b> separately,

and is a <b>constant</b> commandment³⁷,

in every place and in every time — and

The matter that is accomplished through remembering Amalek by itself,

is a general matter in the entire Torah,

even more than the other remembrances mentioned above

(as will be explained below, section 7).

4.

The explanation in this:

The concept of Amalek is — "knows his Master and intends to rebel against Him"³⁸.

And therefore,

before a Jew can fulfill the eradication of Amalek — of Amalek literally,

he must first secure,

that by

(in)

<b>himself </b>there should not be "Amalek" — "knows his Master and intends to rebel against Him"

(even not in subtlety,

as below section 6).

And this is the content of the commandment of <b>remembering</b> Amalek³⁹

: It is not merely a remembrance that must arouse to do <b>afterwards</b> an action

(the war and eradication of Amalek literally),

or that through this remembrance one should guard oneself from an undesirable matter

(in the manner of the remembrance of the incident of Miriam — to prevent lashon hara)

— rather, the remembrance of Amalek itself <b>accomplishes the eradication of</b> Amalek that is in the heart,

in it itself⁴⁰.

There can be among a Jew “Amalek”

In his soul,

which wants to act upon him that he should rebel G-d forbid against his Master,

and when the "Remember what Amalek did to you" is with him properly,

there is brought about the eradication and nullification of Amalek that is in his soul

- it is uprooted and erased every tendency of "

(He knows etc.)

and intends to rebel against Him".

And based on this will be understood why specifically <b>the </b>remembering was connected with a special reading <b>in the Torah </b>- because Torah is the master over the existence of the world

(in the manner of our sages, of blessed memory,

known on the verse

"God finishes on my behalf"),

and therefore,

through the fact that one connects the remembering of Amalek with the reading of the Torah,

it becomes a remembrance that <b>effects </b>the eradication of Amalek that is in the soul.

ה.

This is also one of the explanations that the reading of Parshas Zachor is

(according to the opinion of most poskim⁴⁷)

a biblical positive commandment:

Of the advantages of biblical commandments over rabbinic commandments,

is that biblical commandments have a stronger effect on

(and in)

<b>world</b>; as is known the lengthy discussions in the later authorities⁴⁸

that are

Divides,

that Torah prohibitions are an issur cheftza — the object becomes an abominable thing etc.,

but Rabbinic prohibitions are

(according to several opinions)

only an issur gavra,

the Sages impose a prohibition upon the person,

but not upon the objects of the world themselves.

- That which Rabbinic commandments have an advantage over Torah commandments,

as Chazal⁴⁹

Beloved to Me are the words of the Scribes more than the words of the Torah,

it is primarily relevant to the <b>gavra</b>,

because in the fulfillment of the commandments <b>that the Sages added</b> — the belovedness and desire to be a <b>servant of Hashem</b> is expressed,

for which he asks initially decree upon us decrees⁵⁰

and afterwards he is not satisfied with that and further adds decrees upon them,

or — makes a fence for the Torah

(for decrees)

in order to further ensure the fulfillment of the decrees.

And one can further say: regarding mitzvos d’Oraisa,

since they effect in the world in a stronger manner,

it is not so apparent that one fulfills the mitzvah only because of the command of the Holy One, blessed be He,

because the &lt;b&gt;segulah &lt;/b&gt;of the mitzvah

(what it does upon the world)

conceals&lt;sup&gt;51&lt;/sup&gt;

the acceptance of the yoke that is in the fulfillment of the mitzvah

(which is the &lt;b&gt;command &lt;/b&gt;of the Holy One, blessed be He)

But not so in the fulfillment of mitzvos d’Rabbanan,

where the segulah of the mitzvah is not so strong,

it is expressed that a Jew fulfills mitzvos

(not because through this he effects lofty matters in the world,

but)

because he is an eved Hashem who obeys the will and command of the King.

But regarding the "object" - that which mitzvos need to accomplish in the world⁵²

- is on the contrary,

mitzvos d'oraisa have the power of <b>the Torah</b>⁵³

to affect the object

(reality)

of the world in a manner that is not present by mitzvos d'rabbanan,

as mentioned above.

And therefore the reading of Parshas Zachor⁵⁴

is a positive commandment from <b>the Torah</b>,

which gives an additional power that the remembrance of Amalek should <b>accomplish</b> the obliteration of Amalek

(in our case - in man⁵⁵).

6.

Since the remembrance of Amalek is a constant mitzvah,

it is understood,

that this is a matter that <b>everyone</b> must guard himself in it constantly,

in all times.

For although it is not, heaven forbid and heaven forbid, to say,

that a Jew needs to

(constantly)

guard himself from not being a "one who knows his Master and intends⁵⁶

<b>to rebel against Him</b>";

he must however always be guarded in the matter of "Amalek" <b>in detail</b>.

and in particular that from this can ultimately come forth a matter of "knows [Him] etc. and intends to rebel against Him",

may [God] protect [us].

and the explanation: on the verse*⁵⁶

"for a hand on the throne of <b>Y-ah</b> [is] war for the Lord with Amalek",

our sages say that "His name is not complete etc. until the name of Amalek is blotted out"⁵⁷

- as long as Amalek exists the name is not in completeness,

it is only <b>Y-ah</b>.

Amalek is opposed to the letters Vav-Hei of the name Havayah.

And seemingly it is perplexing: since Amalek intends to rebel &lt;b&gt;against Him&lt;/b&gt;,

against the Most High,

then what is the&lt;sup&gt;58&lt;/sup&gt;

reason: a)

that he opposes only the &lt;b&gt;completeness &lt;/b&gt;of the Name and not the &lt;b&gt;Name &lt;/b&gt;in its entirety?

b)

In this opposition to the completeness of the Name — not against &lt;b&gt;Y”H &lt;/b&gt;of the Name,

which is prior and higher&lt;sup&gt;59&lt;/sup&gt;

than V”H?

c)

On the contrary — that when Yud Hei remains — a complete Name remains of the

(seven&lt;sup&gt;60&lt;/sup&gt;)

Names that are not erased&lt;sup&gt;61&lt;/sup&gt;?

The explanation of this&lt;sup&gt;62&lt;/sup&gt;

The actions of the four letters of the Name Havayah upon a Jew and how they stand and are in the soul of man

(Adamo laElyon⁶³,

beTzalmenu⁶⁴)

are: Yud Hei — Chochmah Binah

(intellect),

Vav — emotional attributes of the heart and Torah,

Hei — speech and action,

mitzvos⁶⁵.

The main war of Amalek is — upon the matter of actual deed.

Upon intellect alone — aspect of Yud-Hei — he is not so opposed.

He is not so greatly bothered that one knows his Master, that one has

(only)

an <b>understanding</b> of Divinity,

he wants, however, that this should not affect the emotional attributes of the heart

(which bring to)

thought, speech, and action

(aspect of Vav-Hei).

And on the contrary — then the rebellion is — a most awesome rebellion; and this is emphasized in the language of Chazal "he <b>knows</b> his Master" — he has a knowledge of his Master — and nevertheless "intends to rebel against Him",

because the knowledge has no effect upon the emotions and thought-speech-action.

And in the detail of Amalek - that his "knows his Master" does not bring acceptance of the yoke of his Master at least according to the knowledge

(That acceptance of the yoke of His Master compels fulfillment of the commandments,

and when it is lacking in acceptance of the yoke of His Master - it is

(in detail)

rebellion against His Master)

- this each one must guard himself,

because in every level of service and knowledge of God there can

be a place for an error in this matter⁶⁶,

the manner of acceptance of the yoke of His Master etc.

7.

With this one will also understand why the war of Amalek took place "on the way when you went out of Egypt",

before the giving of the Torah:

Since that every thing is with Divine individual providence,

it is understood,

that this very thing that the war of Amalek in physicality was before the giving of the Torah,

is because Amalek in spirituality is an opponent,

not to allow the matter and innovation of the giving of the Torah:

The innovation of the Giving of the Torah is&lt;sup&gt;67&lt;/sup&gt;

- that Torah is not in heaven,

that it should remain only in spirituality,

but it must come down below,

study in practice and practical commandments specifically,

and on the contrary - the deed is the main thing&lt;sup&gt;68&lt;/sup&gt;.

What was the claim of the angels&lt;sup&gt;69&lt;/sup&gt;

"Hidden treasure etc. bestow Your glory upon &lt;b&gt;the heavens&lt;/b&gt;": since the Torah is the ultimate of spirituality and elevation,

the place of &lt;b&gt;bestow&lt;/b&gt; must be,

it must be given "upon the heavens",

which is higher even than &lt;b&gt;spirituality&lt;/b&gt; of this world

(human intellect).

When one, however, nullifies the matter of Amalek - that from the intellect is drawn into actual deed,

there is completeness of the Name

(also Vav-Hei)

- one can then nullify the claim of the angels "Give Your glory

upon the heavens",

and the Torah is given down here.

This also explains the greatness of the matter of remembering Amalek,

which is even more relevant than the other remembrances

(as above, section 1)

-because remembering Amalek is a <b>preface</b> and condition to the <b>entirety</b> of the matter of the giving of the Torah.

Before a Jew <b>takes</b> the Torah,

there must be in him the nullification of Amalek, which does not allow the drawing down of intellect into emotions and action.

And through the fulfillment of the commandment of remembering Amalek in the time of exile, which nullifies the Amalek within the soul of man,

one hastens and speeds up that one should be able to fulfill the commandment of <b>blotting out</b> Amalek literally,

in the entire world and in <b>physicality</b>,

When there will be the matter of "appointment of a king" — King Moshiach,

who will clarify who is Amalek,

and

(afterwards⁷⁰)

"he will wage the war of G-d"⁷¹

- including

("war for G-d against Amalek"⁷²)

the war of Amalek — and he will prevail⁷³,

and afterwards⁷⁰

he will build the third Holy Temple⁷⁴,

speedily in our days, literally.

5733)