5785/2025
At the end of this week’s Parashah, we will read some of the most famous, yet confusing, Pesukim in the Torah. Although commonly overlooked, many questions emerge from the cryptic Pesukim of Parashat Zachor . Among them, the question arises: What is so special about Amalek that we are so strongly encouraged to destroy them? This seemingly goes against the Torah prohibition of Nekamah, the prohibition to exact revenge . What did they do, as opposed to the other Shivat HaAmim, or even the Mitzrim, who enslaved us, that we have a special obligation to wipe them out?
The Pasuk that seemingly sheds light on this question is the second one in the Parashah: “אֲשֶׁ֨ר קָֽרְךָ֜ בַּדֶּ֗רֶךְ וַיְזַנֵּ֤ב בְּךָ֙ כׇּל־הַנֶּחֱשָׁלִ֣ים אַֽחֲרֶ֔יךָ וְאַתָּ֖ה עָיֵ֣ף וְיָגֵ֑עַ וְלֹ֥א יָרֵ֖א אֱלֹקים,” ”How he met you by the way, and struck the rear part of you, all who were feeble behind you, when you were faint and weary; and he didn't fear God.”
While the Pasuk lists a few examples of Amalek’s evil, most of them don’t seem to justify this harsh decree. The “לא ירא אלקים”, lack of fear in God, was arguably present in all Seven Nations of Canaan, and therefore doesn’t seem like a reason to single out Amalek. Striking from the back, and especially while we were tired, is an effective military strategy - one that almost worked - but again, doesn’t necessarily merit total destruction. (The Ibn Ezra commentating on the fact that the Parashah contains both “זכור” and “לא תשכח”, at the beginning and end, remarks that this repetitive language adds emphasis to an already harsh commandment).
The phrase that many commentators focus on is the one that may be most commonly ignored: “אשר קרך בדרך”. Beginning with the literal translation, it’s just that Amalek happened upon בני ישראל - nothing out of the ordinary. However, diving deeper into the Mefarshim may cast a different outlook on this phrase. Rashi gives multiple interpretations, one saying that Amalek engaged in עריות, inappropriate relationships, with the Jewish children. His second interpretation gives a deeper meaning to Amalek’s attack on the Jewish people. Coming out of Mitzrayim, we were almost “untouchable” - no nation thought they could fight us. Picking up on the word “קרך”, Rashi suggests that the word could instead carry the connotation of קר (cold). Amalek was like a person jumping into a hot bath. Despite their failed attempts to destroy us, Amalek cooled us and set a precedent for other nations to attack us.
Finally, Rav Chaim Friedlander adopts a unique approach. Amalek’s evil, what caused them to get this terrible punishment, wasn’t what they did physically, but spiritually. The word “קרך”, as Rashi notes, has a language of מקרה - a sudden “happening”. Amalek carried the view that everything was just a “happening”. There was no Hashgacha Pratit, or Divine help, everything was just ‘random’. This blatant disregard for HKB”H, the utter disregard for the concept of a Divine presence, is what justified Hashem instructing us to completely wipe them out.
To conclude, Rav Freidlander’s take on Parashat Zachor reminds us to always keep Hashem, and His plan, in mind. As a prerequisite to performing any Mitzvah, and even going about our everyday lives, we must remember Who is really in charge, and have complete faith in His control.