Rabbi Ilai Grunwald is Rosh Kollel in Memphis (2022- current)
This Shabbat we will read Parashat Zachor in addition to the regular parasha of Tetzave:
"זָכוֹר אֵת אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לְךָ עֲמָלֵק… תִּמְחֶה אֶת זֵכֶר עֲמָלֵק מִתַּחַת הַשָּׁמָיִם לֹא תִּשְׁכָּח" (דברים כ"ה:י"ז-י"ט)
“Remember what Amalek did to you on the way, after you left Egypt… you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven; do not forget." (Devarim 25:17-19)
It is well known that, according to the Chassidic approach, the commandment to annihilate Amalek is not only a historical or practical obligation, but also an inner spiritual and psychological one. We are called upon to eradicate the “Amalek" within our own souls.
What is the Amalek within us? Chazal point to two central traits: doubt and pride. The numerical value (gematria) of עמלק equals that of ספק (doubt), and it is also associated with רם (arrogance). Amalek represents the inner voice that cools inspiration, casts doubt upon Divine presence, and elevates the ego above submission to Hashem.
Immediately after witnessing the great miracles of the Exodus, Am Yisrael asked:
"הֲיֵשׁ ה' בְּקִרְבֵּנוּ אִם אָיִן" (שמות י"ז:ז)
“Is Hashem among us or not?" (Shemot 17:7)
This moment of doubt opened the door to Amalek. Similarly, the Torah warns:
"וְרָם לְבָבֶךָ וְשָׁכַחְתָּ אֶת ה' אֱלֹקֶיךָ" (דברים ח':י"ד)
“Your heart will become haughty and you will forget Hashem your God." (Devarim 8:14)
Pride leads to forgetfulness of Hashem. Doubt and arrogance together form the spiritual root of Amalek.
Even according to the Rambam, we find a related perspective. Rabbi Yehuda Amital זצ"ל, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Har Etzion, explained that the Rambam understands the mitzvah of annihilating Amalek primarily as a war against a corrupt culture and ideology.
The Rambam writes in Hilkhot Melakhim (6:4) that the commandment to destroy Amalek applies only if they refuse to make peace. The Raavad comments that peace alone is not sufficient; Amalek must also accept the seven Noahide laws. The Kesef Mishneh explains that this acceptance is included in the very concept of “making peace." If Amalek were to accept these laws, they would no longer be classified as Amalek in the halakhic sense.
Accordingly, we may ask how the Rambam understands the verse “תִּמְחֶה אֶת זֵכֶר עֲמָלֵק" - “You shall blot out the memory of Amalek." One explanation is that Amalek, by definition, will never accept peace, because their essence is the rejection of Hashem’s sovereignty in the world. Another explanation is that the war is directed against the culture of Amalek. If that culture is abandoned - if their behavior and worldview change - the obligation of annihilation no longer applies. The mitzvah is not blind destruction, but the eradication of a destructive ideology.
When we examine the Torah’s descriptions of Amalek, a recurring phrase appears:
"זָכוֹר… אֲשֶׁר קָרְךָ בַּדֶּרֶךְ" (דברים כ"ה:י"ח)
“Remember… how they met you (karekha) on the way." (Devarim 25:18)
"יָדַעְתִּי אֵת אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה עֲמָלֵק… אֲשֶׁר שָׂם לוֹ בַּדֶּרֶךְ" (שמואל א' ט"ו)
“I remember what Amalek did to Israel… how they set themselves against them on the way." (I Shmuel 15)
In Megillat Esther we read:
"וַיַּגֵּד מָרְדֳּכַי לְאֶסְתֵּר אֵת כָּל אֲשֶׁר קָרָהוּ" (אסתר ד':ז)
“Mordechai told her all that had happened to him (karahu)." (Esther 4:7)
The Midrash (Esther Rabbah 8:5) connects these verses, noting that “karahu" echoes “karekha." Amalek embodies the concept of mikreh - randomness and coincidence. Everything is accidental. There is no direction, no destiny, and no higher meaning.
Am Yisrael, by contrast, is always “on the way" - ba-derekh. We are not a people of coincidence, but a people of covenant and destiny. According to Torat Yisrael, we live as Am Yisrael in Eretz Yisrael, guided by the eternal values of the Torah. Our national life in our land is not political happenstance; it is part of a Divine process and a sacred mission. We are called to build a society rooted in Torah, holiness, and moral clarity, revealing Hashem’s presence in history.
Amalek promotes an ideology of non-ideology: nothing is absolute, everything is permissible, and life has no inherent meaning. This worldview stands in direct opposition to the Torah of Israel, the people of Israel, and the land of Israel. Judaism teaches absolute ideals and a long-term vision. Guided by the Torah and trusting in Hashem’s Hashgacha Pratit, Divine Providence, we live as a united nation in our land, carrying a clear mission: to bring Divine values into the reality of this world and to sanctify Hashem’s Name through our national and personal lives.
This mission is realized through humility and through the constant search for meaning, standing in contrast to the doubt, arrogance, and worldview of chance that characterize Amalek.
To remember Amalek is not only to recall a historical enemy. It is to strengthen our commitment to Torat Yisrael, Am Yisrael, and Eretz Yisrael, and to uproot the forces of cynicism, pride, and meaninglessness within ourselves and within the world around us.
May you be blessed with success and joy, and with strong and steadfast faith in Hashem.
Shabbat Shalom.
For comments: ilaigr@gmail.com