Judaism613 - Parsha

בס"ד

Parshas Ki Teitzei 5786

Amalek Stands at the Head of All Evil

“It will be, when Hashem your God grants you respite from all your enemies around you... that you shall obliterate the remembrance of Amalek from beneath the heavens. You shall not forget!” (Devarim 25:19)

Bnei Yisrael fought and defeated many fierce nations during their journey to the Land of Israel. Yet, only Amalek is singled out to be utterly wiped away from memory. What specific defect gave them that extra measure of cold cruelty that made them so abhorrent to Hashem?

A Tale of Two Gangsters

A parable helps illustrate the difference between impulsive behavior and calculated defiance:

The Gazlan and the Ganav: A gazlan (one who steals openly by day) and a ganav (one who steals covertly by night) formed a partnership. Eventually, the King's soldiers captured both thieves and brought them before the royal court for sentencing.

The King declared: “The punishment for the gazlan is ten years in prison. The punishment for the ganav is execution by beheading.”

The ganav pleaded, “Your Majesty! If the gazlan, who steals openly and fears neither you nor mankind, receives only ten years, shouldn't I—who at least showed fear of people by operating in the dark—receive a lighter sentence?”

The King replied: “You showed respect for your fellow citizens by hiding, yet you showed zero fear of Me. You used logic and calculation to pick the safest moment to break my law. Your partner, however, suffers from a wild addiction; he rushes blindly without thinking. His prison term may cure his compulsion, but your deliberate disrespect demands absolute justice.”

Amalek: Cold and Calculated Evil

The Torah explicitly describes Amalek's strategy: “How he happened upon you on the way and cut off all the stragglers at your rear, when you were faint and weary, and he did not fear God.” (Devarim 25:18)

The Brisker Rav points out that when the nations are judged, Amalek might claim: “My aggression was simply my built-in nature; I was born with an addiction to cruelty!”

However, Hashem will answer: “If you acted out of pure, uncontrollable impulse, you would have charged immediately at the main camp. Instead, you calculated the ideal strategic advantage, waiting until the people were ‘faint and weary’ to strike the weakest stragglers. You used cold reason to plan your attack, yet deliberately refused to fear Me.”

Because Amalek represents calculated, intellectualized rebellion against Divine authority, Hashem maintains a war against them in every generation.

During Elul, Plan for Success

Just as an army would never step onto a battlefield without a strategic plan, we cannot enter the New Year without a clear, calculated roadmap for self-improvement.

Using our intellect to carefully plan our mitzvos proves that we desire to go beyond our knee-jerk nature to serve Hashem and draw close to Him.

Let us not waste these precious days of Elul. Now is the time to formulate real, thoughtful plans to refine our character and deepen our relationship with Hashem.