Closing Message - Rav Ezra
Over the last few months, I've been thinking a lot about Parshat Zachor -- the verses where we read about Amalek's attack on the Jewish people, and our commandment to blot out their memory.
On the one hand, to maintain the significance of this Mitzvah, Jews throughout the ages, (though often in retrospect) -- have identified various nations and villains as embodying or representing Amalek. For example, in Esther Rabbah 8:5, the Midrash links the matters Mordechai conveys to Esther (Esther 4:7) "Asher Karahu" - all that had happened to him- with (Devarim 25:18) "Asher Karcha B'derech" - that they happened upon you on the road.
In the Midrashic view, Mordechai tries to warn Esther: This Haman, is not a small-time villain. Rather, he is the real deal, just like the Amalekim who we've learned about -- he in fact a descendent of Amalek! You must recognize the gravity of this precarious scenario we find ourselves in, for history has repeated itself.
And yet, on the other hand, our tradition contains many apologetics and reworkings of this Mitzvah: Do not call a particular people or person "Amalek," as we will then be compelled to wage war-- rather, it is a general allegorical commandment to root out evil, whereever it may be found.
Where does this leave us? How do we relate to a Mitzvah -- that if applied literally to contemporray villains, is morally questionable and dangerous, and when applied metaphorically -- seems to lose its teeth?
I keep coming back to the line in the Midrash of "Karahu" -- happened to him -- Mordechai is presented as seeing Amalek's attack as something that he himself experienced, à la the Exodus. Perhaps then, Parshat Zachor is read to remind us of what we've experienced. Blot out the "Memory of Amalek" -- as it frankly doesn't matter who did it to us. What matters is that we've been weak and vulnerable and preyed upon once (or, many times!) before -- and, as the Torah points out, in future moments, when God has placed us in our own land, that is something we should never forget.
Reminder to all to take good care of ourselves and each other. Try to do something specific today that strengthens you, and something else that strengthens someone else.
