CLD #825

Haman (Amaleki)

This Devar Torah is inspired by my Rabbi, Rav Yaakov Darmoni shlit’a.

As we know, we are entering Shabbat Tetzaveh, and this year on this Shabbat falls the Mitzvah of reading Parashat Zachor. This passage includes the commandment from Hashem to literally REMEMBER and GO OUT TO ANIHILATE the Amalek nation. The question is: WHY? The Torah’s ways is all about peace, about love and mercy. If anyone knows a real Tamid Hacham (Torah Scholar), they see they have a special peaceful charm to them and they radiate a good vibe of clean simha (happiness) and true faith and fear of Hashem. The Torah seems like it is going against its entire look at life.

The question is even strengthened with this fact: if an individual converts to Judaism there is NO Mitzvah to kill them! The answer is the name of our nation, Israel. Israel is broken up into two words: Yashar El, justified [is] Hashem. The Jewish nation, which we are the sons of Israel, are all about Yashrut staying glued to a specific straight direction of justice and honesty. What is Amalek? Amalek is also broken up into two words: Am Kal, a easy-going nation. Amalek’s root is glued to laughing everything off.

An example of how Amalek (which is known to be a character trait and not a specific nation anymore after Sanheriv the King 2,000 years ago ‘mixed up’ the nations after the destruction of the first temple) is seen is through traffic rules. An individual who speeds is someone who belittles and degrades traffic rules, he tells himself “Laugh it off! Take it easy!” He makes fun of life and is not a serious person. And not only that, he even brings other people in harms way with speeding! Amalek is Am Kal, it takes everything lightly. Another example is drugs: “Its all good man, just take one hit. You only live life once!”

The Jewish way of “beating” Amalek is to live life WITH HAPPINESS but at the same time with SERIOUSNESS. What does that mean? For example if I have a baby in my hands, I am happy because this baby has a bright future (with G-d’s protection) that involves Mitzvot, Semahot, Torah, accomplishments, success stories etc. I am happy for this baby, but at the same time I am not going to belittle his fragile state and act with him like I act with a 10 year old and play basketball with him! This baby in my hands is AN ENTIRE WORLD.

I appreciate my life and I am serious about my life. This is what we take out of Shabbat Zachor > My life is not a game.

Shabbat Shalom!

Judaism=Think.

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