Weekly Dvar Torah: Moshe vs Amalek
In Torah we find two opposite reactions to the miracles of the exodus and the splitting of the sea. Yisro came to the Jewish encampment to join them. Amalek came and attacked Israel in Rephidim.
This is how the Torah tells the story of the war with Amalek.
Amalek attacked Yisrael (Israel). It does not say that Amalek attacked the Bnai Yisrael (as the people of Israel are always called the children of Israel).
Amalek attacked in a place called Rephidim, a place that doesn’t even exist.
Amalek introduced coldness.
Moshe instructs Yehoshua to choose for ‘us’ men to fight Amalek.
Moshe Tells Yehoshua go (singular) ‘out’ and fight Amalek.
Every detail in the telling of the story teaches what the war with Amalek is all about.
Our sages teach that there is no such place as Rephidim. But the word Rephidim is from the root of the word Rifyon (weakness), meaning that Amalek came and hit Israel in their weakness.
Amalek attacked Yisrael, not the people of Israel, he attacked the idea called Yisrael. Yisrael – יִשְׂרָאֵל being an acronym for יש ששים רבוא אותיות לתורה that every Jew has a letter in the Torah, that the essence of a Jew is Torah. And when the Jews became weak in their adherence to the study of Torah, Amalek saw the weak spot and was able to attack.
His ammunition was to plant doubt. The letters of the name עֲמָלֵק – Amalek, have the same numerical value (240) as the letters of the word סָפֵק – Safek, doubt. Amalek comes to plant doubt and cool the person from his passion and excitement.
When a Jew gets excited about G-d’s Miracles, he sees the hand of G-d running the world, it creates within him a passion to want to get closer to Hashem, in that setting, Amalek comes to cool him off.
The world was in awe when they heard about the exodus and the crossing of the sea, and they were in a state of honor and fear of the Jewish people. Then came Amalek to attack the Jews, to create a precedent to the rest of the world not to be inspired and fearful, keep it cool, be calm. The epitome of Chutzpah.
Amalek stood up to defy G-d. He knew that G-d is the Supreme Being; he knew that he couldn’t win against G-d, but he acted with Chutzpah. “I don’t care, I’ll just be there to defy You, G-d.”
A Jew is about subjugating himself to G-d. He is humble and passionate about G-d, and Amalek is the exact opposite, and he tries to instill coldness and arrogance and the defiance of G-d.
To combat Amalek Moshe instructs Yehoshua; choose for ‘us’ men. We need men like us, like Moshe who is the symbol of humility, we are looking for men of humility, the opposite of Amalek.
Moshe also instructs Yehoshua, don’t just go to fight Amalek, but go ‘out’ and fight Amalek. Don’t just lean back in your comfort zone to feel safe. You must go out to fight Amalek on his turf.
A person can become passionate about G-d, but for some reason he slacked off in his connection to Torah. This weakens the person, because Torah is not just about knowing the laws, but the ways of Torah are also about pleasantness, peace and brotherhood. And when you lose your support system, Amalek detects the weakness in you, and he attacks your weak connection to Torah, the Yisrael within you, and he tries to cool you off.
Amalek says; it’s fine that you study Torah and teach the Alef Bet, but stop doing it the old-fashioned way by first teaching the letters of the Alef Bet and their holiness. Do it the modern way, like any other language. Forget the holiness.
Says Moshe; “go (singular) out and fight Amalek.” Every Jew, every time, everywhere, must go out to combat Amalek. Not collectively but singularly, every individual has the responsibility and ability to stand up and say; Torah is immemorial, time and place make no difference, Torah and the spirit of Torah are eternal, and nothing and nobody will cool me off.
To succeed in this war, one must be from the men of Moshe, because Moshe in his humility is the antidote to the arrogance of Amalek, and this is how you win the war.
Amalek produces Haman and his evil plan. Moshe is about humility, which removes doubt and coldness, and ignites passion for G-d, Torah and life, and ultimately through Mordechai, the Moshe of his generation, the miracle of Purim.
Have an inspired passionate Shabbos,
Gut Shabbos, Happy Purim
Rabbi Yosef Katzman
