Overcoming Amalek to merit the Torah on Shavuos

בענין תנופת שתי הלחם בשבועות.

Concerning the waving of the Shtei HaLechem (the two loaves) on Shavuos.

The Sefas Emes opens by focusing on the mitzvah of the two loaves waved on Shavuos, the festival of receiving the Torah.

דכתיב כאשר ירים משה ידו כו' וכפי מה שגוברין על עמלק זוכין לתורה כן כתיב ויסעו מרפידים ויבואו מדבר סיני כו'.

For it is written, "When Moshe raised his hand…" — and according to how much one overcomes Amalek, one merits the Torah; so too it is written, "They journeyed from Refidim and came to the wilderness of Sinai."

Just as victory over Amalek depended on Moshe's raised hands, so receiving the Torah depends on overcoming Amalek — which is why the journey to Sinai followed directly from the battle at Refidim (Shemos 17:11; 19:2).

כאשר חכמים הגידו כי כל החטא שנכשלו בעגל הי' ע"י עמלק הרשע.

As Chazal taught, that the entire sin in which they stumbled with the Egel came about through wicked Amalek.

The Sages teach that the spiritual confusion of Amalek was the underlying cause of the cheit ha'egel, the sin of the golden calf.

והנה כ' הקול קול יעקב והוא בחי' מרע"ה שר התורה.

And behold it is written, "The voice is the voice of Yaakov" — and this is the aspect of Moshe Rabbeinu, the master of the Torah.

The "voice of Yaakov" is the pure voice of Torah, embodied by Moshe Rabbeinu, the one through whom the Torah was given (Bereishis 27:22).

אכן לפי שעמלק עירבב את בנ"י ממדריגה זו והוצרכו אח"כ לתקן העשי' וזה עצמו הקדמת נעשה לנשמע שהבינו בנ"י כי הם תחת העשי' וצריכין לתקן זאת מקודם ומדרגת משה רבינו ע"ה הי' למעלה מזה.

However, since Amalek confounded Bnei Yisrael from this level, they afterward needed to repair the realm of "doing" — and this itself is the placing of "we will do" before "we will hear," for Bnei Yisrael understood that they were within the realm of action and needed to repair this first; whereas the level of Moshe Rabbeinu was above this.

Because Amalek dislodged Bnei Yisrael from the lofty "voice of Yaakov," they had to begin with the realm of asiyah (action) — saying "na'aseh" (we will do) before "nishma" (we will hear) — recognizing that they must first fix their deeds; Moshe, however, stood above this and lived from the higher level directly.

וכן היו מוכנים להיות כל בנ"י לולי אותו רשע שעירבב אותנו.

And so all of Bnei Yisrael would have been prepared to be, were it not for that wicked one who confounded us.

Had Amalek not caused confusion, all of Bnei Yisrael would have been ready to receive the Torah directly from the higher level of Moshe.

ולכן סילק עצמו מרע"ה ממלחמה זו.

Therefore Moshe Rabbeinu removed himself from this battle.

Because Moshe's level transcended the realm where Amalek operates, he did not himself go down to fight but appointed Yehoshua, standing above the fray.

והי' תיקון בחי' היד ששם יש הסתרת עמלק.

And the repair was in the aspect of the "hand," for it is there that the concealment of Amalek lies.

The battle worked through the "hand" — the realm of action — because that is precisely where Amalek's concealment and confusion take hold.

ולכן אח"כ לא [* היו] יכולין לזכות לאותו הקול רק ע"י מס"נ והוצרכו לכפית ההר כגיגית משא"כ מקודם היו מוכנים בעצם להתורה כמדריגת מרע"ה אספקלריא המאירה.

Therefore afterward they could merit that "voice" only through mesirus nefesh (self-sacrifice), and they needed the mountain held over them like a barrel — whereas beforehand they had been intrinsically prepared for the Torah, on the level of Moshe Rabbeinu, the clear lens.

Once Amalek had caused this fall, attaining the pure voice of Torah required mesirus nefesh and even a measure of compulsion (the mountain held overhead); originally, however, Bnei Yisrael were naturally fit for Torah on Moshe's level of the " aspaklaria ha'me'irah" — the clear, shining lens of prophecy (Shabbos 88a).

פי' בכ"מ שהולך.

That is to say, wherever he goes.

The "clear lens" means that Moshe carried this radiance with him everywhere he went.

האור עמו.

The light is with him.

Moshe's inner light was not bound to a particular place or moment; it accompanied him constantly, a sign of his fixed, intrinsic connection to Torah.

וז"ש חז"ל הדר קבלוה בימי אחשורוש שבכל עת שיש מחיית עמלק זוכין לתורה כנ"ל.

And this is what Chazal meant, "they re-accepted it in the days of Achashverosh" — for whenever there is a blotting out of Amalek, one merits the Torah, as above.

The renewed, willing acceptance of Torah in the days of Mordechai and Esther followed the defeat of Amalek (Haman), illustrating the rule that wiping out Amalek opens the way to Torah (Shabbos 88a).

ואיתא בזוה"ק ואתחנן משה שירותא הוי ומלכא משיחא סיומא ע"ש בפסוק אתה החלות.

And it is brought in the Zohar that "Moshe's pleading (Va'eschanan)" was a beginning, and Melech HaMashiach is the conclusion — see there, on the pasuk "You have begun."

The Zohar teaches that Moshe initiated a process that will only be completed by Mashiach, hinted at in Moshe's words "You have begun to show Your servant" (Devarim 3:24).

וזה הרמז שתי הלחם וקריאת רות לתיקון הכולל שיהי' בביאת משיח שיהי' נמחה כל זרעו של עמלק ויתגדל כבוד שמו ית' כמ"ש וקרבתנו כו' לשמך הגדול שמרמז לב' הזכירות קבלת התורה ומחיית עמלק יד על כס יה.

And this is the hint of the two loaves and the reading of Rus — toward the all-encompassing repair that will come with the arrival of Mashiach, when all the offspring of Amalek will be blotted out and the honor of His Name, may He be blessed, will be magnified, as we say, "and You have drawn us near… to Your great Name" — which alludes to the two "rememberings": the acceptance of the Torah and the blotting out of Amalek, "a hand upon the throne of Kah."

The Shtei HaLechem and the reading of Megillas Rus on Shavuos point toward the ultimate tikkun in the days of Mashiach, when Amalek is fully erased and Hashem's Name is exalted. The phrase "to Your great Name" hints at the two rememberings bound together: receiving the Torah and erasing Amalek, expressed in "a hand upon the throne of Kah" (Shemos 17:16).

והוא הקדמת נעשה לנשמע.

And this is the placing of "we will do" before "we will hear."

The bond of these two rememberings is itself the secret of na'aseh ve'nishma — repairing action first, and only then attaining the higher "hearing" of Torah.

ובודאי הואיל ונשבע הקב"ה וב"ש שאין שמו שלם כו' עד שימחה שמו של עמלק א"כ בכל צד התגדלות שמו ית' צריך להיות מקודם מחיית עמלק ימ"ש.

And surely, since Hashem swore that His Name is not complete until the name of Amalek is blotted out, therefore in every dimension of the magnification of His Name, may He be blessed, the blotting out of Amalek — may his name be erased — must come first.

Because Hashem's Name remains incomplete while Amalek endures, every increase in the revelation of His glory must be preceded by the removal of Amalek.

ועתה ביום הביכורים שהיא התורה שנקראת ראשית.

And now, on the day of the Bikkurim, which is the Torah, called "the first."

Shavuos is the "day of Bikkurim" (first-fruits), and corresponds to the Torah, which Scripture calls "reishis" — the first (Mishlei 8:22).

פי' שכל הדברים השורש והראשית שלהם בתורה ונקשרים כל הדברים בשורש התורה ע"י בנ"י ועי"ז הראשית מתרומם הכל.

That is, the root and beginning of all things is in the Torah, and all things are bound to the root of the Torah through Bnei Yisrael, and through this "beginning" everything is elevated.

The Torah is the source from which everything draws its existence; when Bnei Yisrael bind all things back to that root, the entire creation is uplifted through its "reishis."

ועי"ז יכולין למחות שם עמלק.

And through this, one is able to blot out the name of Amalek.

Precisely by connecting everything back to the root of Torah, Bnei Yisrael gain the power to erase Amalek.

וכמ"ש במ"א במאמר ותרומת ידך הוא ביכורים.

And as written elsewhere, on the verse "and the contribution of your hand" — this refers to the Bikkurim.

He references a teaching that connects "the contribution of your hand" with the bringing of Bikkurim, tying the theme of the "hand" once more to the offering of first-fruits (Devarim 12:17).

וכ' והי' בהניח כו' ובחג הזה שמתעורר השורש הוא עיקר המנוחה והוא הזמן למחות שם עמלק.

And it is written, "And it shall be, when He gives you rest…" — and on this festival, when the root is aroused, is the essence of rest, and it is the time to blot out the name of Amalek.

Shavuos, when the root of Torah is awakened, is the true "menuchah" of which the Torah speaks regarding blotting out Amalek — making it a fitting time to erase his name (Devarim 25:19).

ובאמת בזמן המקדש הי' תיקון העשי' וכן במשכן והקרבנות הם התיקונים במעשה ממש וכיון שקלקלנו נעשה נחרב המקדש.

And in truth, in the time of the Mikdash there was the repair of "doing," and likewise the Mishkan and the korbanos are repairs in actual deed — and since we damaged the "doing," the Mikdash was destroyed.

The Bais Hamikdash and its korbanos were the tikkun of the realm of action; when Bnei Yisrael corrupted that realm of "na'aseh," the Mikdash was lost.

ואין לנו שיור רק התורה שהיא בחי' נשמע.

And we have nothing left but the Torah, which is the aspect of "we will hear."

In galus, with the Mikdash gone, what remains to us is the Torah itself — the dimension of "nishma," hearing and learning (Berachos 8a).

ועל ב' אלו מבקשין תמיד שיבנה ביהמ"ק ויתן חלקנו בתורתו.

And concerning these two we constantly pray: that the Bais Hamikdash be rebuilt, and that He grant our portion in His Torah.

Our prayers regularly ask for both dimensions — the rebuilding of the Mikdash (the realm of "doing") and a share in the Torah (the realm of "hearing").

ואיתא מפני היד שנשתלחה במקדשך והוא בחי' נעשה כנ"ל:

And it is brought, "because of the hand that was set against Your Sanctuary" — and this is the aspect of "we will do," as above.

The "hand set against the Mikdash" that caused its destruction is again the realm of the "hand" — the dimension of action, "na'aseh," which was damaged and must yet be repaired through the final blotting out of Amalek.

Summary: Receiving the Torah depends on overcoming Amalek, whose confusion lay behind the cheit ha'egel and dislodged Bnei Yisrael from the pure "voice of Yaakov." Because of this, they had to begin with the realm of action — na'aseh before nishma — while Moshe stood above on the level of the clear lens. Hashem's Name remains incomplete until Amalek is erased, so every growth in His glory requires Amalek's removal first. Shavuos, the day of Bikkurim and the root of Torah, is the time of true rest when the name of Amalek can be blotted out. The Shtei HaLechem and the reading of Rus point toward the complete tikkun of the days of Mashiach, when Amalek is fully erased and Hashem's Name is magnified.