Torah, zechirah, and the erasing of Amalek

במדרש ואתה הקרב אליך הה"ד ממנו פנה ממנו יתד כו' אוה"ע מביאין מלך ממקום אחר כו' ובנ"י מהם כהנים כו' מלכיהם כו'.

In the Midrash on "And you, bring near to yourself" — this is the meaning of "from him the cornerstone, from him the peg" etc.: the nations of the world bring a king from elsewhere, etc., but from Bnei Yisrael themselves come their kohanim, etc., their kings, etc.

The Midrash on the command to bring Aharon near (Shemos 28:1) cites "from him the corner, from him the tent-peg" (Zechariah 10:4). Unlike the nations, who import their rulers from outside, Bnei Yisrael's leaders — kohanim and kings — arise from within the nation itself.

עוד במד' הה"ד לולי תורתך שעשועי כו' אבדתי בעניי.

Further in the Midrash: this is the meaning of "Had Your Torah not been my delight... I would have perished in my affliction."

The Midrash brings the posuk (Tehillim 119:92) that without the Torah as one's delight, a person would be lost in his suffering — setting up the theme of Torah as Yisrael's enduring possession.

כשא"ל הקב"ה למשה הקרב אליך כו' אהרן הרע לו א"ל תורה הי' לי ונתתי בידך כו'.

When the Holy One said to Moshe, "Bring near to yourself... Aharon," it grieved him; Hashem said to him: "I had a Torah, and I placed it in your hand" etc.

When Hashem told Moshe to install Aharon as Kohen Gadol, Moshe was pained that the priesthood was given to his brother rather than to him. Hashem comforted him: the Torah is the gift I entrusted to you — and that is greater and more lasting.

התורה שניתנה לנו ע"י מרע"ה נשאר בנו לעולם.

The Torah that was given to us through Moshe Rabbeinu remains within us forever.

Moshe's portion — the Torah he transmitted — is permanent and can never be taken from Bnei Yisrael.

כמ"ש מורשה קהלת יעקב.

As it is written, "an inheritance of the congregation of Yaakov."

The Torah is the eternal morashah (inheritance) of Klal Yisrael (Devarim 33:4), bound to them for all generations.

ועתה אין לנו שיור רק התורה הזאת.

And now we have nothing remaining except this Torah.

In galus, after the loss of kingship and the avodah, the one possession that remains to Bnei Yisrael is the Torah.

ואם הי' נעשה עבודת המשכן ע"י מרע"ה הי' נשאר ג"כ לעד.

And had the service of the Mishkan been performed through Moshe Rabbeinu, it too would have remained forever.

Had Moshe taken on the avodah of the Mishkan, that too would have become a permanent, indestructible inheritance.

לכן הרע לו כשראה שנעשה אהרן כהן.

Therefore it grieved him when he saw that Aharon was made the kohen.

Moshe's grief was rooted in the realization that the priesthood, given to Aharon, would not be his enduring portion.

אכן באמת הכהונה ומלכות תליא בכללות בנ"י.

However, in truth the priesthood and kingship depend on the totality of Bnei Yisrael.

In reality, the kehunah and malchus are not tied to one individual but rest on the collective spiritual standing of all Bnei Yisrael.

ואנחנו לא זכינו להימשך לגמרי אחר הנהגה הגדולה של מרע"ה.

And we did not merit to be drawn entirely after the great leadership of Moshe Rabbeinu.

Bnei Yisrael as a whole did not fully cleave to Moshe's exalted level of leadership — and this had lasting consequences.

ולכן נפסק המלכות ועבודת הקרבנות ומלחמה מבני ישראל.

Therefore kingship, the service of the korbanos, and war were cut off from Bnei Yisrael.

Because the people did not wholly follow Moshe's leadership, these institutions — monarchy, the offerings, and the power of war — were eventually interrupted in galus.

כי כל אלה הדברים הם כפי עמידת בנ"י כמ"ש ממנו פנה ממנו יתד כו' קשת מלחמה.

For all these things are according to the standing of Bnei Yisrael, as it is written, "from him the corner, from him the peg... the bow of war."

The posuk lists corner (kingship), peg (priesthood), and the bow of war — all of which "come from within" and depend on the spiritual condition of the people; when they fall, these powers are withdrawn.

ולולי התורה שניתנה לנו ע"י מרע"ה אבדנו ח"ו בגלות.

And were it not for the Torah given to us through Moshe Rabbeinu, we would have been lost, Heaven forbid, in galus.

The one thing that does not depend on this fragile standing is the Torah — and without it Bnei Yisrael could not have survived exile.

ובזה ניחם הקב"ה למרע"ה.

And with this the Holy One comforted Moshe Rabbeinu.

This was Hashem's consolation to Moshe: while priesthood and kingship can lapse, his gift of Torah endures forever.

כי התורה שניתנה על ידו היא תקום בנו לעד.

For the Torah that was given through him will endure within us forever.

Moshe's legacy, the Torah, will stand within Bnei Yisrael eternally — a portion no exile can remove.

וכתיב הקרב אליך כו' אהרן.

And it is written, "Bring near to yourself... Aharon."

The Sefas Emes now examines the wording "bring near to yourself" — Aharon is to be drawn close to Moshe.

כי הי' דביקות לאהרן במשה רבינו ע"ה כמ"ש שבת אחים גם יחד.

For Aharon had deveikus (attachment) to Moshe Rabbeinu, as it is written, "when brothers dwell together in unity."

Aharon was deeply bound to Moshe in a unity of brothers (Tehillim 133:1) — their roles were intertwined, not separate.

כי מרע"ה בחי' הקול ואהרן הדיבור דכתיב וזה הדבר אשר תעשה להם.

For Moshe Rabbeinu is the aspect of the "voice" (kol), and Aharon the "speech" (dibbur), as it is written, "and this is the thing (davar) that you shall do for them."

Moshe represents the inner "voice" — the essence of Torah — while Aharon represents the "speech" that articulates and brings it into expression. The word "davar" hints at Aharon's role of dibbur.

ובמד' הה"ד לעולם ה' דברך נצב בשמים כו'.

And in the Midrash: this is the meaning of "Forever, Hashem, Your word stands firm in the heavens" etc.

The Midrash brings the posuk (Tehillim 119:89) that Hashem's "word" eternally upholds the heavens — introducing the idea that the world itself stands by the Divine word.

כי באמת כל העולם והטבע הכל בדבר ה'.

For in truth the entire world and nature are all by the word of Hashem.

All of creation and the natural order are continually sustained by the davar Hashem, the Divine utterance.

כמ"ש ז"ל בתורה נברא העולם.

As Chazal said, "through the Torah the world was created."

The world was brought into being through the Torah, which is the blueprint and life-force of creation.

והוא מלה דקיימא בעובדא.

And it is "a word that stands in deed."

This Divine word is one that becomes embodied in action — a speech that takes concrete form in the world.

והנהגה זו נמסרה לאהרן הכהן בעבודת המקדש.

And this mode of conduct was handed over to Aharon the kohen in the service of the Mikdash.

The function of translating the Divine "word" into concrete deed was entrusted to Aharon through the avodah of the Bais Hamikdash.

ז"ש וזה הדבר אשר תעשה.

This is the meaning of "and this is the thing that you shall do."

"This is the davar that you shall do" — the word that must be enacted in deed, fitting Aharon's role.

מלה דקיימא בעובדא.

A word that stands in deed.

Aharon's avodah is precisely this: the Divine word made real through physical action.

והקול והדיבור הם אחדות אחד.

And the voice and the speech are a single unity.

Kol and dibbur — Moshe and Aharon, Torah and avodah — are ultimately one inseparable whole.

רק הקול הוא עצם התורה והדיבור הנהגת העולם שנמשך מן הקול.

Only that the voice is the essence of the Torah, and the speech is the conduct of the world, which is drawn from the voice.

The "voice" is the pure essence of Torah; the "speech" is the running of the world, which flows out of and depends upon that inner voice.

וכתיב נר מצוה ותורה אור.

And it is written, "a mitzvah is a candle, and the Torah is light."

The posuk (Mishlei 6:23) compares a mitzvah to a candle (ner) and the Torah to light (or) — the next layer of the kol/dibbur idea.

כי המצות בעובדא ונמשך בהם אור התורה.

For the mitzvos are in deed, and the light of the Torah is drawn into them.

Mitzvos are physical acts — the "candle" — into which the light of Torah is drawn, illuminating the deed from within.

ואיתא עבירה מכבה מצוה ואינה מכבה תורה.

And it is taught: a sin extinguishes a mitzvah but does not extinguish the Torah.

Chazal teach (Sotah 21a) that an aveirah can put out the "candle" of a mitzvah but cannot extinguish the "light" of Torah itself.

כי הנר יכולין לכבות.

For the candle can be extinguished.

The physical vessel — the candle of the mitzvah — is vulnerable and can be snuffed out.

אבל עצם האור א"א לכבות.

But the essence of the light cannot be extinguished.

The inner light of Torah, however, is indestructible — no sin can extinguish it.

וזה עיקר עבודת האדם להמשיך המעשים אחר אור התורה.

And this is the essence of a person's avodah: to draw his deeds after the light of the Torah.

A person's central task is to align all his actions — the "candles" — with the light of Torah, so that his deeds are infused with and led by it.

ובזה כ' זכירה וזכרתם כו' מצות ה' כו' תזכרו ועשיתם.

And concerning this, an expression of remembering is written: "and you shall remember... the mitzvos of Hashem... that you may remember and do."

The parsha of tzitzis uses the language of zechirah (Bamidbar 15:39-40): remembering the mitzvos leads to doing them — linking memory to the light of Torah within action.

כי הגוף יש בו שכחה כי הוא בטבע שאין לו קיום לעולם.

For the body contains forgetfulness, since it is part of nature, which has no permanent existence.

The physical body is bound up with forgetfulness, because nature itself is impermanent and passing.

וזכירה הוא דבר קיים לעד.

And remembering is a thing that endures forever.

Zechirah, by contrast, belongs to the eternal — it is connected to that which lasts forever.

אכן בנ"י בכח התורה ומצות זוכין לזכירה ובזה יתקיימו בתחיית המתים.

However, Bnei Yisrael, through the power of Torah and mitzvos, merit remembering, and through this they will endure at the Resurrection of the Dead.

By cleaving to the eternal Torah and mitzvos, Bnei Yisrael acquire the quality of "remembering" — the imprint of permanence — which is what will enable them to live again at Techias Hameisim.

וע"י זכירת עמלק דכ' זכור כו' תמחה כו' זכר עמלק כו' לא תשכח.

And through the remembrance of Amalek, as it is written, "Remember... you shall blot out... the memory of Amalek... do not forget."

The Sefas Emes turns to the mitzvah to remember Amalek (Devarim 25:17-19): "Remember... blot out the zecher of Amalek... do not forget" — a mitzvah framed entirely in the language of memory.

פי ע"י זו המצוה זוכין לזכירה.

The meaning is that through this mitzvah one merits the quality of remembering.

By fulfilling the mitzvah of remembering Amalek, a person acquires the very power of zechirah — the eternal, enduring faculty.

כי עמלק שורש השכחה.

For Amalek is the root of forgetfulness.

Amalek embodies the principle of forgetfulness — the force that severs awareness from the eternal.

שלא יהי' לו לעתיד שום זכר.

That in the future he will have no remembrance at all.

Ultimately Amalek is destined to be utterly forgotten — to have no zecher whatsoever.

כי לכל הדברים יהי' נמשך משהו זכירה ממנו לעתיד.

For to all other things some measure of remembrance will be drawn in the future.

Everything else in creation will retain some trace of permanence — a "remembrance" — into the future.

הואיל והכל נברא בתורה.

Since everything was created through the Torah.

Because all things were created through the eternal Torah, they each carry within them a spark of the enduring.

וזה הפנימיות יתברר לעתיד.

And this inner essence (penimiyus) will be revealed in the future.

The hidden inner point of Torah within all things — their penimiyus — will be clarified and revealed in the future.

אבל בעמלק כתיב אמחה כו' מתחת השמים.

But concerning Amalek it is written, "I will blot out... from under the heavens."

Amalek alone is the exception: Hashem will "blot out the memory of Amalek from under the heavens" (Shemos 17:14) — erased completely.

שלא יהי' לו שום זכר וחלק בתורה שהוא בחי' השמים.

That he will have no remembrance and no portion in the Torah, which is the aspect of "the heavens."

Amalek has no share at all in the Torah — which corresponds to "the heavens" — and therefore no enduring trace, since memory derives from Torah.

ובאמת בנ"י הם בחי' זכירה.

And in truth Bnei Yisrael are the aspect of remembering.

Bnei Yisrael, bound to the eternal Torah, embody the quality of zechirah itself.

ולא הי' צריך להיות להם כלל שכחה.

And they should not have had any forgetfulness at all.

By their essential nature, Bnei Yisrael ought to have been entirely free of forgetfulness.

ואז לא הי' לעמלק שום זכר בעולם.

And then Amalek would have had no remembrance in the world.

Had Bnei Yisrael remained in perfect zechirah, Amalek — the root of forgetfulness — would have had no foothold or "memory" in the world at all.

וכן שמעתי מפי מו"ז ז"ל כי מ"ש בעמלק זכר עמלק.

And so I heard from my grandfather, of blessed memory, that what is written concerning Amalek — "the memory of Amalek."

The Sefas Emes cites a teaching he heard from his grandfather (the Chiddushei HaRim) on the phrase "zecher Amalek," the "memory" or "remembrance" attributed to Amalek.

מאין לו חלק בזכירה.

From where does he have a portion in remembrance?

If Amalek is the very root of forgetfulness, how can the Torah even speak of his "zecher" — his remembrance? Where does Amalek get any share in memory?

רק מה שגונב מאת בנ"י.

Only from what he steals from Bnei Yisrael.

The answer: whatever "memory" Amalek possesses is merely stolen from Bnei Yisrael — drawn from the lapses in their own zechirah.

והוא כמ"ש שאם היו בנ"י בתכלית הזכירה לא הי' לעמלק שום זכירה.

And this is as we said: that if Bnei Yisrael were in the ultimate state of remembering, Amalek would have no remembrance at all.

This confirms the earlier point: were Bnei Yisrael in complete zechirah, Amalek would be left with nothing — no memory of his own to draw upon.

ולכן לעתיד שיהיו בנ"י מתוקנים לגמרי.

Therefore in the future, when Bnei Yisrael will be completely rectified.

In the future, when Bnei Yisrael reach their complete tikkun.

ולא יהיו נטבעין בטבע שהיא בחינת השכחה.

And will not be sunk in nature, which is the aspect of forgetfulness.

They will no longer be immersed in the forgetfulness of physical nature — the very source of forgetting.

אז לא יהי' לעמלק שום זכר.

Then Amalek will have no remembrance at all.

At that point Amalek will be entirely erased, having no "stolen" memory left to sustain him.

ולפי ששבת הוא מעין עוה"ב.

And since Shabbos is a foretaste of the World to Come.

Shabbos is a taste of Olam Haba, when nature's forgetfulness is transcended.

וכ' בשבת זכור.

And it is written concerning Shabbos, "Remember."

Shabbos too is marked by the language of zechirah — "Zachor es yom haShabbos" (Shemos 20:8).

לכן בו יש מחיית עמלק.

Therefore within it there is the blotting out of Amalek.

Because Shabbos embodies perfect zechirah and a taste of the future world, it carries within it the power to blot out Amalek, the root of forgetfulness.

ומ"ש במד' כי הקב"ה בא להזכיר לבנ"י מה שחטאו ונזדווג להם עמלק.

And as the Midrash says, that the Holy One came to remind Bnei Yisrael of how they had sinned, and Amalek attached himself to them.

The Midrash links Amalek's attack to Bnei Yisrael's lapse: when their zechirah faltered through sin, Amalek was able to fasten onto them.

לכן אמר זכור כו' אשר עשה לך עמלק ע"ש.

Therefore He said, "Remember... what Amalek did to you" — see there.

Hence the command "Remember what Amalek did to you" — the remedy for the breach in zechirah is precisely an act of zechirah.

זה הפי' שכפי חטא בנ"י יש מציאות לעמלק כנ"ל.

This is the explanation: that according to the sin of Bnei Yisrael, Amalek has existence, as explained above.

Amalek's entire "reality" is a function of Bnei Yisrael's failures in memory — to the degree they forget, Amalek gains existence.

וכתיב ולא תתורו אחרי לבבכם כו' עיניכם כו' למען תזכרו.

And it is written, "and you shall not stray after your heart... your eyes... in order that you may remember."

Returning to tzitzis, the Sefas Emes cites "do not stray after your heart and eyes... so that you may remember" (Bamidbar 15:39-40) — not being pulled after the physical leads to zechirah.

כפי מה שאין נמשכין אחר הטבע.

According to the degree that one is not drawn after nature.

To the extent that a person is not pulled along by physical nature and its desires.

כך זוכין לזכירה שהוא הפנימיות והתורה כנ"ל:

So one merits the quality of remembering, which is the inner essence (penimiyus) and the Torah, as explained above.

That same measure of detachment from nature is the measure of zechirah a person attains — for remembering is the penimiyus, the inner Torah-point that connects him to the eternal and leaves no place for Amalek.

Summary: Hashem comforted Moshe over Aharon's priesthood by showing that, unlike kingship and the avodah — which depend on the collective standing of Bnei Yisrael and were cut off in galus — the Torah Moshe transmitted is an eternal inheritance that never lapses. Moshe is the inner "voice" (Torah) and Aharon the "speech" (the world's conduct and the avodah), one unity, as a mitzvah is the "candle" into which the indestructible "light" of Torah is drawn. The core avodah is to lead one's deeds after Torah's light and thereby acquire zechirah — the imprint of permanence that guarantees Techias Hameisim. Amalek is the root of forgetfulness with no portion in Torah; his only "remembrance" is stolen from Bnei Yisrael's lapses. When Yisrael reach complete tikkun and are no longer sunk in the forgetfulness of nature, Amalek will be utterly erased. Shabbos, a taste of Olam Haba bound to "Remember," already holds the power to blot him out, and tzitzis — "do not stray after your heart and eyes, that you may remember" — teaches that detachment from physical nature is itself the path to the eternal penimiyus of zechirah.