Zachor

Remembrance versus Amalek's happenstance· Essay 2

In the Midrash: "Bless Hashem, His angels..." (Tehillim 103:20) — for a Jew, too, is sent into this world to carry out the shlichus (mission) of Hashem like an angel (malach). The Sefas Emes opens with the Midrash on "barchu Hashem malachav…

Zerizus and remembering through Shabbos· Essay 1

"Tetzaveh" is a term of urging on, as Chazal said: "Tzav" is an expression of zealous urging, both for the immediate moment and for all generations. The Sefas Emes hears in the word tzav/tetzaveh the idea of zerizus — energetic, prompt acti…

Conquering Amalek by sanctifying deed· Essay 2

In the Midrash: "Bless Hashem, His angels, mighty in strength…" (Tehillim 103:20). The Sefas Emes opens with the Midrash on the verse praising the angels who are "mighty in strength" and who do Hashem's word. The lower beings, who cannot wi…

Inner point refines all through Shabbos· Essay 2

In the Midrash: "a fresh olive tree," etc. — just as an olive, etc., they surround it with stones and afterward extract its oil, etc. The Midrash compares Bnei Yisrael to an olive that yields its oil only after being beaten and crushed — re…

Guarding the hatred of Amalek as protection from sin· Essay 3

It is written, "when one man rules over another to his own detriment" (Koheles 8:9). The Sefas Emes opens with Koheles' phrase about one man dominating another "to his own harm," which he will apply to Amalek's power over Yisrael. See the Z…

Blotting out Amalek from within· Essay 1

Parshas Zachor is the counsel written in the Gemara: "A person should always rouse his yetzer tov against his yetzer hara" (Berachos 5a). The Sefas Emes presents the mitzvah of Zachor — remembering Amalek — as the embodiment of Chazal's adv…

Erasing Amalek through revealing Hashem's Name· Essay 2

"You shall blot out the remembrance of Amalek." The Sefas Emes opens with the mitzvah to erase the memory of Amalek, which he will show is also a promise. It is also a promise (havtachah) that Bnei Yisrael will blot out his name without a d…

Shabbos remembrance empowers erasing Amalek· Essay 2

In the Pesikta and Midrash Tanchuma: regarding Shabbos it says "Remember" (Zachor), and regarding Amalek it says "Remember" (Zachor). The Sefas Emes notes that the same word "Zachor" appears both by Shabbos and by the mitzvah to remember Am…

Blotting out Amalek through the yoke of Heaven· Essay 3

It may further be explained why [Parshas] Zachor follows [Parshas] Shekalim. The Sefas Emes sets out to explain the sequence of the special parshiyos: why the reading of Zachor, the command to remember Amalek, comes right after Shekalim. Ba…

Amalek as Israel's inverse on the scale· Essay 1

The connection of Parshas Zachor following [Parshas] Shekalim: as it is written, "And it was, when Moshe raised his hand, that Yisrael prevailed..." (Shemos 17:11). And in the Mishnah: "But do the hands of Moshe make war...? Rather, when Yi…

Blotting out Amalek through Shabbos unity· Essay 2

In the Midrash: "beautiful of fruit and fair of form," and so on. The Sefas Emes opens with the Midrash that draws on this phrase (describing the menorah/olive) to explore the theme of light. The matter is that He has no need of light. Chaz…

Blotting out Amalek through joy and Shabbos· Essay 1

The blotting out of Amalek was established in this month, for the mazal (constellation) of Bnei Yisrael is strong. The Sefas Emes notes that the obligation to wipe out Amalek falls in Adar, the month whose spiritual influence favors Bnei Yi…

Blotting out Amalek through elevation and Shabbos· Essay 2

In the Midrash: "those who do His word, to hearken to the voice of His word." The Midrash expounds the verse from Tehillim about the angels who "do His word" and then "hearken to the voice of His word," reading the order — doing, then heari…

Remembering the foundation defeats Amalek· Essay 1

Chazal established the reading of the parsha of Amalek on Shabbos Kodesh, as it says "zachor" (remember) regarding this and "zachor" regarding that. Parshas Zachor is read on Shabbos because both Shabbos and the war against Amalek share the…