Defeating Amalek through fighting for Hashem's sake

בפסוק בחר לנו אנשים.

On the verse, "Choose for us men [and go out, fight Amalek]" (Shemos 17:9).

Moshe instructs Yehoshua to select men to wage war against Amalek; the Sefas Emes asks who is fit for this battle.

צדיקים.

Tzaddikim.

The "men" to be chosen are tzaddikim — righteous people, for not just anyone is equipped to fight Amalek.

כי לא כל אחד יכול להלחם בעמלק.

For not everyone is able to do battle with Amalek.

The war against Amalek requires a special spiritual caliber that not every person possesses.

דכתיב מלחמה לה' בעמלק.

As it is written, "It is a war for Hashem against Amalek" (Shemos 17:16).

The Torah defines this as Hashem's own war, which determines who can truly fight it.

פי' הנלחמים לשם ה' יכולין לנצחו.

That is, those who fight for the sake of Hashem's Name are able to defeat him.

Only those whose motive is purely l'shem Shomayim — for Hashem's sake — have the power to overcome Amalek.

דאיתא אין לך מלחמה שנוצחת שלא יהי' בה מזרע עשו.

For it is stated: there is no victorious war that does not have in it some of the seed of Eisav.

Chazal teach that natural military victory always involves descendants of Eisav, since worldly might belongs to his line.

כי הוא ירש החרב.

For he inherited the sword.

Eisav was given the blessing of "by your sword you shall live" — physical, martial power is his inheritance.

אבל הנלחמים לש"ש יכולין לנצחו לכן כתיב כאשר ירים משה ידו.

But those who fight for the sake of Heaven are able to defeat him; therefore it is written, "And it was, when Moshe raised his hand [Yisrael prevailed]" (Shemos 17:11).

Against Amalek, ordinary force fails; victory came specifically when Moshe lifted his hands heavenward, signaling a battle fought for Hashem rather than by the sword of Eisav.

ואמרו חז"ל במשנה וכי ידיו כו' אלא כל זמן שישראל מסתכלין כלפי מעלה ומשעבדין לבן לאביהם שבשמים היו נוצחין.

And Chazal said in the Mishnah: "But did Moshe's hands [make war or break war]? Rather, as long as Yisrael looked upward and subjected their hearts to their Father in Heaven, they would prevail" (Rosh Hashanah 29a).

The Mishnah teaches that it was not Moshe's hands themselves but what they evoked: as long as Bnei Yisrael directed their gaze upward and submitted their hearts to Hashem, they were victorious.

והוא כנ"ל שצריך שיהי' המלחמה לשמו ית'.

And this is as above — that the war must be for His Name, may He be blessed.

This confirms the principle: the battle against Amalek must be waged purely for Hashem's sake.

ואז יכולין לנצחו.

And then they are able to defeat him.

It is precisely this pure, Heaven-directed intent that grants the power to overcome Amalek.

כי עמלק שונא את בנ"י ושונא לשמים.

For Amalek hates Bnei Yisrael and hates Heaven.

Amalek's hatred is not merely against the Jewish people but, at its root, against Hashem Himself.

ועיקר שנאת בני ישראל צריך להיות בעבור כי הוא שנאוי להמקום ב"ה.

And the essence of one's hatred of Amalek must be because he is hated by the Omnipresent, blessed be He.

Our opposition to Amalek should not stem from personal enmity but from the fact that Amalek is despised by Hashem — our hatred too must be l'shem Shomayim.

ואז נוצחין המלחמה:

And then they are victorious in the war.

When even our hatred of the enemy is purely for Hashem's sake, mirroring the way Amalek's own hatred targets Heaven, we can truly win the battle.

Summary: The war against Amalek cannot be won by ordinary force, which belongs to Eisav, who "inherited the sword." Only those who fight purely l'shem Shomayim — gazing upward and submitting their hearts to Hashem, as Moshe's raised hands evoked — can defeat him. Since Amalek's hatred is ultimately directed against Hashem Himself, our own opposition to Amalek must likewise be rooted not in personal enmity but in the fact that he is hated by Hashem; only then is victory possible.