Speech erases Amalek and reveals Torah

איתא בשבת זכור ובעמלק זכור.

It is taught: regarding Shabbos "zachor" (remember), and regarding Amalek "zachor" (remember).

The same word "zachor" is used both for the mitzvah of remembering Shabbos and for the mitzvah of remembering Amalek. The Sefas Emes draws out what this parallel teaches about the power of memory and speech.

דכתיב מות וחיים ביד לשון.

For it is written: "Death and life are in the hand (power) of the tongue" (Mishlei 18:21).

The tongue holds enormous power — speech can bring life or death into the world.

וכח הלשון שניתן לבנ"י.

And the power of the tongue that was given to Bnei Yisrael...

Yisrael were granted a special potency in their power of speech.

כפי הזכירה בפה בקידוש היום.

According to the remembrance with the mouth in Kiddush of the day...

By verbally "remembering" Shabbos through Kiddush, we activate the power of speech for kedushah.

כך נמשך הקדושה וברכה בשבת קודש.

So is the holiness and blessing of Shabbos Kodesh drawn down.

Speaking the words of Kiddush actually draws down the holiness and berachah of Shabbos into the world — the spoken remembrance has real effect.

וכמו כן כפי הזכירה בפה למחות זכר עמלק כך בא עליו הקללה מן השמים.

And similarly, according to the remembrance with the mouth to erase the memory of Amalek, so the curse comes upon him from Heaven.

The same power of speech works in reverse for Amalek: by verbally remembering to blot out Amalek, we draw down a heavenly curse upon him. Memory expressed in speech is the engine in both directions.

כמ"ש החיים והמות נתתי לפניך הברכה והקללה.

As it is written: "Life and death I have placed before you, the blessing and the curse" (Devarim 30:19).

Both blessing and curse are placed in our hands — through our speech we choose and activate them.

שהכל תלוי בבני ישראל מכח התורה שנק' ראשית.

For everything depends on Bnei Yisrael, through the power of the Torah, which is called "reishis" (first/beginning).

Everything hinges on Yisrael, because they wield the power of the Torah — called "reishis," the very beginning and root through which the world was made.

ובה נברא העולם.

And through it (the Torah) the world was created.

The Torah, called "reishis," was the blueprint and instrument of creation, so those who hold it hold the power over the world.

וכמ"ש לתת להם נחלת גוים.

And as it is written: "to give them the inheritance of nations."

Because Yisrael possess this power of "reishis," they are given mastery and inheritance over the nations.

ולפי שכתוב אמחה כו' זכר עמלק מתחת השמים.

And since it is written: "I will utterly erase the memory of Amalek from under the heavens."

The Torah commands a total erasure of Amalek's memory — nothing of him is to remain.

שלא יהי' נשאר לו שום זכר.

That no memory of him shall remain at all.

Amalek alone is to be wiped out completely, leaving no trace whatsoever.

כי מכל האומות יהי' נשאר קצת זכר מאותו השורש שיש להם בראשית הבריאה.

For of all the [other] nations some memory will remain, from that root which they have in the beginning of creation.

Every other nation has some holy root in the original creation, so a remnant of them endures and can ultimately be elevated.

אבל לאותו הרשע שבחר לו ראשית לעצמו כמ"ש ראשית גוים עמלק.

But that wicked one chose "reishis" for himself, as it is written: "Amalek is the first (reishis) of the nations."

Amalek arrogated the title "reishis" to himself — claiming the very status of "first" that belongs to Torah and Yisrael, setting himself up as the antithesis of holiness.

לכן אחריתו עדי אובד.

Therefore "his end is destruction" (acharaiso adei oved).

Precisely because Amalek seized a false "reishis," his end is total annihilation, with no remnant.

ולכן רצון המקום ב"ה שלא יהי' לו שום חיבור לבנ"י.

Therefore it is the will of the Omnipresent, blessed be He, that he have no connection whatsoever to Bnei Yisrael.

Hashem's ratzon is that there be no bond at all between Amalek and Yisrael, since Amalek is the false claimant to the holiness that is rightly theirs.

שלהם ניתן כח הראשית.

For to them (Yisrael) was given the power of "reishis."

The true power of "reishis" was given to Yisrael through the Torah, and Amalek is its counterfeit and enemy.

לכן המצוה לשנאותו ולקללו.

Therefore the mitzvah is to hate him and to curse him.

Because Amalek is the irredeemable opposite of holiness, the Torah commands us to hate and curse him, not to elevate him as we would others.

וכפי מה שזוכרין שנאת עמלק כך זוכין לאור התורה והראשית:

And according to how much one remembers the hatred of Amalek, so one merits the light of the Torah and the "reishis."

Remembering to despise and erase Amalek is itself what opens a person to receive the light of Torah and the holy power of "reishis." Rejecting the counterfeit clears the way for the true.

Summary: The shared word "zachor" links remembering Shabbos and remembering Amalek, both activated through the power of speech that Hashem gave Yisrael — words of Kiddush draw down holiness and blessing, while words remembering to blot out Amalek draw down a heavenly curse. Everything depends on Yisrael through the Torah, called "reishis," through which the world was made. Unlike other nations who retain a holy root from creation, Amalek falsely seized "reishis" for himself and is therefore destined for total erasure. Remembering to hate and blot out Amalek — the counterfeit of holiness — is precisely what allows a Yid to merit the true light of Torah and reishis.