Dear Friends,
There is a special name for this Shabbat, the Shabbat prior to the holiday of Purim. It’s called Shabbat Zachor: the “Sabbath to Remember!” I put an exclamation point there because the word Zachor is in the imperative grammatical form, essentially commanding us to remember. What are we remembering? We are commanded to remember the evil of Amalek and to eradicate it from the face of the earth. Amalek, who is described as the grandson of Esau, represents the archetypal enemy of the Israelites and is the first to attack the Israelites after they are freed from Egyptian slavery on their way to Sinai. The Amalekites are the descendants of Amalek and the evil Haman from the Megillah of Esther, which we read at Purim next week, is a direct descendant of Amalek.
On this Shabbat in many synagogues around the world, Jews read a special Torah reading about Amalek, that is in addition to the regular weekly Torah portion. The reading comes from Deuteronomy 25:17-19, to remember what Amalek did to the Israelites on the journey from Egypt:
“Remember what Amalek did to you on your journey, after you left Egypt—
how, undeterred by fear of God, he surprised you on the march, when you were famished and weary, and cut down all the stragglers in your rear.
Therefore, when your God יהוה grants you safety from all your enemies around you, in the land that your God יהוה is giving you as a hereditary portion, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget! (Deuteronomy 25:17–19)
This is also why we stamp out the name of Haman when we read the Megillah next week at our Purim celebration, since Haman was a descendant of Amalek. We remember how we were saved from the evil hands of Haman, just as we remember how we triumphed in the battle against Amalek in the desert. The commandment to remember ties us together as a community and helps ensure Jewish survival. Remembering our past and the resilience of the Jewish people in countless generations, allows us to persevere into the future, strong and united as a people.
Our world seems to be upside down these days. There is so much hate in the world, in our country and even in our neighborhoods. Stamping out the name of Haman at Purim next week isn’t about adding more hatred to the world, it’s about remembering how precious life is and how we never should forget how we have survived as a people. History has shown that hatred against Jews persist across generations. The Torah commands us to remember Amalek not out of vengeance, but as a warning that evil does not disappear on its own. Those people who seek to annihilate the Jewish people or perform acts of antisemitism, often justify their actions with the same hatred that has been around since the Bible. Remembering the past enemies, like Amalek and Haman, should strengthen our resolve to stay vigilant and ensure that such acts are not ignored.
Purim is one week away. Let us join in stamping out Haman’s name as we reinforce our commitment to survival, as well as being a beacon of light for all those who are in the bullseye of hatred.
Shabbat Shalom,
Cantor Michael Shochet
