Hands That Do: Defeating Amalek through Torah Lived
From the Torah ofRav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitzהרב דוד מתתיהו בן יחיאל יהושע רבינוביץProfile ›
Shemos 17:14
וַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה כְּתֹב זֹאת זִכָּרוֹן בַּסֵּפֶר וְשִׂים בְּאׇזְנֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ כִּי־מָחֹה אֶמְחֶה אֶת־זֵכֶר עֲמָלֵק מִתַּחַת הַשָּׁמָיִם
Hashem said to Moshe, “Write this as a remembrance in the book, and place it in the ears of Yehoshua, that I will surely erase the memory of Amalek from under the heavens.”
1“Hashem said to Moshe, ‘Write this as a remembrance in the book, and place it in the ears of Yehoshua, that I will surely erase the memory of Amalek from under the heavens.’”1 We may ask why a special command was given to write the memory of Amalek's deed in a book. We were commanded in any case to write the entire Torah in a book, as the verse says, “And now, write for yourselves …”2 Why, then, was the mitzvah of writing in a book stated separately for Amalek's deed in particular?
וַיֹּאמֶר ה׳ אֶל מֹשֶׁה כְּתוֹב זֹאת זִכָּרוֹן בַּסֵּפֶר וְשִׂים בְּאָזְנֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ כִּי מָחֹה אֶמְחֶה אֶת זֵכֶר עֲמָלֵק מִתַּחַת הַשָּׁמָיִם (יז, יד). יֵשׁ לְהַקְשׁוֹת, לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר צִיוּוּי מְיוּחָד עַל כְּתִיבַת זִכְרוֹן מַעֲשֵׂה עֲמָלֵק בְּסֵפֶר, וַהֲלֹא בְּלָאו הָכִי נִצְטַוִּינוּ לִכְתּוֹב אֶת כָּל הַתּוֹרָה כּוּלָּהּ בְּסֵפֶר, כְּמַאֲמַר הַכָּתוּב (דברים לא, יט) ״וְעַתָּה כִּתְבוּ לָכֶם״ וְגוֹ׳, וּמַדּוּעַ דַּוְקָא לְגַבֵּי מַעֲשֵׂה עֲמָלֵק נֶאֶמְרָה בְּיִחוּד מִצְוַת הַכְּתִיבָה בַּסֵּפֶר.
- Shemos 17:14. ↩
- Devarim 31:19. Chazal learn from this verse the mitzvah for every Jew to write a Sefer Torah; Sanhedrin 21b. ↩
In shortIf the whole Torah must be written anyway, why a special command to write the memory of Amalek in a book?
2The commentators, among them the Abarbanel, raise a further question.3 The verse says, “that I will surely erase the memory of Amalek from under the heavens,” so clearly Hashem Himself is the One Who will erase Amalek's memory. Yet erasing Amalek would seem to be a mitzvah placed upon Bnei Yisrael themselves.4
עוֹד הִקְשׁוּ הַמְּפָרְשִׁים (אברנאל, ועיין בפירוש הריב״א, הרא״ש), שֶׁמִּלְּשׁוֹן הַכָּתוּב ׳כִּי מָחֹה אֶמְחֶה אֶת זֵכֶר עֲמָלֵק מִתַּחַת הַשָּׁמָיִם׳ מְבוֹאָר, כִּי ה׳ יִתְבָּרֵךְ הוּא אֲשֶׁר יִמְחֶה אֶת זֵכֶר עֲמָלֵק, וְלִכְאוֹרָה הֲלֹא זוֹ הִיא הֲרֵי מִצְוָה הַמּוּטֶּלֶת עַל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.
In shortThe verse says Hashem will erase Amalek; yet wiping out Amalek is a mitzvah given to Israel.
3The Midrash on the verse “Hashem, my Rock and my Redeemer” says: “My Rock, at the sea; and my Redeemer, against Amalek.”5 What does the splitting of the Red Sea have to do with the war against Amalek?
וּבַמִּדְרָשׁ (שוחר טוב תהלים יט) עַל הַכָּתוּב (תהלים יט, טו) ״ה׳ צוּרִי וְגוֹאֲלִי״ אִיתָא, צוּרִי בַּיָּם וְגוֹאֲלִי בַּעֲמָלֵק. וְיֵשׁ לְהָבִין הַשַּׁיָּיכוּת שֶׁל קְרִיעַת יַם סוּף עִם מִלְחֶמֶת עֲמָלֵק.
- Tehillim 19:15; Midrash Shocher Tov, Tehillim 19. ↩
In shortThe Midrash pairs the splitting of the sea with the war against Amalek; what links the two?
4aWe can explain this as follows. In his Sefer HaMitzvos, the Rambam counts two mitzvos about wiping out Amalek. The first is to cut off the offspring of Amalek, as the verse says, “you shall erase the memory of Amalek.”6 The second is to remember what Amalek did to us, to stir up our souls to fight him and to spur the people to hate him. That way the mitzvah will not be forgotten, and our hatred of him will not weaken as time passes. About this the verse says, “Remember what Amalek did to you.”7 The Sefer HaChinuch disagrees and counts both as a single mitzvah.8 In his view the hatred is only a first step, a preparation for the war: we must hate Amalek so that we will fight him.
וְיֵשׁ לְבָאֵר, דְּהִנֵּה הרמב״ם בְּסֵפֶר הַמִּצְוֹות מָנָה שְׁנֵי מִצְוֹות בְּעִנְיַן מְחִיַּית עֲמָלֵק, הָאַחַת (עשין קפח) לְהַכְרִית זֶרַע עֲמָלֵק, כְּמַאֲמַר הַכָּתוּב ״תִּמְחֶה אֶת זֵכֶר עֲמָלֵק״, וְהַשֵּׁנִית (עשין קפט) לִזְכּוֹר מַה שֶׁעָשָׂה לָנוּ עֲמָלֵק וּלְעוֹרֵר הַנְּפָשׁוֹת לְהִלָּחֵם בּוֹ וּלְזָרֵז הָעָם לִשְׂנוֹא אוֹתוֹ, עַד שֶׁלֹּא תִּשָּׁכַח הַמִּצְוָה וְלֹא תֵּחָלֵשׁ שִׂנְאָתוֹ עִם אוֹרֶךְ הַזְּמַן, וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר ״זָכוֹר אֵת אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לְךָ עֲמָלֵק״. וְהוּא שֶׁלֹּא כְּבַעַל הַחִינּוּךְ (מצוה תר״ג) שֶׁמָּנָה אֶת שְׁנֵיהֶם לְמִצְוָה אַחַת, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהַשִּׂנְאָה אֵינָהּ אֶלָּא הַקְדָּמָה וַהֲכָנָה לַמִּלְחָמָה, שֶׁמִּפְּנֵי כֵּן יֵשׁ לִשְׂנוֹא אוֹתוֹ בִּכְדֵי שֶׁנִּלָּחֵם עִמּוֹ, יְעוּיַּין שָׁם דְּבָרָיו.
4bThe commentators explain the Rambam's view.9 The mitzvah of wiping out Amalek applies only in the future, as the Rambam rules,10 and as the verse says, “And it shall be, when Hashem your God gives you rest from all your enemies round about … you shall erase the memory of Amalek.”11 Since the war against Amalek will take place only in the future, the mitzvah to hate him cannot be called a preparation for that war. So the Rambam concluded that for now the mitzvah is only to hate Amalek in the heart. This mitzvah is constant, even in our time, and does not depend on the practical part of the mitzvah to wipe him out. All that remains for now is the spiritual side of wiping out Amalek, which depends on a person's heart, as the verse says, “that I will surely erase the memory of Amalek from under the heavens.” In other words, the war with Amalek is fought in “the heavens,” in the spiritual realm; the physical war will actually take place only when Moshiach comes.
וּבְדַעַת הרמב״ם כָּתְבוּ הַמְּפָרְשִׁים (עיין מנחת חינוך מצוה תרד, מהר״י פערלא מצוה נט), דְּמִצְוַת מְחִיַּית עֲמָלֵק נוֹהֶגֶת רַק לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא, כַּאֲשֶׁר פָּסַק הרמב״ם (פ״א מהלכות מלכים ה״א), וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (דברים כה, יט) ״וְהָיָה בְּהָנִיחַ ה׳ אֱלֹקֶיךָ לְךָ מִכָּל אוֹיְבֶךָ מִסָּבִיב תִּמְחֶה אֶת זֵכֶר עֲמָלֵק״, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁהַמִּלְחָמָה נֶגֶד עֲמָלֵק תְּהֵא רַק לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא, אֲזַי אִי אֶפְשָׁר לוֹמַר שֶׁמִּצְוַות הַשִּׂנְאָה הִיא הֲכָנָה לַמִּלְחָמָה, וְעַל כֵּן לָמַד הרמב״ם שֶׁלְּעֵת עַתָּה יֶשְׁנָהּ מִצְוָה רַק בְּשִׂנְאָה בַּלֵּב, וְזוֹ הִיא מִצְוָה תְּמִידִית אֲפִילּוּ בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה, וְהִיא אֵינֶנָּה תְּלוּיָה בְּחֵלֶק הַמַּעֲשֶׂה שֶׁל מִצְוַת מְחִיָּיתוֹ, אֶלָּא נִשְׁאַר בָּזֶה רַק הַצַּד הָרוּחָנִי שֶׁל מְחִיַּית עֲמָלֵק שֶׁזֶּה תָּלוּי בְּלֵב הָאָדָם, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״כִּי מָחֹה אֶמְחֶה אֶת זֵכֶר עֲמָלֵק מִתַּחַת הַשָּׁמָיִם״, כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁהַמִּלְחָמָה שֶׁל עֲמָלֵק הִיא בִּבְחִינַת ׳שָׁמַיִם׳ דְּהַיְינוּ בְּרוּחָנִיּוּת, וְהַמִּלְחָמָה בַּגַּשְׁמִיּוּת בְּפוֹעַל מַמָּשׁ תִּהְיֶה רַק בְּעֵת בִּיאַת הַמָּשִׁיחַ.
- See Minchas Chinuch, mitzvah 604; Mahari Perla on Rav Saadiah Gaon's Sefer HaMitzvos, mitzvah 59. ↩
- Hilchos Melachim 1:1. There the Rambam writes that Israel was commanded three mitzvos on entering the Land: to appoint a king, to cut off the offspring of Amalek, and to build the Beis HaMikdash. ↩
- Devarim 25:19. ↩
In shortFor the Rambam, hating Amalek is a separate mitzvah for all times; today the war is spiritual, in the heart, and the physical war awaits Moshiach.
5aAmalek's main assault on Israel was aimed at the actual, practical doing of the mitzvos, as we will explain below. That is why a special command was given here to do a concrete act at once: to write in a book. This is the meaning of “Hashem said to Moshe, ‘Write this as a remembrance in the book.’” The verse is speaking of the spiritual side of the positive mitzvah to hate Amalek, and of how to wage war against him spiritually [for the mitzvah of the actual war is mentioned only later, in Parshas Ki Seitzei]. The way to fight him is through the power of the Torah. “This” is the Written Torah,12 and “place it in the ears of Yehoshua” is the Oral Torah, which is passed on from mouth to ear. When Israel is privileged to learn and keep the Torah, and does not, Heaven forbid, grow slack in the words of the Torah and in keeping it, the Holy One, blessed be He, Himself completes the wiping out of Amalek.
וְהִנֵּה עִיקַּר הִתְגַּבְּרוּת עֲמָלֵק עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל הָיְתָה כְּנֶגֶד קִיּוּם הַמִּצְוֹות בְּפוֹעַל מַמָּשׁ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁיְּבוֹאַר לְהַלָּן, וְלָכֵן בָּא צִיוּוּי מְיוּחָד בְּעִנְיָן זֶה לַעֲשׂוֹת מַעֲשֶׂה בְּפוֹעַל מַמָּשׁ מִיָּד וְלִכְתּוֹב בַּסֵּפֶר. וְזֶהוּ פֵּירוּשׁ הַפָּסוּק ״וַיֹּאמֶר ה׳ אֶל מֹשֶׁה כְּתֹב זֹאת זִכָּרוֹן בַּסֵּפֶר״, דְּכָאן מְדוּבָּר מִמִּצְוַת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁל שִׂנְאַת עֲמָלֵק מִצַּד הָרוּחָנִי שֶׁבּוֹ, וּמֵאוֹפַן הַמִּלְחָמָה בּוֹ בְּרוּחָנִיּוּת [דְּמִצְוַת הַמִּלְחָמָה בְּפוֹעַל נִזְכְּרָה רַק לְהַלָּן בְּפָרָשַׁת כִּי תֵצֵא], וְהָאוֹפַן שֶׁבּוֹ אֶפְשָׁר לְהִלָּחֵם בּוֹ הוּא עַל יְדֵי כֹּחַ הַתּוֹרָה, ׳זֹאת׳ הִיא הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב, ׳וְשִׂים בְּאָזְנֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ׳ הִיא הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה הַנֶּאֱמֶרֶת מִפֶּה לְאוֹזֶן. שֶׁכַּאֲשֶׁר יִשְׂרָאֵל זוֹכִים לִלְמוֹד וּלְקַיֵּים אֶת הַתּוֹרָה, וְאֵין מִתְרַפִּים מִדִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה וְקִיּוּמָהּ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, אֲזַי הקב״ה עַצְמוֹ מַשְׁלִים אֶת מְחִיַּית עֲמָלֵק.
- The word “this” (zos) is used for the Torah, as in “And this is the Torah that Moshe placed before Bnei Yisrael”; Devarim 4:44. ↩
5bThis follows the holy sefarim's explanation of the verse “Hashem is your shadow,” given by the Shelah, and by the Kedushas Levi in the name of the Baal Shem Tov.13 Hashem conducts Himself with us like a person's shadow, which does whatever the person does. As Israel conducts itself below, so the Holy One, blessed be He, bestows from above upon Klal Yisrael. This is the meaning of “that I will surely erase,” and it answers our second question. Hashem will erase Amalek's name in the heavens when Bnei Yisrael stir themselves below by learning Torah lishmah, for its own sake, and by keeping the practical mitzvos, doing the very opposite of what Amalek wanted to do to them. And this is the mitzvah placed upon Israel now, in our own time.
וּכְמוֹ שֶׁפֵּירְשׁוּ בַּסְּפָרִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים (של״ה השער הגדול אות שו, קדושת לוי בשלח בשם הבעש״ט) עַל הַפָּסוּק (תהלים קכא, ה) ״ה׳ צִלְּךָ״, דְּהַנְהָגַת ה׳ יִתְבָּרֵךְ שְׁמוֹ הִיא כְּמוֹ הַצֵּל שֶׁל אָדָם הָעוֹשֶׂה כְּמַעֲשָׂיו, דִּכְמוֹ שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל מִתְנַהֲגִים לְמַטָּה, כֵּן מַשְׁפִּיעַ הקב״ה מִלְמַעְלָה עַל כְּלַל יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְזֶהוּ ׳כִּי מָחֹה אֶמְחֶה׳ שהקב״ה יִמְחֶה אֶת שְׁמוֹ בַּשָּׁמַיִם, בְּעֵת שֶׁבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל יִתְעוֹרְרוּ מִלְּמַטָּה בְּלִימּוּד הַתּוֹרָה לִשְׁמָהּ וּבְקִיּוּם מִצְוֹת מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת, לַעֲשׂוֹת הַהֵיפֶךְ מִמַּה שֶׁרָצָה עֲמָלֵק לַעֲשׂוֹת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל. וְזוֹ הִיא הַמִּצְוָה הַמּוּטֶּלֶת עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל עַתָּה בִּזְמַנֵּינוּ.
- Tehillim 121:5; Shelah, HaShaar HaGadol §306; Kedushas Levi, Beshalach. ↩
In shortSince Amalek attacks practical observance, we fight him with the Torah learned and lived; then Hashem, like our shadow, erases Amalek Himself.
6With this we can explain the words of my holy father and teacher, zt"l, on Chazal's saying that Bnei Yisrael “let their hands grow slack from the Torah.”14 My father asked why “their hands” in particular is mentioned. He explained that the whole aim of Amalek's war was to weaken Bnei Yisrael in doing the practical mitzvos. Amalek weakened their hands by telling them, “What importance do your deeds have before the Holy One, blessed be He?” That is why Chazal speak of “their hands,” which point to action done with one's hands. Those are his holy words. But we still need to understand why Amalek tried to undo the practical doing of the mitzvos in particular, and not Torah study, which is the study of those very mitzvos.
וּלְפִי זֶה יֵשׁ לְבָאֵר אִמְרֵי קוֹדֶשׁ מכ״ק אאמו״ר זצללה״ה בְּבֵיאוּר מַאֲמַר חז״ל (תנחומא בשלח כה) שֶׁרָפוּ יְדֵיהֶם מִן הַתּוֹרָה, לָמָּה נִזְכַּר כָּאן ׳יְדֵיהֶם׳ דַּוְוקָא. וּפֵירֵשׁ, כִּי עִנְיַן מִלְחֶמֶת עֲמָלֵק הָיְתָה לְהַחֲלִישׁ אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵעֲשִׂיַּית מִצְוֹות מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת, שֶׁרִיפָּה יְדֵיהֶם בְּאָמְרוֹ לָהֶם מַה חֲשִׁיבוּת יֵשׁ לְמַעֲשִׂים שֶׁלָּכֶם כְּלַפֵּי הקב״ה, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁנִּזְכַּר הַלָּשׁוֹן ׳יְדֵיהֶם׳ דַּוְוקָא, הַמּוֹרֶה עַל פְּעוּלָּה בְּיָדָם, עכדה״ק. וְיֵשׁ לְהָבִין, מִפְּנֵי מָה בִּיקֵּשׁ לְבַטֵּל דַּוְוקָא עֵסֶק הַמִּצְוֹות לְמַעֲשֶׂה, וְלֹא אֶת לִימּוּד הַתּוֹרָה, שֶׁהוּא לִימּוּד עִנְיְינֵי הַמִּצְוֹות.
- Midrash Tanchuma, Beshalach 25. Chazal read the name of the place where Amalek attacked, Refidim (Shemos 17:8), as rafu yadayim, “their hands grew slack.” ↩
In shortAmalek belittled Bnei Yisrael's deeds, weakening their “hands,” the Rebbe's father explained; but why did Amalek target deeds rather than study?
7We may say that Amalek wanted to weaken Bnei Yisrael in keeping the mitzvos in actual practice. Even if they studied Torah and knew what they had to do, they would still not do and keep what they learned. That is Torah study shelo lishmah, not for its own sake, since learning lishmah means learning in order to keep what one learns.15 True, Chazal said, “A person should always engage in Torah and mitzvos shelo lishmah, for from shelo lishmah he comes to lishmah.”16 But this holds only when in the end he comes to actually doing the mitzvos. Amalek, however, wanted Bnei Yisrael to grow cold17 toward doing mitzvos and keeping the Torah. And not doing them is a sign that one is not learning lishmah but, Heaven forbid, for other ends. This is what Chazal meant by “they let their hands grow slack from the Torah”: the Torah did not bring them to keep the mitzvos in actual deed, which is what “their hands” hints at.
וְיֵשׁ לוֹמַר, כִּי עֲמָלֵק בִּיקֵּשׁ לְהַחֲלִישׁ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִקִּיּוּם הַמִּצְוֹות לְמַעֲשֶׂה בְּפוֹעַל, שֶׁאַף שֶׁיַּעַסְקוּ בַּתּוֹרָה וְיֵדְעוּ אֶת הַמּוּטָּל עֲלֵיהֶם לַעֲשׂוֹת, מִכָּל מָקוֹם לֹא יַעֲשׂוּ וִיקַיְּימוּ בְּפוֹעַל אֶת שֶׁלּוֹמְדִים. וְהוּא בְּחִינָה שֶׁל לִימּוּד תּוֹרָה שֶׁלֹּא לִשְׁמָהּ, שֶׁכֵּן הַלִּימּוּד לִשְׁמָהּ הוּא הַלִּימּוּד עַל מְנָת לְקַיֵּים אֶת מַה שֶׁלּוֹמְדִים (כמבואר בברכות יז, א ובפירוש רש״י שם). דְּהִנֵּה מַה שֶׁאָמְרוּ חז״ל (פסחים נ, א) לְעוֹלָם יַעֲסוֹק אָדָם בַּתּוֹרָה וּבְמִצְוֹות שֶׁלֹּא לִשְׁמָהּ שֶׁמִּתּוֹךְ שֶׁלֹּא לִשְׁמָהּ בָּא לִשְׁמָהּ, הַיְינוּ דַּוְקָא כְּשֶׁלְּבַסּוֹף יָבוֹא לַעֲשִׂיַּית הַמִּצְוֹת בְּפוֹעַל, אַךְ עֲמָלֵק רָצָה לְקָרֵר אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִלַּעֲשׂוֹת מִצְוֹת וּמִלְּקַיֵּים הַתּוֹרָה, שֶׁזֶּה סִימָן שֶׁלֹּא לוֹמְדִים לִשְׁמָהּ אֶלָּא ח״ו לְשֵׁם דְּבָרִים אֲחֵרִים. וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמְרוּ ׳שֶׁרָפוּ יְדֵיהֶם מִן הַתּוֹרָה׳, הַיְינוּ שֶׁלֹּא הֵבִיאָה אוֹתָם הַתּוֹרָה לְקִיּוּם הַמִּצְוֹות בְּפוֹעַל מַמָּשׁ, הָרָמוּז בִּבְחִינַת ׳יְדֵיהֶם׳.
- Berachos 17a and Rashi there. ↩
- Pesachim 50b (the sefer has 50a). ↩
- Rashi on Devarim 25:18 reads the words asher karcha, “who happened upon you,” as “who cooled you off.” ↩
In shortAmalek sought learning that never leads to doing, the mark of study shelo lishmah; that is “they let their hands grow slack from the Torah.”
8a[18The war of Amalek was not mainly a physical war against the bodies of Bnei Yisrael. It was above all a spiritual war over the soul, for Amalek's aim was to weaken the people of Israel in keeping the mitzvos in practice. Chazal hint at this when they say that Amalek would take the circumcisions of Israel and throw them upward.19 The idea is this. Milah, circumcision, was the first mitzvah they were commanded. Through it Amalek set out to weaken the actual doing of the mitzvos, saying, “What need is there for this mitzvah of milah?” In this way he meant to weaken Israel in actually keeping all the mitzvos.]
*[דְּהִנֵּה מִלְחֶמֶת עֲמָלֵק עִיקָּרָהּ לֹא הָיְתָה מִלְחָמָה גַּשְׁמִית כְּנֶגֶד גּוּפָם שֶׁל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֶלָּא הָיְתָה בְּעִיקַּר מִלְחָמָה רוּחָנִית עַל הַנְּשָׁמָה, שֶׁהָיְתָה כַּוָּונָתוֹ לְהַחֲלִישׁ כֹּחָם שֶׁל עַם בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִקִּיּוּם הַמִּצְוֹות לְמַעֲשֶׂה. וְזֶה נִרְמַז בַּמֶּה שֶׁאָמְרוּ חז״ל (מדרש תנחומא כי תצא י) שֶׁהָיָה נוֹטֵל מִילוֹתֵיהֶם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְזוֹרְקָן כְּלַפֵּי מַעְלָה, וְהָעִנְיָן הוּא, כִּי מִצְוַת הַמִּילָה הִיא מִצְוָה רִאשׁוֹנָה שֶׁנִּצְטַוּוּ בָּהּ, וַעֲמָלֵק בָּא בָּזֶה לְהַחֲלִישׁ עִנְיַן קִיּוּם הַמִּצְוֹות בְּפוֹעַל לְמַעֲשֶׂה, וְלוֹמַר מַה צוֹרֶךְ בְּמִצְוָה זוֹ שֶׁל הַמִּילָה, וְעַל יְדֵי כֵּן לְהַחֲלִישׁ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל מִקִּיּוּם הַמִּצְוֹות כּוּלָּם בְּפוֹעַל.
8b[The purpose of the Torah is, in fact, keeping the mitzvos in practice. As Chazal said, “Great is study, for it brings to action,”20 for the aim of the Torah is the actual keeping of the mitzvos. The sefarim explain Chazal's saying “Fortunate is he who comes here with his learning in his hand” in the same way:21 it hints at keeping the mitzvos in actual deed, with one's hands. And this is why Chazal said precisely that they weakened their hands from the words of the Torah: to point to the part of keeping the Torah that lies in the practical mitzvos done with the hands. So Moshe Rabbeinu, in answer, fought Amalek with his hands, and his hands were spread upward,22 to strengthen and repair among Bnei Yisrael the practical keeping of the mitzvos, done with the hands.]
וּבֶאֱמֶת תַּכְלִית הַתּוֹרָה הוּא קִיּוּם הַמִּצְוֹות לְמַעֲשֶׂה, כְּמַאֲמַר חז״ל (בבא קמא יז, א) ״גָּדוֹל תַּלְמוּד שֶׁמֵּבִיא לִידֵי מַעֲשֶׂה״, כִּי תַּכְלִית הַתּוֹרָה הוּא קִיּוּם הַמִּצְוֹות בְּפוֹעַל, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁפֵּירְשׁוּ בַּסְּפָרִים אוֹמְרָם ז״ל (פסחים נ, א) ״אַשְׁרֵי מִי שֶׁבָּא לְכָאן וְתַלְמוּדוֹ בְּיָדוֹ״, שֶׁרוֹמֵז עַל קִיּוּם הַמִּצְוֹות בְּפוֹעַל בְּמַעֲשֶׂה בְּיָדַיִם. וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמְרוּ ׳שֶׁרָפוּ יְדֵיהֶם׳ דַּיְיקָא מִדִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה, לְהוֹרוֹת עַל חֵלֶק קִיּוּם הַתּוֹרָה בְּמִצְוֹות מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת הַנַּעֲשׂוֹת בְּיָדַיִם. וְלָכֵן לְעוּמַּת זֶה נִתְחַזֵּק כְּנֶגְדּוֹ מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ ע״ה בְּעִנְיַן הַיָּדַיִם, וְהָיוּ יָדָיו פְּרוּשׂוֹת לְמַעְלָה, לְחַזֵּק וּלְתַקֵּן אֵצֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת עִנְיַן קִיּוּם הַמִּצְוֹות לְמַעֲשֶׂה וּבְפוֹעַל עַל יְדֵי הַיָּדַיִם].
- Bava Kamma 17a. ↩
- Pesachim 50a. “Here” is the World to Come. ↩
- See Shemos 17:11–12: when Moshe raised his hands, Israel prevailed. ↩
In shortIn an added passage: Amalek's war targeted practical observance, the Torah's true purpose, so Moshe fought him with raised hands.
9aWith this we can explain the Midrash we cited, “My Rock, at the sea; and my Redeemer, against Amalek,” and answer our third question, about the connection between the two. At the splitting of the Red Sea, Bnei Yisrael were privileged to grasp lofty things. As Chazal said, a maidservant at the sea saw what Yechezkel did not see in his prophecy.23 They reached this through an actual deed of mesirus nefesh, the readiness to give one's life, that went beyond the way of nature. This awakened from above a conduct toward them that was also beyond the way of nature, in the spirit of “Hashem is your shadow,” which we saw earlier. Had they not actually leapt into the sea,24 they would never have grasped all this.
וּבָזֶה יֵשׁ לְפָרֵשׁ אֶת מַה שֶׁאָמְרוּ בַּמִּדְרָשׁ הַנִּזְכָּר ׳צוּרִי בַּיָּם וְגוֹאֲלִי בַּעֲמָלֵק׳, דְּהִנֵּה בִּקְרִיעַת יַם סוּף זָכוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְהַשָּׂגוֹת נַעֲלוֹת וְרָמוֹת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (מכילתא פט״ו, ב) שֶׁרָאֲתָה שִׁפְחָה עַל הַיָּם מַה שֶׁלֹּא רָאָה יְחֶזְקֵאל בִּנְבוּאָתוֹ, וּבָאוּ לָזֶה מִתּוֹךְ מַה שֶׁקִּיְּימוּ בְּפוֹעַל מַמָּשׁ מַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁל מְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ לְמַעְלָה מִדֶּרֶךְ הַטֶּבַע, וּבְכָךְ נִתְעוֹרְרָה עֲלֵיהֶם מִלְמַעְלָה הַנְהָגָה שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה מִדֶּרֶךְ הַטֶּבַע, בִּבְחִינַת ״ה׳ צִלְּךָ״ (תהלים קכא, ה) הַנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל, אֲבָל לוּלֵי הַמַּעֲשֶׂה שֶׁל קְפִיצָה לַיָּם בְּפוֹעַל לֹא הָיוּ זוֹכִים לְכָל הַהַשָּׂגוֹת.
9bIn the same way, their later ability to say “We will do and we will hear,”25 which goes against human nature, came from the power they had gained at the splitting of the Red Sea to act against their nature. That power now helped them say “We will do and we will hear,” against nature. So it was with the war against Amalek as well. They took upon themselves that from then on they would engage in Torah lishmah, that is, learning in order to do. By the strength of that commitment they were able to overcome Amalek's kelipah, his force of impurity, for Amalek sought to uproot the actual keeping of the mitzvos from Bnei Yisrael, Heaven forbid. This is the meaning of “My Rock, at the sea; and my Redeemer, against Amalek”: they overcame Amalek in the merit of having made their nature subject to the Holy One, blessed be He.
וְכֵן מַה שֶׁזָּכוּ אַחַר כָּךְ לוֹמַר ׳נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע׳ (כד, ז) שֶׁזֶּהוּ נֶגֶד הַטֶּבַע שֶׁל בֶּן אָדָם, הָיָה בְּכֹחַ מַה שֶׁזָּכוּ בִּקְרִיעַת יַם סוּף לַעֲשׂוֹת כְּנֶגֶד טִבְעָם, וְכֹחַ זֶה סִיְּיעָם עַתָּה לוֹמַר נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע נֶגֶד הַטֶּבַע. וְכֵן הָיָה גַּם בְּמִלְחֶמֶת עֲמָלֵק, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי שֶׁקִּבְּלוּ עֲלֵיהֶם שֶׁמֵּעַתָּה יַעַסְקוּ בַּתּוֹרָה לִשְׁמָהּ, דְּהַיְינוּ לִלְמוֹד עַל מְנָת לְקַיֵּים, אֲזַי בְּכֹחַ זֶה זָכוּ לְהִתְגַּבֵּר עַל קְלִיפַּת עֲמָלֵק שֶׁבִּיקֵּשׁ לַעֲקוֹר קִיּוּם הַמִּצְוֹת בְּפוֹעַל מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל ח״ו. וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמְרוּ ׳צוּרִי בַּיָּם וְגוֹאֲלִי בַּעֲמָלֵק׳, שֶׁזָּכוּ לְהִתְגַּבֵּר עַל עֲמָלֵק בִּזְכוּת שֶׁשִּׁעְבְּדוּ הַטֶּבַע שֶׁלָּהֶם להקב״ה.
- Shemos 24:7. ↩
In shortAt the sea and against Amalek, Israel triumphed through deeds beyond nature: leaping into the sea, and resolving to learn in order to do.
10May Hashem grant that we be able to learn and to do “the words of the teaching of Your Torah.”26 Then the words will at last be fulfilled, “The Name is not whole and the Throne is not whole until the seed of Amalek is erased.”27 And may we soon be privileged to see the actual war against Amalek, with the coming of Moshiach ben Dovid. Amen.
ה׳ יְזַכֵּנוּ שֶׁנּוּכַל לִלְמוֹד וְלַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת דִּבְרֵי תַּלְמוּד תּוֹרָתֶךָ, וְאָז יְקוּיַּם כְּבָר אֵין הַשֵּׁם שָׁלֵם וְהַכִּסֵּא שָׁלֵם עַד שֶׁיִּמָּחֶה זַרְעוֹ שֶׁל עֲמָלֵק (פסיקתא דרב כהנא ג, רש״י יז, טז), וְנִזְכֶּה בְּקָרוֹב לְמִלְחֶמֶת עֲמָלֵק מַמָּשׁ, בְּבִיאַת מָשִׁיחַ בֶּן דָּוִד, אָמֵן.
- From the blessing Ahavah Rabbah, before the morning Shema. ↩
- Pesikta deRav Kahana 3; Rashi on Shemos 17:16. Rashi explains that in that verse both the word for “throne” (kes) and the Divine Name (Kah) are written in shortened, incomplete form. ↩
In shortThe Rebbe prays that we learn and do the Torah, making Hashem's Name and Throne whole, and soon see the final war against Amalek.
Takeaway
Amalek does not mind if we learn; he wants our learning to stay in our heads and never reach our hands, and he tells us that our deeds mean nothing before Hashem. The answer is to learn lishmah, in order to do, and to let what we learn become deeds. Hashem is our shadow: when we act below, even against our nature, He completes the war against Amalek from above.
Learn this in the merit of Rav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitz. His yahrzeit and life ›
English translation, notes and summaries © Zechusam.