Remember!

The historical archenemy of the Jewish people is a legendary nation known as Amalek. Amalek attacked the Israelites as they left Egypt, motivated by a deep, irrational hatred of their greatness. Despite knowing they couldn’t defeat Israel, Amalek’s goal was to knock the Israelites off their pedestal, undermine their inspiration, and shake their faith.

Amalek's legacy continued through history, with Haman, the antagonist in the Purim story, being a descendant of Amalek. While there is no Amalekite nation today, many groups have adopted its methods and hatred.

On a deeper level, Amalek also represents an inner battle we all face. Just as Amalek attacked the Israelites when they were on the brink of freedom, the Amalek voice within us emerges when we feel free. It attacks not with rational arguments but with apathy, cynicism, and senseless doubt, undermining our inner truths.

How do we fight an enemy or inner voice that defies logic? The Torah offers a solution in a single word: Zachor—“Remember.” This Shabbat, the Shabbat before Purim, is called Shabbat Zachor, when we read the Torah portion urging us to remember what Amalek did to us.

But what does "remember" mean? Faith is intrinsic to the soul and doesn’t require reason or proof. When attacked by something irrational, we can’t counter it with logic; that only fuels more cynicism. Instead, we respond by remembering our soul and tapping into the supra-rational power of faith within, a truth that doesn’t need to be proven.

Throughout Jewish history, many Jews gave their lives rather than renounce their faith, even if they had little knowledge or practice of it. In their moment of truth, their intrinsic faith emerged and overpowered all else. They "remembered."

The Jew’s response is to call upon the soul’s reserves of faith, which may be buried under daily distractions but, when remembered, can meet any challenge.

Shabbat Shalom!

This week, candle lighting time is 5:36 PM in NYC