Parshas Zachor
Clear Emunah:
The Gemara (Chullin 139B) states: “Where do we see Haman in the Torah? From the pasuk: ‘Did you eat from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?’”
The Chiddushei Harim zy”a explains the connection between Haman and the Eitz Hadaas by saying that when Hashem asked Odom if he ate from the tree that He commanded him not to eat from, it created a thought in Odom’s head that perhaps Hashem does not know everything – perhaps He doesn’t know that I ate from the tree. This thought only lasted a split second, but it had long-lasting ramifications. From this thought was created Haman the rasha!
He adds that this is why this Shabbos is called “Shabbos Zachor”, as it is a time when we are meant to remember, without any doubts, that Hashem controls the world.
Hatred Towards Amalek:
Sefer Migdal Oz (page 232) relates that the famed chasid Rav Hillel of Paritch zt”l once heard the chasid R’ Zalman Zezmir zt”l, a student of the Baal Hatanya zy”a, reciting Parshas Zachor. He then said in amazement, “Every Jew hates Amalek. But I never met anyone else who hates Amalek this much!”
Amalek Fought Against Emunah:
Sefer Tiferes Shmuel explains the commandment to never forget to destroy Amalek “from under the Heavens” by quoting the Gemara (Rosh Hashanah 29A) that says that whenever Klal Yisroel looked up, they beat Amalek. His father, Rav Yechiel of Alexander zy”a explains this to mean that whenever they recognized that all their power and strength comes from above, they were able to defeat Amalek. The Tiferes Shmuel adds that Amalek wants to get Yidden to forget this important concept. He wants us not to believe that Hashem is in control of all events and to believe in “nature” and “coincidence”. This is hinted to in the words (Devarim 25:17): He happened upon you on the road.” He wants us to believe that things just “happen” and are not sent from Hashem. And he attacks us “on the road”, meaning on the “road to emunah in Hashem” (Tehillim 119:30). The pasuk (Shemos 17:7) says that Klal Yisroel asked if Hashem was with them or not. Amalek had succeeded in placing doubts in their hearts about whether Hashem was guiding them or not. The pasuk continues (ibid:11) to say that when Moshe lifted his hands, and taught the people to have emunah in Hashem and His Divine guidance, the people were victorious over Amalek. They overcome the doubts and defeated the power of Amalek.
He concludes that when we are commanded to destroy Amalek from “under the Heaven” the intent is that we must eradicate the ideas of Amalek. He wanted us to believe in nature and to think that events happen on their own. He wanted us to believe in things “under the Heavens”. But we must destroy that mindset and to look above the Heavens” and see that only Hashem guides everything that occurs.
