One more point: Sometimes we think – this may be, we’re in the midst of an intense battle, and every soldier needs to do his utmost to ensure a speedy victory. But who am I, מיאני ומה אני? Surely this battle needs to be fought by the big tzaddikim, by the accomplished chassidim, by the dedicated shluchim. I’m just a plain bochur, a simple citizen. Can I really imagine that what I do will make a difference? In fact, the more I realize and can acknowledge how crucial of a battle we find ourselves in the midst of, the less likely it seems, and the harder it becomes to convince myself, that anything that I do (or don’t do) can really matter or make a difference.
There is much to be said about this (especially in light of current events), but I want to call your attention to the haftorah of this week: Continuing the theme of the special parsha of this week, of our obligation to obliterate all traces of amolek, which in a spiritual sense is the battle against “asher korcho” – against kaltkeit and prikas ol, we learn about the actual battle of King Shaul to carry this out.
In that battle, unfortunately, Shaul failed, which ultimately resulted generations later – in the emergence of Haman and his evil scheme to ch”v annihilate the Jewish nation. In a spiritual sense, the failing resulted from a lack of kabolas ol, and when Shmuel hanovi reprimanded him, he did so by telling him שמוע מזבח טוב להקשיב מחלב אלים, - that listening precisely to the Eibishter’s instructions, with pure obedience and kabolas ol, takes precedence over all else. But the preface, the very first point that Shmuel made to him was אם קטן אתה בעיניך ראש שבטי ישראל אתה! The first chink in our armor, the first weakening that ultimately enables infiltration and invasion by amolek, is our sense of false anivus, our underestimating our own importance and the contribution that we can make to the battle and to victory.
So, let’s all recognize and acknowledge that it is up to us – to each and every single one of us - to fight this war and win this war. And let’s translate that realization into action into increased efforts, today, now, each one in their way, in their area. Whatever you do, whatever each of us do, as insignificant as it may seem, is extremely vital, and will be part of what brings us our victory.
May we each do our part, and may we speedily experience techiyas hameisim and הקיצו ורננו שוכני עפר, when we will experience the greatest and ultimate simcha of שמחת עולם על ראשם!!!
L’chaim! May we take the lessons and strength of Parshas zochor to increase our kabolas ol, and with simcha and enthusiasm, and may the simcha, which is פורץ גדר, break through the final barriers of golus with all of its bitter experiences, and exchange it for the light of geulah with the immediate hisgalus of Melech haMoshiach TUMYM!!!
Rabbi Akiva Wagner
