Parshat Zachor Remembering to Destroy

Parsha Halacha | June 27, 2025

The Maftir of this week is Parshat Zachor where we are told to remember to destroy Amalek.

By reading (or hearing) this section, one fulfills the Biblical positive mitzvah to recall the terrible actions of Amalek.

The Haftorah is about the near destruction of Amalek by King Saul. Although Saul didn’t complete the task, two descendants of his, Mordechai and Esther, picked up where he left off many centuries later and destroyed many Amalekites during the Purim miracle.

This article will focus on some of the laws and customs of this mitzvah and reasons for it.

The Mitzvah

The Mitzvah of remembering Amalek is fulfilled by verbally stating (or by hearing) the remembrance to destroy Amalek. It’s insufficient to remember this only in one’s mind.

This is derived from the verse which says Zachor/Remember!... Lo Tishkach/Don’t forget!. “Don’t forget” refers to remembering in one’s heart whereas “Remember” refers to articulating the matter just as one must remember Shabbat verbally by reciting the Kiddush.

Reasons

The commentaries cite various reasons for this mitzvah:

Remember to Destroy
Remembering Amalek reminds us of his treachery, which ensures that we will fulfill the mitzvah of destroying this wicked nation.
Remember Hashem’s Kindness
This mitzvah helps us take to heart that all those who fight against the Jewish people are hated by G-d and that He will ultimately destroy such people. The more they persecute the Jewish people, the more complete their destruction will be.
Remember to Observe
Amalek attacked the Jewish people after they weakened their devotion to Torah study and the performance of mitzvot. Remembering Amalek reminds us to devote ourselves to the Torah wholeheartedly and not to deviate from it by even one iota.

Men of the Great Assembly

Some say that it’s mandatory by Torah law to read the section about Amalek with a Torah scroll and a minyan. The Men of the Great Assembly established that this mitzvah be fulfilled at a specific time – on the Shabbat before Purim.

Why Before Purim?

The Talmud says that the reason we read Zachor before Purim is to remember Amalek before we do the actions commemorating his (partial) destruction (i.e., the mitzvot of Purim).

Annual Mitzvah

Some say that, by Torah law, this mitzvah must be fulfilled annually since people tend to forget things after a year’s time, as the Talmud says that people (somewhat) forget a deceased relative after a period of one year.

Why Only Once a Year?

It is noteworthy that it’s mandatory to remember Amalek only once a year whereas the mitzvah of remembering the exodus must be done twice a day. The Sefer HaChinuch explains that the exodus is a foundation of our faith and remembering it constantly is vital. The purpose of remembering Amalek is to remain motivated to destroy him (see above), which isn’t a fundamental mitzvah and therefore once a year is sufficient. (But see below about the significance of this mitzvah.) Some say that one can also fulfill this mitzvah on a daily basis during one’s daily prayers (in the blessing before the Shema) and after one’s prayers (by saying the Six Remembrances).

A Leap Year

Based on the above, some recommend that in a leap year, when there will be more than 12 months between the two readings of Parshat Zachor, one should intend to fulfill this mitzvah when the section is read in Parshat Ki Teitzei.

A Child Getting the Aliyah

By the letter of the law, a child may be called to receive the aliyah of maftir (although in many communities it is no longer customary). This is permissible even for Parshat Zachor despite the fact that it is a Torah obligation. Although generally an adult cannot fulfill a biblical obligation through a child, in this case the child doesn’t read the Torah himself and is only saying the Torah blessings. It’s the reader (ba’al koreh), who is an adult, who is fulfilling the mitzvah on behalf of the congregation. Some disagree and say that this aliyah should go only to an adult.

Reading the Aliyah

It’s important for the person receiving this aliyah to quietly read it together with the reader. (This is preferable for every person receiving an aliyah.) As such, the aliyah should best not be given to a blind person or a person who is illiterate in the Hebrew language although such people may receive other aliyot.

Reading It Later in the Day

Some say that if a congregation didn’t hear (or read) Parshat Zachor in the morning, they can take out a Torah scroll and read it at Mincha time. In addition, a congregation that has an emergency situation (e.g., soldiers during wartime) and is unable to read the entire Torah portion should read only Parshat Zachor and say the blessings on that reading.

Spiritual Lesson

Of all the six matters that one is obligated to remember, the mitzvah of remembering Amalek is the only one that is done with a Torah scroll and a minyan. The reason for this is that Amalek represents a person who recognizes his Master and intentionally rebels against Him. This is an attitude which might be found on a subtle level within the hearts of even devout Jews. Destroying Amalek represents ridding oneself of this attitude, while reading this portion from a Torah scroll with a minyan as a fulfillment of a Biblical mitzvah gives us the spiritual strength to fulfill this essential task.