[Shabbat Zachor/"Remember" Shabbat] Remember, don't forget...in action Haftorah - 1st Samuel 15:2 - 35

(17) Remember what Amalek did to you on your journey, after you left Egypt— (18) how, undeterred by fear of God, he surprised you on the march, when you were famished and weary, and cut down all the stragglers in your rear. (19) Therefore, when your God grants you safety from all your enemies around you, in the land that your God is giving you as a hereditary portion, you will blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget!

(10) The Israelites said to our teacher Moses: Moses ! One Scripture text says, "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy" (Ex. 20:8); and it is written, "Remember what Amalek did to you" (Deut. 25:17). How can these two texts be fulfilled? He said to them: The cup of spiced wine is not to be compared to the cup of vinegar. This "Remember" is in order to observe and to sanctify the Sabbath day, and the other "Remember" is in order to destroy and to cut off all the seed of Amalek, as it is said, "Therefore it shall be, when the Lord your God has given you rest from all your enemies… you will not forget" (Deut. 25:19). Israel forgot to destroy and to cut off all the seed of Amalek, but the Holy One, blessed Be, did not forget. When Saul reigned, Samuel said to him: "This is what the Lord of Hosts said, 'I remembered what Amalek did to Israel…. Now go and ban Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have" (1 Sam. 15:2, 3). What is the meaning of "all that they have"? Even all the living male creatures. "Spare them not, slay" (ibid.). Saul took the men of war, and he went out to meet Amalek. When Saul came to the crossing of the ways, he stood still, and thought in his heart, as it is said, "And Saul came to the city of Amalek, and argued in the valley" (1 Sam. 15:5). Saul said: If the men have sinned, what have the beasts done amiss? A Bat Ḳol/Heavenly (Daughter) Voice came forth, saying to him: Saul ! Do not more righteous than your Creator, as it is said, "Be not righteous overmuch" (Eccles. 7:16).

(11) Rabbi said: When Saul came to the camp of Amalek he saw the children of Jethro mixed in with Amalek. He said to them: Separate yourselves from Amalek, as it is said, "And Saul said unto the Kenites, Go, depart, get down from among the Amalekites, so I don't destroy you with them" (1 Sam. 15:6). Did Jethro show loving-kindness to all Israel? But did he not show loving-kindness to Moses our teacher alone? This is how you learn that who ever shows loving-kindness to one of the great people of Israel is considered as though he had shown loving-kindness to Israel. Because of the loving-kindness which he showed, his children were saved from among the Amalekites.

(5) ...For I your God am an impassioned God, visiting the guilt of the parents upon the children, upon the third and upon the fourth generations of those who reject Me,

(7) extending kindness to the thousandth generation, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin—yet not canceling all punishment, but remembering the sins of parents upon children and children’s children, upon the third and fourth generations.”

(2) “This is what the LORD of Hosts said: 'I remember what Amalek did to Israel, for the assault he made on them on the road, on their way up from Egypt. (3) Now go, attack Amalek, and make null all that belongs to him. Spare no one, but kill alike men and women, infants and sucklings, oxen and sheep, camels and asses !” (4) Saul mustered (same root as "remember") the troops and enrolled them at Telaim: 200,000 men on foot, and 10,000 men of Judah. (5) Then Saul advanced as far as the city of Amalek and lay in wait^-b in the wadi. (6) Saul said to the Kenites (descendants of Jethro), “Come, withdraw at once from among the Amalekites, that I may not destroy you along with them; for you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they left Egypt.” So the Kenites withdrew from among the Amalekites. (7) Saul destroyed Amalek from Havilah all the way to Shur, which is close to Egypt, (8) and he captured King Agag of Amalek alive. He nullified all the people, putting them to the sword; (9) but Saul and the troops spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the second-born, the lambs, and all else that was of value. They would not nullify them; they nullified only what was cheap and worthless.^-b (10) The word of the LORD then came to Samuel: (11) “I regret that I made Saul king, he has turned away from Me and has not carried out My commands.” Samuel was distressed and he entreated the LORD all night long. (12) Early in the morning Samuel went to meet Saul. Samuel was told, “Saul went to Carmel, where he erected a monument for himself; then he left and went on down to Gilgal.” (13) When Samuel came to Saul, Saul said to him, “Blessed are you of the LORD! I have fulfilled the LORD’s command.” (14) “Then what,” demanded Samuel, “is this bleating of sheep in my ears, and the lowing of oxen that I hear?” (15) Saul answered, “They were brought from the Amalekites, for the troops spared the choicest of the sheep and oxen for sacrificing to the LORD your God. And we nullified the rest.” (16) Samuel said to Saul, “Stop! Let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night!” “Speak,” he replied. (17) And Samuel said, “You may look small to yourself, but you are the head of the tribes of Israel. The LORD anointed you king over Israel, (18) and the LORD sent you on a mission, saying, ‘Go and nullify the sinful Amalekites; make war on them until you have exterminated them.’ (19) Why did you disobey the LORD and swoop down on the spoil in defiance of the LORD’s will?”^-d (20) Saul said to Samuel, “But I did obey the LORD! I performed the mission on which the LORD sent me: I captured King Agag of Amalek, and I nullified Amalek, (21) and the troops took from the spoil some sheep and oxen—the best of what had been forbidden (as spoils)—to sacrifice to the LORD your God at Gilgal.” (22) But Samuel said:
“Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obedience to the LORD’s command? Surely, obedience is better than sacrifice, compliance than the fat of rams. (23) For rebellion is like the sin of divination, defiance, like the iniquity of teraphim. Because you rejected the LORD’s command, God has rejected you as king.” (24) Saul said to Samuel, “I did wrong to transgress the LORD’s command and your instructions; but I was afraid of the troops and I yielded to them. (25) Please, forgive my offense and come back with me, and I will bow low to the LORD.” (26) But Samuel said to Saul, “I will not go back with you; for you have rejected the LORD’s command, and the LORD has rejected you as king over Israel.” (27) As Samuel turned to leave, Saul seized the corner of his robe, and it tore. (28) And Samuel said to him, “The LORD has this day torn the kingship over Israel away from you and has given it to another who is worthier than you. (29) The Glory of Israel does not deceive or change Their mind, for He is not human that She should change God's mind.” (30) But [Saul] pleaded, “I did wrong. Please, honor me in the presence of the elders of my people and in the presence of Israel, and come back with me until I have bowed low to the LORD your God.” (31) So Samuel followed Saul back, and Saul bowed low to the LORD. (32) Samuel said, “Bring forward to me King Agag of Amalek.” Agag approached him with faltering steps;^-f and Agag said, “Ah, bitter death is at hand!” (33) Samuel said: “As your sword has bereaved women, So shall your mother be bereaved among women.” And Samuel cut Agag down^-b before the LORD at Gilgal. (34) Samuel then departed for Ramah, and Saul went up to his home at Gibeah of Saul.

Gemara explains: Timna was the daughter of kings, as it is written: “The chief of Lotan” (Genesis 36:29), and: “The chief of Timna” (Genesis 36:40), and each chief is a member of a monarchy, albeit without a crown. That is why they are called chief and not king. Timna sought to convert. She came before Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and they did not accept her. She went and became a concubine of Eliphaz, son of Esau, and said, referring to herself: It is preferable that she will be a maidservant for this nation, and she will not be a noblewoman for another nation. Ultimately, Amalek, son of Eliphaz, emerged from her, and that tribe afflicted the Jewish people. What is the reason that the Jewish people were punished by suffering at the hand of Amalek? It is due to the fact that they should not have rejected her when she sought to convert...