Where is Amalek and How Do We Eradicate Them?

Obliterate Amalek

(יז) זָכ֕וֹר אֵ֛ת אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֥ה לְךָ֖ עֲמָלֵ֑ק בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ בְּצֵאתְכֶ֥ם מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃ (יח) אֲשֶׁ֨ר קָֽרְךָ֜ בַּדֶּ֗רֶךְ וַיְזַנֵּ֤ב בְּךָ֙ כָּל־הַנֶּחֱשָׁלִ֣ים אַֽחַרֶ֔יךָ וְאַתָּ֖ה עָיֵ֣ף וְיָגֵ֑עַ וְלֹ֥א יָרֵ֖א אֱלֹהִֽים׃ (יט) וְהָיָ֡ה בְּהָנִ֣יחַ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֣יךָ ׀ לְ֠ךָ מִכָּל־אֹ֨יְבֶ֜יךָ מִסָּבִ֗יב בָּאָ֙רֶץ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יְהוָֽה־אֱ֠לֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵ֨ן לְךָ֤ נַחֲלָה֙ לְרִשְׁתָּ֔הּ תִּמְחֶה֙ אֶת־זֵ֣כֶר עֲמָלֵ֔ק מִתַּ֖חַת הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם לֹ֖א תִּשְׁכָּֽח׃ (פ)

Deuteronomy 25:17-19

(17) Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way as ye came forth out of Egypt; (18) how he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, all that were enfeebled in thy rear, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God. (19) Therefore it shall be, when the LORD thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not forget.

The Threat of Amalek is Everlasting

שמות י״ז:ט״ז

(טז) וַיֹּ֗אמֶר כִּֽי־יָד֙ עַל־כֵּ֣ס יָ֔הּ מִלְחָמָ֥ה לַיהוָ֖ה בַּֽעֲמָלֵ֑ק מִדֹּ֖ר דֹּֽר׃ (פ)

Exodus 17:16

(16) And he said: ‘The hand upon the throne of the LORD: the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.’

Jews already begin to Doubt God

שמות י״ז:א׳-ז׳

(א) וַ֠יִּסְעוּ כָּל־עֲדַ֨ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֧ל מִמִּדְבַּר־סִ֛ין לְמַסְעֵיהֶ֖ם עַל־פִּ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וַֽיַּחֲנוּ֙ בִּרְפִידִ֔ים וְאֵ֥ין מַ֖יִם לִשְׁתֹּ֥ת הָעָֽם׃ (ב) וַיָּ֤רֶב הָעָם֙ עִם־מֹשֶׁ֔ה וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ תְּנוּ־לָ֥נוּ מַ֖יִם וְנִשְׁתֶּ֑ה וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהֶם֙ מֹשֶׁ֔ה מַה־תְּרִיבוּן֙ עִמָּדִ֔י מַה־תְּנַסּ֖וּן אֶת־יְהוָֽה׃ (ג) וַיִּצְמָ֨א שָׁ֤ם הָעָם֙ לַמַּ֔יִם וַיָּ֥לֶן הָעָ֖ם עַל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיֹּ֗אמֶר לָ֤מָּה זֶּה֙ הֶעֱלִיתָ֣נוּ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם לְהָמִ֥ית אֹתִ֛י וְאֶת־בָּנַ֥י וְאֶת־מִקְנַ֖י בַּצָּמָֽא׃ (ד) וַיִּצְעַ֤ק מֹשֶׁה֙ אֶל־יְהוָ֣ה לֵאמֹ֔ר מָ֥ה אֶעֱשֶׂ֖ה לָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֑ה ע֥וֹד מְעַ֖ט וּסְקָלֻֽנִי׃ (ה) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה עֲבֹר֙ לִפְנֵ֣י הָעָ֔ם וְקַ֥ח אִתְּךָ֖ מִזִּקְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וּמַטְּךָ֗ אֲשֶׁ֨ר הִכִּ֤יתָ בּוֹ֙ אֶת־הַיְאֹ֔ר קַ֥ח בְּיָדְךָ֖ וְהָלָֽכְתָּ׃ (ו) הִנְנִ֣י עֹמֵד֩ לְפָנֶ֨יךָ שָּׁ֥ם ׀ עַֽל־הַצּוּר֮ בְּחֹרֵב֒ וְהִכִּ֣יתָ בַצּ֗וּר וְיָצְא֥וּ מִמֶּ֛נּוּ מַ֖יִם וְשָׁתָ֣ה הָעָ֑ם וַיַּ֤עַשׂ כֵּן֙ מֹשֶׁ֔ה לְעֵינֵ֖י זִקְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (ז) וַיִּקְרָא֙ שֵׁ֣ם הַמָּק֔וֹם מַסָּ֖ה וּמְרִיבָ֑ה עַל־רִ֣יב ׀ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וְעַ֨ל נַסֹּתָ֤ם אֶת־יְהוָה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הֲיֵ֧שׁ יְהוָ֛ה בְּקִרְבֵּ֖נוּ אִם־אָֽיִן׃ (פ)

Exodus 17:1-7

(1) And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, by their stages, according to the commandment of the LORD, and encamped in Rephidim; and there was no water for the people to drink. (2) Wherefore the people strove with Moses, and said: ‘Give us water that we may drink.’ And Moses said unto them: ‘Why strive ye with me? wherefore do ye try the LORD?’ (3) And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said: ‘Wherefore hast thou brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?’ (4) And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying: ‘What shall I do unto this people? they are almost ready to stone me.’ (5) And the LORD said unto Moses: ‘Pass on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thy hand, and go. (6) Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink.’ And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. (7) And the name of the place was called Massah, and Meribah, because of the striving of the children of Israel, and because they tried the LORD, saying: ‘Is the LORD among us, or not?’

שמות י״ז:ח׳

(ח) וַיָּבֹ֖א עֲמָלֵ֑ק וַיִּלָּ֥חֶם עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בִּרְפִידִֽם׃

Exodus 17:8

(8) Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim.

מדרש תנחומא, יתרו ג׳:ה׳

(ה) רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר: לְמַה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה? לְבֵן שֶׁהָיָה רוֹכֵב עַל כָּתֵף שֶׁל אָבִיו, וְהָיָה רוֹאֶה דָּבָר שֶׁל חֵפֶץ וְאוֹמֵר לוֹ קַח לִי וְהוּא לוֹקֵחַ לוֹ פַּעַם רִאשׁוֹנָה שְׁנִיָּה וּשְׁלִישִׁית. רוֹאֶה אָדָם אֶחָד, אָמַר לוֹ: רָאִיתָ אָבִי. אָמַר לוֹ אָבִיו: אַתָּה רָכוּב עַל כְּתֵפִי וְכָל מַה שֶּׁתְּבַקֵּשׁ אֲנִי לוֹקֵחַ לְךָ, וְאַתְּ אוֹמֵר רָאִיתָ אָבִי. הִשְׁלִיכוֹ מִכְּתֵפוֹ וּבָא הַכֶּלֶב וּנְשָׁכוֹ. כָּךְ הָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל. כְּשֶׁיָּצְאוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם, הִקִּיפָן בְּעַנְנֵי כָּבוֹד. בִּקְשׁוּ לֶחֶם, הוֹרִיד לָהֶם אֶת הַמָּן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיַּמְטֵר עֲלֵיהֶם מָן לֶאֱכֹל וּדְגַן שָׁמַיִם נָתַן לָמוֹ (תהלים עח, כד). בִּקְּשׁוּ בָּשָׂר, נָתַן לָהֶם שְׂלָו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: שָׁאַל וַיָּבֵא שְׂלָו וְגוֹ' (תהלים קה, מ). וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר: וְתַאֲוָתָם יָבִא לָהֶם (תהלים עח, כט), הוּא נוֹתֵן לָהֶם כָּל צָרְכֵיהֶם, וְהֵן אוֹמְרִים הֲיֵשׁ ה' בְּקִרְבֵּנוּ. אָמַר לָהֶן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: כָּךְ הִרְהַרְתֶּם, הֲרֵי הַכֶּלֶב נוֹשֵׁךְ אֶתְכֶם, לְכָךְ וַיָּבֹא עֲמָלֵק.

Midrash Tanchuma, Yitro 3:5

(5) R. Levi declared: This situation may be compared to a child that is being carried on his father’s shoulders. When he sees something that excites him he calls out: “Father, take me there.” The father carries him to that place, and then to another and finally to a third place, yet the child, on seeing another man approaching them, asks: “Have you seen my father?” His father calls out: “You have been riding on my shoulders, and wherever you wished to go I carried you, yet now you ask ‘Have you seen my father?’” He then put him down. Whereupon a dog rushed at the child and bit him. Similarly, when the Israelites left Egypt, He surrounded them with clouds of glory, and when they wanted bread, He sent them manna, as it is said: And He caused manna to rain upon them for food, and He gave them of the corn of heaven (Ps. 78:24). And when they wanted meat, He gave them quail, as it is stated: They asked and He brought quails (ibid. 105:40). That is why it says: He gave them that which they craved (ibid. 78:29). And though He gave them whatever they demanded, yet they asked: Is the Lord among us or not? The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: This is what you have been thinking. Therefore, this dog will bite you. Hence, And Amalek came.

שמואל א ט״ו:ג׳

(ג) עַתָּה֩ לֵ֨ךְ וְהִכִּֽיתָ֜ה אֶת־עֲמָלֵ֗ק וְהַֽחֲרַמְתֶּם֙ אֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־ל֔וֹ וְלֹ֥א תַחְמֹ֖ל עָלָ֑יו וְהֵמַתָּ֞ה מֵאִ֣ישׁ עַד־אִשָּׁ֗ה מֵֽעֹלֵל֙ וְעַד־יוֹנֵ֔ק מִשּׁ֣וֹר וְעַד־שֶׂ֔ה מִגָּמָ֖ל וְעַד־חֲמֽוֹר׃ (ס)

I Samuel 15:3

(3) Now go, attack Amalek, and proscribe all that belongs to him. Spare no one, but kill alike men and women, infants and sucklings, oxen and sheep, camels and asses!”

Midrash Rabbah: Haman as Descendant of Amalek

אדם אחד יש בינינו ולא ממקומנו הוא אלא מזרע המלוכה הוא מזרע של עמלק ומגדולי הדור הוא והמן שמו, ושאל

ממנו שאלה קטנה וקלה על עם אחד אשר יש בינינו... ועדיין לא שנו מעשיהם המכוערים ואף על פי שהם בגלות בינינו מלעיגין אותנו ואת אמונת אלהינו, ועכשיו הסכמנו כולנו לדעה אחת והפלנו גורלות לאבדן...

Where is Haman’s name found in the Torah? Seed of Doubt will grow.

חולין קל״ט ב:ל״ז-ל״ח

המן מן התורה מנין (בראשית ג, יא) המן העץ

Chullin 139b:11

Where is Haman indicated in the Torah? In the verse: Is it [hamin] from the tree?

בראשית ג׳:ט׳-י״ב

(ט) וַיִּקְרָ֛א יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶל־הָֽאָדָ֑ם וַיֹּ֥אמֶר ל֖וֹ אַיֶּֽכָּה׃ (י) וַיֹּ֕אמֶר אֶת־קֹלְךָ֥ שָׁמַ֖עְתִּי בַּגָּ֑ן וָאִירָ֛א כִּֽי־עֵירֹ֥ם אָנֹ֖כִי וָאֵחָבֵֽא׃ (יא) וַיֹּ֕אמֶר מִ֚י הִגִּ֣יד לְךָ֔ כִּ֥י עֵירֹ֖ם אָ֑תָּה הֲמִן־הָעֵ֗ץ אֲשֶׁ֧ר צִוִּיתִ֛יךָ לְבִלְתִּ֥י אֲכָל־מִמֶּ֖נּוּ אָכָֽלְתָּ׃ (יב) וַיֹּ֖אמֶר הָֽאָדָ֑ם הָֽאִשָּׁה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נָתַ֣תָּה עִמָּדִ֔י הִ֛וא נָֽתְנָה־לִּ֥י מִן־הָעֵ֖ץ וָאֹכֵֽל׃

Genesis 3:9-12

(9) And the LORD God called unto the man, and said unto him: ‘Where art thou?’ (10) And he said: ‘I heard Thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.’ (11) And He said: ‘Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?’ (12) And the man said: ‘The woman whom Thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.’

Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson

“The numerical value (gematria) of the Hebrew letters that spell Amalek (240) is equivalent to that of the letters that spell safek, “doubt.” All things holy are certain and absolute... Amalek is doubt; baseless, irrational doubt that cools the fervor of holiness with nothing more than a cynical shrug.”

Rabbi Moshe Goldman

Doubt and questioning are not synonymous. King Solomon tells us that only a fool believes everything; the wise man submits everything to intelligent inquiry before committing himself. Questioning is a path towards growth in wisdom and life.

Doubt, on the other hand, is destructive. Its victim is life itself—any attempt to grow, to progress, to become tomorrow something greater than you are today. The voice of maybe not? or says who?—questions that can never be answered, because to every answer you can just ask again, maybe not? and says who? This is the shadow of doubt—a phantom mockery of authentic questioning. It robs a person of resolve, vision and impetus, replacing these with uncertainty, confusion and inertia.

משנה אבות א׳:ט״ז

רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל הָיָה אוֹמֵר, עֲשֵׂה לְךָ רַב, וְהִסְתַּלֵּק מִן הַסָּפֵק, וְאַל תַּרְבֶּה לְעַשֵּׂר אֹמָדוֹת:

Pirkei Avot 1:16

Rabban Gamliel says, "Make for yourself a mentor, remove yourself from doubt and do not frequently tithe by estimation."

שער האמונה ויסוד החסידות, פתח השער לבית יעקב כ״ד:י׳

והתורה והמצוות המה עצות להאדם שיקבע האמונה בלבו, וכמו שנקראים המצות כמה פעמים בזוה"ק (יתרו פב:) תרי"ג עטין דאורייתא, ולאיזה דבר הם עצות הכל יוכל נמצא ונכלל בהתורה, אהבת הש"י וגם יראתו האמונה והבטחון ויחוד ה', אבל אמיתת הדבר הוא שלכן נקראו עצות, מפני שע"י קיום כוללת מהתורה והמצוות יהיה נקבע בלב האדם האמונה בהש"י בקביעות עולמית בל תמוט לנצח, ואל יאמר האדם מה אעשה הלא אין בלבי אמונה גם על התורה והמצות, אכן לזה נתן הש"י תורה ומצות לישראל מצות עשה ומצות לא תעשה, שע"י שיקיים האדם פשוטי המצות עם כל הלבושים, יקבע בלבו אמונה, ויראה מפורש שהשי"ת הוא בורא ומנהיג ומשגיח בכל פרט. וכל מה שיוסיף גדרים וסייגים מאהבתו את התורה והמצות, והמאור שבה ייטיב לבו ויאיר עיניו בפנימיות התורה, כדאיתא בזוה"ק ויצא (קנד.) מכאן אוליפנא מגו דאתגליא אתי בר נש לסתימאה. וכל מה שיוסיף לדעת פנימיות התורה תתחזק אמונתו ביותר בכל פרט:

Sha'ar HaEmunah VeYesod HaChasidut, Entrance to the Gate of Beit Yaakov 24:10

The Torah and its laws are advice that enable a person to firmly set faith in his heart. The Zohar (Yitro, 82b) calls the 613 commandments, “613 pieces of advice.” What exactly do the commandments advise? For the love and fear of God, faith and trust in Him, and His oneness are already present in the torah. Rather, they are called “advice” because through the general fulfillment of the Torah and its commandments, a person can permanently fix the faith in God in his heart, which will never falter. A person should not ask, “How can I even start, for I do not even believe in the Torah or its laws?” For this reason, God gave the Torah and the positive and negative commandments to Israel, so that by simply fulfilling them, with all the “garments” of the laws,⁴⁷³Apparently, he means “all the outward details and observances of the laws,” without their deeper meanings. he will set faith in his heart, and will see with perfect clarity that God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe, whose providence extends to the minutest details of creation.⁴⁷⁴Before accepting the Torah at Sinai, the nation of Israel declared as one, “We will do, and we will hear.” The Torah view is that one should fulfill the mitzvot even before “hearing”; that is, understanding their rational. And the more a person accepts and builds fences⁴⁷⁵The sages of the Talmud enacted many laws that serve to distance a person from transgressing or failing to fulfill the Torah’s commandments. These are called “fences” (“gedarim” or “siyagim”), for just as a fence protects a house or garden, so do Rabbinic injunctions protect the Divinely ordained laws of the Torah. One simple example is the prohibition of eating meat immediately after milk, or even together, if they are uncooked. The Torah prohibits only meat and milk that has been cooked together. However, the Rabbis instituted further strictures, so that people should not come to stumble in the Torah’s law itself. around the law, out of his growing love for the Torah and its mitzvot, the more the light that is in it will refine his heart and illuminate his eyes to the inner nature of the Torah, as the Zohar says (Vayeitse, 154b): From this we learn how through the revealed Torah, one arrives at the hidden mysteries of the Torah. The more one increases in his knowledge of the inner mysteries of the Torah, the more his faith will be strengthened in every detail of his Torah observance.