"Remember That Which Amalek Did to You on the Way..."

We are commanded to remember the attack that Amalek committed against us on our way out of the Land of Egypt. This attack was so vicious and unwarrented as it was committed against the women and children, old and feeble, that we are not only commanded to remember it, but to wipe out Amalek wherever he maybe forever.

We also know that Amalek is intrinsically connected to Purim, which is this time of year. The pasuk says Amalek attacked us "...on the way." What does being "on the way" have to do with Purim?

Who is Amalek?

The question arises for our times and lives: Who is Amalek today? One can reverse engineer this as to find Amalek through the way particular groups of people act towards the Jewish Nation. During WW2 is was easy to see Hitler and Nazis as well as a good part of the German populace as Amalek. They purposely attacked the weak, young, and old and for no reason other than that they were Jews. Today a group of people exist that seems to focus on one thing and that is the killing of women and children with only one reason in mind and that is because they are Jews. These people make up the multitudes of the Arabs living within the Palestinian Authority.

On the Way

When Amalek originally attacked us we were on the way from Egypt to the Land of Israel. Amalek seized on our "weakened spiritual state" to attack the women and children, old and feeble. The key point is that although we were at a weakened spiritual state, we were on our way to our homeland. Today it is the same. We are faced with external threats and internal ones as we have come back to our Land after nearly two thousand years in exile. We are "on the way" to a complete redemption as promised by the ancient prophets, yet are in a state of attack by the forces of Amalek. These are the forces which seek our destruction because we are Jews. The crown of the creator, the arm of his will in the world.

The Purim Connection?

Purim is a time of joy. A celebration of redemption that took place thousands of years ago from the hands of Haman, a decedent of Amalek. In Megillat Esther the name of the Creator is not found, yet the Creator's saving hand is found through out the story. So to today we live in confusing and dark times. There is evil around. Amalek is found amongst us, waiting to butcher us where eat, sleep and work. Yet there is a time that will come soon. And just like Purim, the darkness will lift, the tears will dry, and we will experience the full redemption.

This post dedicated to the Fogel family, Udi and Ruth Fogel, and three of their children Yoav 11, Elad 4, and Hadas 3 months who were butchered in their sleep by an Arab attacker.