Shabbat Zachor: Remembering what we are to blot out….

Shabbat Zachor is one of the four special shabbatot prior to Passover. Shabbat Zachor immediately precedes Purim and is dedicated to remembering the battle with Amalakites as it is described in Exodus 17:8-16 and as described in the additional Torah reading for this Shabbat, Deuteronomy 25:17-19 and in the special haftarah reading for this Shabbat, 1 Samuel 25:1-34.

At Rephidim, the Israelites are attacked by the Amalakites. Moses instructs Joshua to gather soldiers to fight back. Israel prevails when Moses lifts up his hands and Israel weakens when Moses’ arms grow weary and are lowered. Israel does prevail, aided no doubt by Moses hands, held by Aaron on the one side and Hur on the other. Thus when Moses grew weary and his hands heavy with fatigue his arms would not fall to the side. Traditional midrashim teach us that the Amalakites were especially vicious in their attacks, going after the weakest of the Israelites, rather than the soldiers. The Haftarah reading recalls this battle and a later battle against the Amalakites by King Saul. Saul sets out to destroy and blot out the Amalakites and their king Agag.

Each of these recalls the horrors of the battle with the Amalakites who fought the Isarelites so ruthlessly. Further, on this Special Sabbath before Purim, we are reminded that the evil Haman is a descendant of the Amalakites. This helps us to put in perspective the Purim story and the struggle between Mordechai and Esther and Haman. The story of the battle with the Amalakites and the Israelites is the story of evil vs. good played out through the generations. And the metaphor is extended by the idea that we are to blot out the name of the Amalakites. When a sofer begins writing a Torah scroll, he does this literally, by writing the name Amalek on a piece of parchment and then literally blotting out the name with ink—before a word of Torah, a word of God’s goodness is written. Ironically, we are to blot out their name at the very same time we are to remember.

And yet, do we really need to remember that evil dwells in our midst? Do we really need to remember what we are to do when faced with injustice in our presence?

Purim comes to teach us that the answer is yes! We need to remember to speak up at a time of injustice. We need to do all within our own personal power to change the course of history when we see that injustice face to face. We need to blot out the cruelty that can dwell in our own hearts as well. It is easy especially in our day and time to remove one’s self from responsibility whatever the injustice. “Let it be someone else’s problem.” “I don’t have to be involved.” Whether it is concern for the striking grocery worker, the homeless, Israel, or discrimination against gay and lesbian people, Shabbat Zachor – the Sabbath of remembering to blot out the Amalakites, is a call to battle injustice wherever the Jew finds it. That is what Queen Esther was able to do. She spoke up. She came out of the proverbial Jewish closet—to identify with her people and to challenge the injustice that was to be perpetrated by Haman, descendant of the Amalakites. And she was successful!

So we remember. We remember our task. We remember to be like Esther, to speak up with courage and devotion to God, even when it is risky to do so. Challenge evil in your midst like Esther challenged it. Challenge injustice and hatred—and blot it out.

Posted by Lee at February 29, 2004 10:49 AM