Biblical Texts:
- Exodus 16 and 17
- Deuteronomy 25:17-19
Midrash: “As long as the seed of Amalek exists in the world, neither the Name (of the Lord) nor the Throne are complete. When the seed of Amalek has passed from the world, the Name and the Throne will be complete. Pesikta de-Rav Kahana, ch. 3.
Kedushat Levi
The author of the Kedushas Levi is Rabbi Levi Yitzhak of Berditchev (1740-1810). Rabbi Levi Yitzhak, known also as the Berdichever Rebbe, was a Hasidic luminary in Eastern Europe, and one of the main disciples of the Maggid of Mezeritch.
“Remember what Amalek did to you by the way, when you came forth out of Egypt; How he met you by the way, and struck at your rear, all who were feeble behind you, when you were faint and weary; and he did not fear God” (Deuteronomy 25:17-18). It appears, that this is not simply that the seed of Israel is commanded to wipe out Amalek, which is the seed of Esau, rather that every person from Israel (the people, not the place) needs to wipe out an evil portion that we call by the name of “Amalek,” buried in his/her heart. The seed of Amalek is always found in the world, and since every person is also considered a “small world”, there is reality to Amalek being the force of evil in every person, that wakes up every time to entice a person to do wrong, and on account of this, comes the “Rememberings” in the Torah
(Parashat Zakhor).
and, lo, the strength of the seed of Israel is only in the mouth, [And Jacob went near to Isaac his father; and he felt him, and said,] “The voice is Jacob’s voice,” [but the hands are the hands of Esau] (Genesis 27:22), in Torah and Prayer. When a person has this strength, and his/her heart is always blazing for the Holy Blessed One, then there is no evil that can have mastery over it. But when a person puts this strength at rest, thus immediately [it can be said about that person] “and they departed from ‘Rephidim’ ” (Vayisu Marifidim) – that they softened their hands, and immediately “then came Amalek,” immediately the evil dwells with him/her. But when a person nonetheless holds onto the trait of reverence, to be in awe of the Blessed One and fearful of transgressing God’s commandments, nonetheless, [the person] does not come into the hands of sin.
And that’s what is written “when you were faint and weary,” that you did not have the strength of the seed of Israel within you, that they softened their hands from the service of God (Avodat HaShem), “and he did not fear God,” and on account of this remember greatly, do not let Amalek cause your strength to stumble. And that’s what is written “that you shall blot out” from your heart the root of evil and tether it beneath the good. And that’s what is written “when Moses held up his hand,” that is to say, his strength which we call by the name “hand / yad”, when a person raises this strength, thus “Israel prevailed.” But when a person puts this strength to rest, thus, God forbid, “Amalek prevailed.”