(1) Some time afterward, King Achashveirosh promoted Haman son of Hammedata the Agagite; he exalted him and seated him higher than any of his fellow officials. (2) All the king’s servants in the palace gate knelt and bowed low to Haman, for such the king had ordered concerning him. But Mordecai would not kneel or bow low.
(א) וְאֵ֛לֶּה תֹּלְד֥וֹת עֵשָׂ֖ו ה֥וּא אֱדֽוֹם׃ (י) אֵ֖לֶּה שְׁמ֣וֹת בְּנֵֽי־עֵשָׂ֑ו אֱלִיפַ֗ז בֶּן־עָדָה֙ אֵ֣שֶׁת עֵשָׂ֔ו רְעוּאֵ֕ל בֶּן־בָּשְׂמַ֖ת אֵ֥שֶׁת עֵשָֽׂו׃ (יא) וַיִּהְי֖וּ בְּנֵ֣י אֱלִיפָ֑ז תֵּימָ֣ן אוֹמָ֔ר צְפ֥וֹ וְגַעְתָּ֖ם וּקְנַֽז׃ (יב) וְתִמְנַ֣ע ׀ הָיְתָ֣ה פִילֶ֗גֶשׁ לֶֽאֱלִיפַז֙ בֶּן־עֵשָׂ֔ו וַתֵּ֥לֶד לֶאֱלִיפַ֖ז אֶת־עֲמָלֵ֑ק אֵ֕לֶּה בְּנֵ֥י עָדָ֖ה אֵ֥שֶׁת עֵשָֽׂו׃
(1) This is the line of Esau—that is, Edom (10) These are the names of Esau’s sons: Eliphaz, the son of Esau’s wife Adah; Reuel, the son of Esau’s wife Basemath. (11) The sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz. (12) Timna was a concubine of Esau’s son Eliphaz; she bore Amalek to Eliphaz. Those were the descendants of Esau’s wife Adah.
(8) Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. (9) Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some men for us, and go out and do battle with Amalek. Tomorrow I will station myself on the top of the hill, with the staff of God in my hand.” (10) Joshua did as Moses told him and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. (11) Then, whenever Moses raised his hand, Israel prevailed; but whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. (12) But Moses’ hands grew heavy so they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur, one on each side, supported his hands; thus his hands were steady until the the setting of the sun. (13) And Joshua defeated Amalek and his people by the sword. (14) Then the LORD said to Moses, “Inscribe this in the scroll as a reminder, and read it aloud to Joshua: I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven!” (15) And Moses built an altar and named it Adonai-nissi ["The Lord is my banner"]. (16) And he said, "My hand upon the throne of Yah, the LORD's war with Amalek is from generation to generation.”
(16) כי יד על כס יה. יָדוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּבָּ"ה הֻרְמָה לִשָּׁבַע בְּכִסְאוֹ לִהְיוֹת לוֹ מִלְחָמָה וְאֵיבָה בַעֲמָלֵק עוֹלָמִית, וּמַהוּ כֵּס וְלֹא נֶאֱמַר כִּסֵּא? וְאַף הַשֵּׁם נֶחֱלַק לְחֶצְיוֹ? נִשְׁבַּע הַקָּבָּ"ה שֶׁאֵין שְׁמוֹ שָׁלֵם וְאֵין כִּסְאוֹ שָׁלֵם עַד שֶׁיִּמָּחֶה שְׁמוֹ שֶׁל עֲמָלֵק כֻּלּוֹ, וּכְשֶׁיִּמָּחֶה שְׁמוֹ יִהְיֶה הַשֵּׁם שָׁלֵם וְהַכִּסֵּא שָׁלֵם.
(16) My hand on the throne of Yah: The hand of the Holy One, who is blessed, is raised up to swear by His throne that He will have perpetual war and enmity against Amalek. But why is it kes [כס, a shortened form of the word for throne] and not kisei [כסא, the usual form]? And the Divine Name is also divided in half [י-ה is only half of the four-letter name]! The Holy One, who is blessed, swore that His name will not be complete, nor His throne complete until the name of Amalek is totally blotted out. And when his name is blotted out, then will the divine name be complete and the throne complete.
(א) וַיַּ֣רְא בִּלְעָ֗ם כִּ֣י ט֞וֹב בְּעֵינֵ֤י יְהוָה֙ לְבָרֵ֣ךְ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְלֹא־הָלַ֥ךְ כְּפַֽעַם־בְּפַ֖עַם לִקְרַ֣את נְחָשִׁ֑ים וַיָּ֥שֶׁת אֶל־הַמִּדְבָּ֖ר פָּנָֽיו׃ (כ) וַיַּרְא֙ אֶת־עֲמָלֵ֔ק וַיִּשָּׂ֥א מְשָׁל֖וֹ וַיֹּאמַ֑ר רֵאשִׁ֤ית גּוֹיִם֙ עֲמָלֵ֔ק וְאַחֲרִית֖וֹ עֲדֵ֥י אֹבֵֽד׃
(1) Now Balaam, seeing that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, did not, as on previous occasions, go in search of omens, but turned his face toward the wilderness.
(20) He saw Amalek and, taking up his theme, he said:
Amalek is the first among nations,
But in the end it will perish forever.
(20) Amalek is the first among nations: He was the first of them all to make war with Israel, and so too did Onkelos [the Aramaic translation of the Torah] render it.
(Ibid.) But in the end: He will be destroyed at their hands, as it is stated, “You shall blot out the memory of Amalek" (Deut 25:19).
(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)
(17) Remember what Amalek did to you on your journey as you left Egypt: (18) how he surprised you on the journey, and attacked you from behind, all those trailing in the rear, and you were famished and weary, not fearing God. (19) So when the LORD your God grants you rest from all your surrounding enemies, in the land that the LORD your God is giving you as a hereditary portion, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget!
זָכוֹר אֵת אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לְךָ וְגוֹ'. בַּדֶּרֶךְ בְּצֵאתְכֶם מִמִּצְרָיִם. תָּנֵי בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי נָתָן, אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת פַּרְסָה פָּסַע עֲמָלֵק וּבָא לַעֲשׂוֹת מִלְחָמָה עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּרְפִידִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: עֲמָלֵק יוֹשֵׁב בְּאֶרֶץ הַנֶּגֶב וְהַחִתִּי וְהַיְבוּסִי וְהָאֱמֹרִי יוֹשֵׁב בָּהָר וְהַכְּנַעֲנִי יוֹשֵׁב עַל הַיָּם וְעַל יַד הַיַּרְדֵּן (במדבר יג, כט), וְהוּא יוֹשֵׁב לְפָנִים מִכֻּלָּם...
וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי, קָרְךָ, הֵקֶרְךָ לִפְנֵי אֲחֵרִים. אָמַר רַבִּי חוּנְיָא, מָשָׁל לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה. לְאַמְבָּטִי רוֹתַחַת, שֶׁלֹּא הָיְתָה בְּרִיָּה יְכוֹלָה לֵירֵד בְּתוֹכָהּ, בָּא בֶּן בְּלִיַּעַל אֶחָד וְקָפַץ לְתוֹכָהּ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנִּכְוָה, הֵקֵרָהּ לִפְנֵי אֲחֵרִים. אַף כָּאן כֵּיוָן שֶׁיָּצְאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא קָרַע הַיָּם לִפְנֵיהֶם וְנִשְׁתַּקְּעוּ הַמִּצְרִים לְתוֹכוֹ. נָפַל פַּחְדָּן עַל כָּל הָאֻמּוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אָז נִבְהֲלוּ אַלּוּפֵי אֱדוֹם וְגוֹ' (שם טו, טו). כֵּיוָן שֶׁבָּא עֲמָלֵק וְנִזְדַּוֵּג לָהֶם, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנָּטַל אֶת שֶׁלּוֹ מִתַּחַת יָדָן, הֵקֵרָן לִפְנֵי אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם.
“On the way as you came out of Egypt.” It is taught (in a baraita) in the name of R. Nathan: Amalek came four hundred parasangs (i.e., a little over 900 miles) to fight with Israel in Rephidim, as stated (in Numb. 13:29)...
And the masters say, “He cooled (qr) you, i.e., he made Israel [appear] lukewarm (rt.: qrr) before others.” R. Huniya said, “A parable: To what is the matter comparable? To a boiling bath into which no creature is able to descend. A certain ruffian came and leaped down into it. Even though he was scalded, he made it cool to others. So also when Israel came out of Egypt, and the Holy One, blessed be He, divided the sea before them, while the Egyptians were drowned in its midst, fear of them fell upon all the peoples, as stated (in Exod. 15:15-16), ‘Then were the chiefs of Edom bewildered…. [Terror and fright fell upon them].’ When Amalek came and joined in battle with them - even though he received his [scalding] at their hands - he made [Israel appear] lukewarm (in battle) before the peoples of the world.”
(כה) כְּשֶׁעָלָה סַנְחֵרִיב מֶלֶךְ אַשּׁוּר בִּלְבֵּל כָּל הָאֻמּוֹת וְעֵרְבָם זֶה בָּזֶה וְהִגְלָה אוֹתָם מִמְּקוֹמָם. וְאֵלּוּ הַמִּצְרִים שֶׁבְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם עַתָּה אֲנָשִׁים אֲחֵרִים הֵם. וְכֵן הָאֱדוֹמִים שֶׁבִּשְׂדֵה אֱדוֹם. וְהוֹאִיל וְנִתְעָרְבוּ אַרְבַּע אֻמּוֹת הָאֲסוּרִים בְּכָל אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם שֶׁהֵן מֻתָּרִים הֻתַּר הַכּל. שֶׁכָּל הַפּוֹרֵשׁ מֵהֶן לְהִתְגַּיֵּר חֶזְקָתוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשׁ מִן הָרֹב. לְפִיכָךְ כְּשֶׁיִּתְגַּיֵּר הַגֵּר בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה בְּכָל מָקוֹם בֵּין אֱדוֹמִי בֵּין מִצְרִי בֵּין עַמּוֹנִי בֵּין מוֹאָבִי בֵּין כּוּשִׁי בֵּין שְׁאָר הָאֻמּוֹת אֶחָד הַזְּכָרִים וְאֶחָד הַנְּקֵבוֹת מֻתָּרִין לָבֹא בַּקָּהָל מִיָּד:
When Sancheriv, king of Assyria, rose to power, he confused [the identity of] all the nations, and mixed them together, and exiled them from their places. And those Egyptians who are now in the land of Egypt are different people [than the biblical Egyptian ethnicity was]. And so too the Edomites who are in the Plain of Edom. And since the four nations which are forbidden [to marry into the Jewish People] have become mixed among all the nations of the world who are permitted, everyone is permitted, because anyone who emerges from them in order to convert is presumed to have emerged from the majority. Therefore, when a convert converts in this time anywhere, whether Edomite, Egyptian, Ammonite, Moabite, Cushite, or the rest of the nations, both men and women are permitted to enter the community [of Israel] immediately.
23. With respect to the seven nations of Canaan Maimonides wrote in Hilkhot Melakhim 5:4: “It is a positive mitzvah to destroy the seven nations [of Canaan], as it is said:‘You shall utterly destroy them’ (Deuteronomy 7:2), and anyone who encounters one of them and does not kill him has violated an injunction, as it is said, ‘Do not keep alive a soul’(Deuteronomy 20:16), and [in fact] their memory has already been erased. “Radbaz [R. David Ibn Abi Zimra, sixteenth century] located the source of the last line, “and their memory has already been erased,” in the words of R. Joshua (M. Yada’im 4:4), “Sennacherib, king of Assyria, has already arisen and intermingled all of the nations” [i.e. so that none retained their distinct identity].
But note something strange : in relation to the destruction of Amalek, Maimonides does not add the words “and their memory has already been erased.” In Hilkhot Melakhim 5:5, Maimonides writes: “And similarly it is a positive mitzvah to erase the memory of Amalek, as it said: ‘Erase the memory of Amalek’ (Deuteronomy 25:19), and it is a positive mitzvah to forever remember his evil deeds and his laying ambush (against you), in order to arose anger against him. As it is said, ‘Remember what Amalek did to you.’ Tradition teaches: Remember — with your mouth; do not forget in your heart, for it is prohibited to forget his enmity and hatred.”
From Maimonides’ words it appears that Amalek still exists in the world, whereas the seven nations of Canaan have descended to the depths of oblivion. One wonders why Maimonides did not employ the rule of R. Joshua that “Sennacherib came and intermingled all the nations” with relation to Amalek. The answer to this question is very simple. The Bible testifies that Amalek still exists in this world. Go and see what the Torah says: “The Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation” (Exodus 17:16). Accordingly, it is impossible for Amalek to be blotted out of the world until the coming of the Messiah. So said our Sages: “God’s name and throne will not be complete until the children of Amalek are blotted out” (Rashi to Exodus 17:16). But where is Amalek? I heard the answer from my father of blessed memory. Every nation that conspires to destroy the Jewish people is considered by the halakhah to be Amalek. My father added that as concerns Amalek itself we were commanded to perform two mitzvot: (a) [for the individual] to blot out the memory of Amalek, which is incumbent on everyone [to slay] any individual member of Amalek [that he encounters], as expounded in the Torah portion of Ki Tetzeh, “You shall blot out the memory of Amalek” (Deuteronomy 25:19), and (b) [for the community] to engage in communal military preparedness for war against Amalek, as it is explained in the Torah portion of B’shalach, “The Lord will wage war with Amalek from generation to generation” (Exodus 17:16). With relation to any other nation that stands ready to destroy us, we are [now after the time of Sennacherib] commanded to wage war against it [even] while it prepares for war against us,and our war against it is a “War of Mitzvah”, in accordance with the command of the Torah that “The Lord will wage war with Amalek from generation to generation.” However, the destruction of individuals, which is derived from the Torah portion of Ki Tetzeh, refers only to the biological descendants of Amalek. The words of Maimonides include the obligation to wipe out individuals, which does not apply to any other nation that plots destruction against the People of Israel. However, since the obligation of warring Amalek pertains to such a nation (as well), he did not employ the phrase “And its memory has already been lost.” The status of Amalek exists even now after the nations were intermingled [by Sennacherib]. And perhaps this is the basis for Maimonides’ view (Hilkhot Melakhim 5:1) that a defensive war by Jews against an enemy who comes to wage war against it is a “War of Mitzvah”. For this kind of war is subsumed by the notion “The Lord will have war against Amalek from generation to generation.” To be sure, Maimonides especially singled out the war with Amalek [in that regard]; nevertheless, one may say that saving Jews from an enemy that has arisen to destroy them is encompassed to this Torah portion [i.e., the destruction of Amalek]. Cf., Sotah 44b, s. v. amar R. Jochanan.
(ג) תמחה את זכר עמלק. הוא הבטחה ג"כ שבנ"י ימחו את שמו בלי ספק. אבל כפי מה שנתקיים והיה בהניח כו'. כך מתקיים מחיית עמלק. וכתיב כי יד על כס יה. פרש"י נשבע הקב"ה שאין שמו שלם וכסאו שלם עד שימחה זכר עמלק. פי' כי עמלק מסר נפשו לרעה. אף כי ידע שסופו לאיבוד. אבל רצה לערבב את בני ישראל. ולכן זה שכרו שלא יהי' לו חלק בקדושה. דהנה כל האומות יש להם קצת שורש בקדושה. וכ' אז אהפוך אל העמים שפה ברורה כו'. דלעתיד יתגדל שמו ית' וידעו כל העמים כי לה' המלוכה כמ"ש ישמחו וירננו לאומים כו'. אבל עמלק ימ"ש לא יהי' לו חלק בזה. כמ"ש ראשית גוים עמלק ואחריתו עדי אובד. לכן נשבע הקב"ה שלא יהי' תיקון השלם שיכירו כל האומות את כבודו ושמו הגדול ב"ה עד שימחה זכר עמלק. כדי שלא יהי' עמלק בכלל ולא יזכה לראות האמת. ולכן כפי מה שמתקרבת הגאולה ומתברר כבודו ית' בעולם. כפי זה השיעור נמחה שמו של עמלק. וז"ש והי' בהניח כו' מכל אויביך מסביב. אז תמחה בוודאי זכר עמלק. ולכן מי שמצפה לפרסום שמו הגדול ב"ה. הוא מצפה למחיית עמלק. כי הא בהא תליא. ושבת הוא מעין עוה"ב ויש בו קצת התגלות כבודו ית'. אך הוא בהסתר בינו ובין בני ישראל. לכן אז נמחה שמו בהסתר ג"כ. והוא בכלל והיה בהניח. לכן קורין זכור בשבת. וגם כי בשבת מתיחדין בנ"י להיות אחד ואז אין לו שליטה דכתיב כל הנחשלים אחריך. אבל לכלל ישראל א"י ליגע. והטעם כי שמו יתברך הוא בתוך כלל בנ"י ושם נמחה שמו של עמלק וכ"כ ביעקב כינוסו וכינוס בניו הצילו כו':
"You shall blot out the memory of Amalek" (Deut 25:19). This verse also implies the promise that the Israelites will, without doubt, blot out his name. But to the extent that the phrase, "So when the LORD your God grants you rest from all your surrounding enemies..." is fulfilled, to the same extent is the blotting out of Amalek fulfilled.
And it is written, "My hand on the throne of Yah" (Ex 17:16). Rashi explained: The Holy One swore that neither his name nor his throne would be complete until the memory of Amalek has been blotted out. The meaning is this: Amalek completely dedicated himself to evil, even though he knew he would ultimately perish, but he wanted [above all else] to disrupt the Jewish People. For this reason his punishment was that he would have no share of holiness. For in fact all the [other, gentile] nations have some root in holiness, as it is written, "Then I will transform the nations with purified speech, etc." (Zechariah 3:9). For in the future His name, may it be blessed, will be magnified, and all the nations will know that the kingship belongs to the Lord, as it is stated, "Peoples shall be glad and rejoice, etc." (Psalms 67:5). But Amalek, may his name be blotted out, will have no share in this, as it is stated, "Amalek is the first among nations, but in the end it will perish forever" (Numbers 24:20).
Therefore, the Holy One swore that the complete perfection, in which all the nations will recognize His glory and His great name, blessed be He, would not come about until the memory of Amalek is blotted out, so that Amalek will not be included, and will not be privileged to see the truth. And therefore, to the extent that redemption approaches, and His glory, may He be blessed, is revealed in the world, to the same degree the name of Amalek is blotted out. And thus it is written, "So when the LORD your God grants you rest from all your surrounding enemies...."--at that time it is certain you will blot out the memory of Amalek. For this reason one who hopes for the recognition of God's great name, may He be blessed, hopes [as well] for the blotting out of Amalek, since each thing is dependent upon the other.
Rav Shimshon Raphael Hirsch on Amalek
From chabad.org, Teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, "Amalek: The Perpetual Enemy of the Jewish People"
https://www.chabad.org/therebbe/article_cdo/aid/150871/jewish/Amalek-The-Perpetual-Enemy-of-the-Jewish-People.htm
The Amalek Inside Us
The Tanach is no mere history book. Beyond its chronicles of past events, it furnishes us with insights that can enhance our present service of God.
Though the name Amalek refers to a nation that actually existed, it also describes a character trait within ourselves. Just as Amalek stood in direct opposition to the Jewish people, the trait symbolized by Amalek defies the very foundations of our divine service.
The Midrash describes the nature of this trait in its commentary on the verse, “Remember what Amalek did to you...as you came forth from Egypt, how he encountered you on the way and cut down all the weak who straggled behind you.” The Midrash explains that the Hebrew word korechah (קרך, “he encountered you”) can also be rendered as “he cooled you off.” Amalek represents the cold rationality which makes us question everything we do or experience.
Stepping Beyond the Intellect
To achieve complete service of God, we must transcend our own intellectual limitations. Therefore, before the Jewish people received the Torah, they declared, Naaseh VeNishma— “We will do and we will listen.” “We will do” refers to the desire to carry out God’s will, and “we will listen” to the effort to understand God’s commandments intellectually. By proclaiming “We will do” before “we will listen,” our ancestors implied that they would fulfill God’s will without hesitation or doubt, whether they understood it or not. By the same token, our commitment to Torah must at all times leap beyond the limits of our understanding.
A commitment of this magnitude is challenged by our internal Amalek which tells us: “By all means accept the Torah, but wait, consider carefully exactly how much you can study, and precisely which mitzvos you can fulfill. Don’t bite off too much.”
Within this context, we can understand the numerical equivalence between Amalek and the word safek , the Hebrew word for “doubt”. Amalek causes doubt and hesitation which cools the ardor of our divine service. Victory in our inner war with Amalek means devoting ourselves to God’s service without reservations, observing Torah with diligence and enthusiasm that are not confined by our reason.