It is taught in the schools of the Vilna Gaon and Rav Tzadok, that there are three nations that encompass all the other nations of the world.
Esav, the 'goring שור — Ox', represents the element of כעס — anger, a destructive attitude that can lead one to the sin of רציחה — murder.
Yishmael is referred to as a חמור — a donkey, a beast of burden that embodies pure physicality, תאוה — sensuality, and its powerful instinctive drive that can lead one to the sin of עריות — sexual depravity.
Taking the middle letters of these two powerful beasts, the ו from ש[ו]ר, and the מ and ו from ח[מו]ר, they are numerically valued as 52, the same gematriya as כלב — a dog, an animal described by the prophet as an עז נפש — the impudent beast who revokes authority, shirking reliance on any higher power, the very essence of the sin of עבודה זרה — heresy.
This refers to the nation of Amalek who is termed as the ultimate, לא ירא אל-הים — not fearing of G-d.
Ironically, this vile archenemy of the Jewish nation — Amalek and his descendants, whom must be totally eradicated from memory before we can be fully redeemed and return to the Bais HaMikdash — had a seemingly noble beginning.
Amalek was born to his mother, Timna, who was a princess who sought to join the family of the noble patriarch, Avrohom Avinu, even if it meant becoming a concubine in Avraham's family. She was shunned from her dream by Avrohom, questioning her motivation. In frustration she decided she would at the very least enter the family of Esav, a grandson of Avraham, by becoming a concubine to Esav's son Elifaz.
Elifaz was one of the friends of Iyov, who is termed a 'righteous one' in the Midrash, and was clearly a believer in G-d and Divine providence, taking Iyov to task for his questioning G-d during his personal travails.
The product of these seemingly inspired souls — Timna and Elifaz, begat the worst enemy our nation has ever seen.
Where did they go wrong?
I recently heard a remarkable anecdote in the name of the Chofetz Chaim.
He was wont to say that a person should always strive to be a גוטער — a good person, a קלוגער — a clever person, and a פרומער — a religiously pious person.
On the other the hand Reb Simcha Bunim of Peshischa famously taught: A גוטער is a נואף — an adulterer, a קלוגער is an אפיקורס — a heretic, and a פרומער is a רוצח — murderer!
Clearly there is no dispute between these two giants.
One who possesses these three qualities, integrating these components in all of one's pursuits, will live an inspired and effective life.
There must, however, always be a delicate balance.
When a person is a religiously zealous, but doesn't infuse kindness and intelligence in that pursuit, he is liable to kill someone in his overeagerness to promote the 'will' of G-d.
One who is overtly kind to all who crosses their path without discerning the propriety of engaging with that person, in that quest for 'connection' can lead one to be drawn in to inappropriate behavior. One must be astute and adhere to religious restrictions to avoid sliding down the slippery slope of 'closeness'.
A person who relies solely on one's own level of intelligence and understanding without filtering it through the eyes of Torah teaching and good character, may well end up losing one's faith blinded by biased and uneducated conclusions. (Kudos to a dear 'mechutan', Reb Itche Meir Fishman, for sharing this gem)
Timna admirably left the comforts of her royal home to embrace the mission of Avraham to serve humanity. When she was spurned from her quest, she didn't submit to the authority of this greatest of personages and remained determined to join a member of lesser stature in the family of Avraham to fulfill her 'need' to find connection rather than lead a purely altruistic life.
She becomes the concubine to an apparently devoted religionist, a real 'frummie', who espoused a strong knowledge and belief in G-d.
Yet the Midrash tells us that when Yaakov fled to Charan, his brother Esav dispatched his son Elifaz to kill Yaakov for having cheated him out of the blessings. Elifaz confronts Yaakov apologetically informing him that he has a directive from his father, who he must respect, to dispatch with him. Yaakov negotiates to relinquish all his wealth, therefore becoming a poor man who is considered as dead, so that Elifaz doesn't have to compromise his pious adherence to the command to 'honor his parent'!
Without kindness and smarts, one can even kill in the name of religion!
We are also taught that this 'frummie' cohabited with the wife of Seir, and fathered Timna, later taking her — his own daughter, as his concubine.
This power couple beget Amalek. The Midrash reports how Amalek was taught by his father that Yaakov is the one who promised good in this world and the next. Elifaz encourages Amalek to invest with Yaakov supporting his mission. He didn't buy it and turned vehemently against this family making it his goal to incite against Yaakov time and time again.
Amalek saw through the hypocrisy of his self-serving father who never chose to support Yaakov's family and mission.
Disillusioned with his parents' less than honest quest for truth, he opted to reject it all, becoming the greatest denier of G-d in history.
It is not enough to simply hear the reading of Zachor this week and feel fulfilled that we have performed a great mitzvah.
We must eradicate those 'amalekian' attitudes we often exhibit in our own lives.
Do we always measure and integrate our responses with kindness, thoughtfulness, and adherence to the refinement of Torah inspired actions?
Or are we overzealous in our demands from others?
Are we selfless in our decisions to help others or are we often just looking for some gain and leverage?
Do our actions and responses measure up to G-d's expectations from us, or are we paying lip service?
Do we really believe in Divine providence, or are we slightly heretical in thinking it doesn't apply to me?
May we eradicate the vestiges of these influences of Amalek within us and merit in return to see G-d's throne restored to its full glory!
באהבה,
צבי יהודה טייכמאן
