Posted on 09/05/25
The holy Sochatchover points out that the prayer we say at the end of the blessing of Ahava Rabba right before Shma each morning: ובנו בחרת מכל עם ולשון וקרבתנו מלכנו לשמך הגדול — You have chosen us from among every people and tongue. And You, our King, have brought us close to Your great Name, alludes to the goal of the entire Tishrei experience.
Rosh Hashana — the anniversary of the creation of Man, whose original mission is now embodied in the history and objective of the Jewish nation — the 'Chosen People' from among all nations, is mentioned first.
We then delight in the privilege in having been brought close by our King, which finds its greatest expression on Yom Kippur where G-d lovingly beckons us, לפני ד' תטהרו — 'Before G-d you shall be cleansed'.
We then refer to G-d's great Name, that will come to fruition when we eradicate the memory of Amalek of whom G-d pledges to exterminate.
And He said, "For the hand is on כס י-ה — the throne of G-d, Hashem maintains a war against Amalek, from generation to generation." (שמות יז טז)
The word for throne כס is missing the א to complete the word כסא — throne.
The full Name of G-d presented here, י-ה is fractured, missing its last two letters ו and ה — which in its full expression is His great Name.
We are taught that His throne is not whole, and His Name is not complete until we destroy Amalek.
The Sukkah commemorates the Clouds of Glory that protected us from Amalek's infiltration. It is within its inspired walls that the full import of His Name was expressed.
The word סוכה is numerically equivalent to the full value of the great Name — (26) י-ה-ו-ה and its pronounced version — (65) א-ד-נ-י, 91.
The Sukkah is the focal point where heaven and earth meet. A place that transcends this world, infusing heaven within this earth. While still in the world of His concealment, we catch a sense of G-d's revealed and compelling presence that eclipses the allures of earthly existence. (שם משמואל מועדים סוכות תרע"ג)
It is precisely this notion of being privileged to have been chosen, by a G-d who seeks our closeness, and provides us the ability to sense His illuminated presence within an obscured world, that the Torah portrays Amalek's ability to abuse us is when we become vulnerable to his influence when we leave the embrace of G-d.
אשר קרך — That he happened upon you on the way, ויזנב בך — and he struck those of you who were hindmost, all the weaklings at the rear… (דברים כה יח)
Rashi quoting the Midrash describes how this vile enemy had exhibited unfathomable cruelty — evidently the tactics of terrorists have ancient precedent — by cutting off the members of the males where they were circumcised, tossing them derisively skyward while yelping, "This is what you chose? Here go take back what you chose!"
Playing on the vulnerabilities of those expelled from the Clouds of Glory due to their sins, they taunted G-d, mocking our roles as the chosen ones.
This command which signifies man's ability to slough off the instinctive pull towards physicality and all its temptations is the antithesis of this nation of Amalek, which denies providence, believing that man controls his destiny independent of a divine entity, and belittles those who aspire to elevate themselves from the gravity of earthliness.
Perhaps their projecting it heavenward, with it inevitably falling back to earth, was an act of cynical defiance that one can escape the clutches of instinct and nature.
We will soon read the verse that expresses our yearning for the closeness we aspire to, מי יעלה — Who can ascend, לנו השמימה — heavenward for us. (שם ל יב)
The first letters in this appeal spelling out מילה and the last letters the great Name י-ה-ו-ה.
In a recent widely publicized news item, the leaders of the 'axis of evil', Putin and Xi, modern day purveyors of this philosophy of Amalek, were overheard during a hot mic moment discussing advances in medical technology that can prolong life and possibly achieve immortality.
There are those that can only aspire to extending the length of time they will be sentenced to the limitations of man.
But we strive to escape these shackles, reaching for heights within our lifespan to unshackle us from the confines of carnality, knowing that there is a pleasure that awaits us that no offering on earth can ever parallel.
May we read this tefillah in the days ahead with a new consciousness, seeing it as the roadmap for not only the month of Tishrei, but setting us on an eternal path towards authentic joy!
באהבה,
צבי יהודה טייכמאן