Zachor - Remember or Forget?

Zachor: Remember or Forget?

The Shulchan Aruch (Code of Jewish Law) mandates that on the Shabbat preceding the holiday Purim, we must read the story of the ancient Amalakites and how they attacked the Jewish people shortly after the exodus from Egypt. Thus the Shabbat when we read this portion is called Shabbat Zachor-the Shabbat of Remembrance. According to most Poskim (Halachik codifiers) this Torah reading is considered a Biblical obligation which everyone must listen to carefully. Traditionally, people make a special effort to attend services this Shabbat and listen to this special reading.

The reason we read this portion on the Shabbat before Purim is, because Haman, the villain of the Purim story who wanted to annihilate all the Jews was a descendant of Amalek, hence the connection of Shabbat Zachor and the Jewish holiday of Purim.

When we look a bit closer at the actual Torah reading we see something odd. The verse states “Zachor-Remember what Amalek did to you when you left Egypt…. You shall wipe out the memory of Amalek from under the heaven-Lo Tishkach-you shall not forget!”

While we can understand the general intention of the verse, which is to blot out the memory of Amalek, what is puzzling is the language used in the verse. Are we to remember them for the evil they did or should we wipe them out from our memories and existence?

Our commentaries explain that this Mitzvah is actually a double Mitzvah (1) erase the memory of Amalek (2) remember their treachery. In other words, it is not enough to erase the memory of Amalek and “move on” leaving them behind in the annals of history, but we must remember what they did and learn the important lessons from our difficult past. Not just a slogan of “Never Again”, but a deeper understanding of our past and how we must fight this evil in every generation.

With some of the antisemitism that we have seen on the news or on social media lately, whether in European community parades or from members of our own government, we must REMEMBER our past and protest this ugliness while also do everything we can to WIPE IT OUT using every tool and ability we have.

May Hashem protect our people the world over, as in days of old. Amen.