Remember to Forget - Vayikra-Zachor

Remember to Forget
Parshat Vayikra-Zachor

This week we begin to read a new book of the Torah, Vayikra-Leviticus. Additionally, as this week is the Shabbat before the Purim holiday, we read the special portion of Zachor. This portion discusses the Mitzvah to remember what the nation of Amalek did to us.

The Torah states  "Remember what Amalek did to you, on the way when your were leaving Egypt. That he happened upon you on the way and he struck those of you who were hindmost, all the weaklings at your rear, when you were faint and exhausted, and did not fear G-d. It shall be when Hashem your G-d gives you rest from your enemies all around in the Land that Hashem your G-d gives you as an inheritance to posses it, you shall wipe out the memory of Amalek from under the heavens-You shall not forget"! (Devarim 25: 17-19)

Simply understood, this commandment (Rambam- Positive Mitzvah 189) is telling us the importance of never forgetting what the nation of Amalek did to us. As we have seen throughout our long history, there have been many foes who have tried to destroy us. The wicked Haman of the Purim story was from this cursed nation, Amalek. Similarly, our sages tell us that all anti Semites and ill hatred toward Jews has its roots in Amalek.

But when we examine the words more closely we observe a seeming dichotomy. We are commanded to wipe out the memory of Amalek and also to not forget; two seeming opposites ideas! This begs the question, are we to forget the pain and misery of Amalek and wipe it from our memories, or are we to remember it all?


Every individual has faults and failings. While we would rather people see only our good and beautiful attributes, we know that we have many faults. In fact, no one knows our faults better then ourselves. As we try to better ourselves and live a more positive and constructive life, we are often hindered by our weaknesses. How do we move forward? How do we rise above our failings? How do we put the past behind us?

Perhaps the reading of Zachor is providing us with guidance that we must learn from our past and remember our faults in order to grow. Without remembering and learning from our past we are deemed to make the same mistakes again. While it may be uncomfortable, it is a necessary step in our healing. "It takes enormous trust and courage to allow yourself to remember" writes Dr. Bessel A. van der Kolk (The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma). When we deal with the past in a healthy way, we are then able to harness those experiences and character traits, and then transform them.

We must remember the lessons from our past in order to wipe out the negativity of our lives and move forward in a healthy and beautiful way.

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Y. Marrus