Today is Purim, the festival on which we celebrate the demise of our archenemy Haman, whose burning desire to eliminate all the Jews from a vast empire was thwarted by Queen Esther and her uncle Mordechai together with the hidden hand of God.
The Torah portion of Zachor, which we read annually on the Shabbat before Purim, contains one of the most powerful and eternal mitzvot in the Torah: the commandment to remember Amalek and never forget what they did to us.
“Remember what Amalek did to you on the way, when you were coming out of Egypt. How he happened upon you on the way, and struck those of you who were feeble at the rear, when you were tired and weary; and he did not fear God.” (Deuteronomy 25:17-18)
This mitzvah is not merely a call to historical memory – it is a directive for action. Amalek represents the eternal enemy of the Jewish people, those who seek to destroy us without reason, driven by hatred alone.
The commandment to remember Amalek is especially relevant today as Israel finds itself engaged in an existential battle against Hamas, Hezbollah, and their patron, Iran – modern embodiments of Amalek’s cruelty and evil.
The tactics of Amalek: Then and now
The Torah describes Amalek’s attack as particularly despicable. They did not confront Israel in a conventional battle; instead, they ambushed the weak and vulnerable from behind.
They exploited Israel’s exhaustion and lack of preparedness, attacking those least able to defend themselves.
This strategy is eerily similar to the methods employed by Hamas and Hezbollah.
The massacre of October 7, 2023, when Hamas terrorists slaughtered over a thousand innocent civilians – men, women, children, and the elderly – was a modern-day Amalekite attack. Just as Amalek targeted the weakest among us, so too did Hamas.
They did not challenge Israel on a battlefield; they stormed homes, burned families alive, and took hostages – acts of pure barbarism. Hezbollah, sitting in Lebanon with its arsenal of rockets aimed at Israeli cities, operates under the same spirit of indiscriminate hatred and terror.
And behind them stands Iran, the greatest state sponsor of terror, whose leaders openly call for the annihilation of Israel and work relentlessly to arm our enemies. Like Amalek, they fear no divine morality, only pursuing destruction for its own sake.
The Torah’s response: Eradicate Amalek
The Torah’s response to Amalek is absolute: “You shall erase the memory of Amalek from under the heavens; do not forget.” (Deuteronomy 25:19) This is not a call for vengeance but for justice.
Amalek cannot be appeased or reasoned with. When facing an enemy whose sole mission is to annihilate the Jewish people, there is only one response – total eradication of their power and influence.
Israel’s war against Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran is not a war of conquest; it is a war of survival. The Torah does not instruct us to attack those who pose no threat; rather, it mandates the destruction of those who seek our destruction.
This is why the Jewish people have a moral obligation to fight, just as Joshua fought Amalek in the wilderness and as King Saul was commanded to destroy Amalek in the time of the prophets.
Failure to act: A lesson from King Saul
We also recall the tragic story of King Saul, who was commanded by the prophet Samuel to destroy Amalek completely. But Shaul hesitated. He spared King Agag and the best of the Amalekite livestock.
For this failure, Hashem removed the kingship from him, and Amalek’s evil continued – eventually giving rise to Agag’s descendant Haman, the genocidal villain of the Purim story.
This episode teaches us a painful lesson: when we fail to fully eliminate evil, it returns to threaten us again. How many times has Israel withdrawn from territory, only to see it become a base for terror?
How many times has Israel shown restraint, hoping for peace, only to be met with more rockets, kidnappings, and massacres?
The lesson of King Saul is clear – when we have the opportunity to dismantle the forces of Amalek, we must not hesitate.
Moral clarity in war
Some in the international community call for Israel to “show restraint,” to negotiate with terrorists, to make compromises with those who openly seek our destruction. But Purim reminds us that there is no negotiating with Amalek. There is no peace treaty to be made with those who deny our right to exist. We must not be fooled by calls for diplomacy when our enemies have made their intentions clear.
At the same time, we must conduct this war with the ethical framework that has always defined Am Yisrael. Unlike our enemies, who celebrate the murder of civilians, Israel’s fight is one of self-defense, guided by moral principles.
The IDF takes extraordinary measures to minimize civilian casualties, even as our enemies hide behind human shields. This is the difference between Israel and Amalek – one fights for survival, the other for destruction.
The mitzvah of “Remembering Amalek” is not fulfilled merely by reading a few verses from the Torah once a year, or by banging a noisy drum at the mention of Haman’s name. It demands action. How do we fulfill it today?
Support the soldiers: Just as Joshua led the fight against Amalek, so too do our brave soldiers fight today. They need our unwavering support, whether through donations, advocacy, or simple expressions of gratitude.
Fight the battle of truth: The war against Amalek is also a war of narratives. Our enemies spread lies about Israel, portraying the victim as the aggressor. We must counter these lies with truth, educating the world about the justness of our cause.
Strengthen our faith: Amalek represents not only physical enemies but also spiritual doubt. In times of crisis, we must strengthen our faith and commitment, knowing that God guides history and protects His people.
Purim reminds us that Amalek can be defeated. Haman, a descendant of Amalek, sought to wipe out the Jewish people, yet he himself was destroyed, and the Jews emerged victorious. The same will be true today. Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran may plot against us, but they will also meet their downfall, and the nation of Israel will endure.
Am Yisrael Chai.
The writer, a rabbi and physician, lives in Ramat Poleg, Netanya. He is a co-founder of Techelet-Inspiring Judaism.