Beshalach Drash

Amalek

This weeks Torah portion begins with Yisrael leaving Mitsrayim and the events that immediately follow. At the very end of this portion we read about the Amalekites and the forever war that we fight.

For some background Amalek is either the son of Eliphaz the son of Esav, Yakov’s twin, or another nation by the same name in the Negev. We read in chapter 17 verse 8 that the Amalekites came and fought Yisrael. Why? They did not come to stop Yisrael from trespassing, they did not come to stop Yisrael from stealing or to prevent harm to themselves from Yisrael. They came out and fought out of pure hate. The just wanted Yisrael dead.

In the last verse of this portion we read Then he said, “By the hand upon the throne of Adonai, Adonai will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.” King Saul faught the Amalekites and spared Agag, from Agag we get Haman from the Purim story we celebrate our survival of the attempted genocide he instigated.

This conflict will not end until all war ends. As jews we have a national or communal identity and an individual identity. This section is addressing both of these identities.

As a people every generation there is always someone that is trying to destroy us. Some historians put the number of nations that have expelled the Jews from their country at 109. Today in our own land Amalek has risen up again. The only thing it wants from us, is our end. There is no peace to be made with a people that only want your death. There is not forgiveness or words that can make Amalek stop. It is the height of arrogance to think that mere words will make Amalek repent or even just change. Amalek only speaks the language of destruction.

In our Jewish identity as individuals we too encounter Amalek, a person who only wants evil for us and to bring our end. There is no peace that can be made with such a person. They have to be dealt with too. Sometimes we can avoid them remove them from our life or even move to another place. Regardless of the method they cannot remain in our lives. If we do not do this then there will be pain and suffering to those that we love and ourselves.

I failed to remove the Amalek from my life before it was to late. My family suffers the consequences of my arrogance in thinking I could bring peace and resolution to a person who hates me without cause.

I knew the hatred that this Amalek had for me and thought I was making progress and bringing peace between brothers. For the sake of peace that could never be had, all of my family was harmed and lives in daily pain.

Amalek is not going away until all war goes away. That day is promised. We read in the prophets of a day when swords will turn to plowshares and the people will learn war no more. I look forward to that day. It is not here yet.

Until then I will remember the words of Yeshua Matthew 10:16 ““Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” and Matthew 10:34–36 ““Do not think that I came to bring shalom on the earth; I did not come to bring shalom, but a sword. For I have come to set ‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household.’”

In closing we can not hesitate to address evil. We cannot allow it to grow and fester. We cannot allow it to keep us at bay with hostages and shielding itself with the lives of the innocent. We must be diligent in removing it from our midst less it bring ruin on us all.