5783/2023

Parashat Tetzaveh, which is read during the weeks leading up to

Purim, is primarily focused on the instructions for the construction

and service of the Mishkan. However, there is a brief interruption in

the middle of the Parashah with a commandment to remember

Amalek and their attack on the Jewish people after they left Egypt:

"Remember what Amalek did to you on your journey, after you left

Egypt - how, undeterred by fear of God, he surprised you on the

march, when you were famished and weary, and cut down all the

stragglers in your rear. Therefore, when the Lord your God grants you

safety from all your enemies around you, in the land that the Lord

your God is giving you as a hereditary portion, you shall blot out the

memory of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget!" (Devarim

25:17-19).

The inherent connection between Parshat Tetzaveh and Purim is

through this commandment to remember Amalek. According to the

Gemara, Haman was a descendant of Amalek (Megillah 7a). Therefore,

the obligation to remember Amalek takes on special significance

during the holiday of Purim.

The Mefarshim offer different interpretations of the mitzvah to

remember Amalek and its connection to Purim. Rashi explains that the

commandment to remember Amalek is fulfilled by reading Parashat

Zachor (the part of the Torah that describes the attack of Amalek) on

the Shabbat before Purim. Rashi explains that the reason for reading

this part of the Torah is to remember Amalek's attack on the Jewish

people during their journey in the desert and commands the Jewish

people to remember this event and to wipe out the memory of Amalek

from the world (ibid.). The Sefat Emet offers a different

interpretation. He explains that the root of Amalek's evil is their denial

of Hashem's providence in the world. Amalek attacked the Jewish

people because they saw Hashem's miracles during Yetziat Mitzrayim

and refused to accept that Hashem was in control. Similarly, Haman's

plot to destroy the Jewish people was based on his belief that they

were a nation that lived by their own laws and were therefore a threat

to his own power. The Sefat Emet teaches that the mitzvah to

remember Amalek is to be constantly aware of Hashem's presence in

the world and to see the miracles that happen in our daily lives. By

doing so, we can counteract the Amaleks view on the world and bring

more kedushah and light into the world. We can use this to grow in

our own Avodat Hashem by focusing on the Sefat Emet's

interpretation of the mitzvah to remember Amalek. By constantly

being aware of Hashem's presence in the world and seeing the

miracles that happen in our daily lives, we can counteract Amaleks

view on the world by taking a few moments out of our daily busy lives

just to think about all incredible miracles that hashem does for us on a

daily basis from the open miracles like waking up everyday to the

closed one that we don’t even realize what would have happened to us

had hashem not stepped in while still remaining hidden. By creating a

mindset of gratitude, we can train ourselves to see the goodness in the

world and recognize Hashem's hand in our lives. We should all be

zocheh to realize everything Hashem does for us and by doing this it

will be able to bring us closer to Hashem.