What to do in the face of absolute evil
* Translated by Janine Muller Sherr
“Then the Lord said to Moses: ‘Inscribe this as a reminder, and read it aloud to Joshua: I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven… The Lord will wage war against Amalek throughout the generations.”’
These are the verses that were read this past Shabbat morning in all of the synagogues around the world. Hamas, the epitome of absolute evil, is not only the enemy of Eli Sharabi, Ohad Ben Ami, and Or Levy, the hostages that returned to Israel yesterday and for whom our hearts ache. Hamas is not only the enemy of the Jewish people. The Amalekites of every generation are the enemies of God Himself: the enemies of all that is good and holy in this world and of life itself.
We just received a stark reminder of what we experienced on October 7 and what happens whenever absolute evil is able to carry out its schemes.
How do we respond? Pay attention to the circumstances under which Amalek attacks us: immediately before their ambush, the parasha describes the bitter discord among our people, our lack of faith, despondency and inertia. It is stunning to read the verse that immediately precedes Amalek’s attack:
“The place was named Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tried the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord present among us or not?”
As a result of our internal strife and doubting of God’s presence, Amalek takes advantage of the situation and attacks us. From this we learn that the only way to defeat Amalek is through our faith, unity, and strength.
It is these qualities that made possible the Exodus from Egypt and the Splitting of the Sea. Let us pray for a similar situation today—for the Jewish people to overcome all their obstacles and limitations and work together towards a brighter future: when all the evil of the world will disappear and drown at sea, and we will sing a new song with one voice, ushering in an era of redemption and abundant blessing.
