Parshat Vayikra 5779
Rabbi Jablinowitz
The Medrash Tanchuma on parshat Ki Seitzei discusses the fact that the word Zachor appears by the mitzvah of Shabbos, (Shmos, Chapter 20, Pasuk 8), Zachor es Yom HaShabbos Lekadsho, as well as by the mitzvah of remembering to eradicate Amalek. The Medrash brings a parable to explain the concept of remembering in these two situations. A king is sitting at his table surrounded by his guests when a table of delicacies are brought out. The king responds by saying, remember my good friend Ploni. Then at the end of the meal after the food has been consumed and the table removed, the king says remember the one who I despise, Ploni. The good friend is a reference to Shabbos which is mentioned over the full table, while the enemy is Amalek and they are mentioned over an empty table.
The Sfas Emes explains the analogy in the following manner. The main distinction between Bnei Yisrael and Amalek is expressed in the pasuk which distinguishes between Yaakov and Eisav. Yitzchak says when he feels the hairy arms of Yaakov (Bereishis, Chapter 22, Pasuk 27), HaKol Kol Yaakov, V'Hayadayim Yedei Eisav. The voice is the voice of Yaakov, but the hands are the hands of Eisav. Bnei Yisrael have dominion over the spirit, as expressed through the idea of voice and speech, while Amalek has control over the physical, which is what the notion of hands represents.
But the idea of hands has a more complex meaning as well. A Yad is also a means through which one can hold or control something. A vessel for example may have a Yad, or a handle, through which one can hold it. In this understanding, the hand doesn't merely represent something which is physical; it expresses the idea of holding on to something greater or more significant than the handle itself. It is the means to a greater end.
When the king's table is full of delicacies, he remembers his beloved friend Shabbos. And the delicacies on the table represent the holiness of the Neshamah Yeseirah acquired by every Jew on Shabbos. For the essence of every Jew is the Kol; his internal beauty and holiness which reaches its pinnacle on Shabbos with his additional dose of spirituality.
When Bnei Yisrael are in battle with Amalek after they left Mitzrayim, the pasuk says (Shmos, Chapter 17, Pasuk 11), V'Hayah Ka'asher Yarim Moshe Yado V'Gavar Yisrael. When Moshe would raise up his arms then Yisrael would have the upper hand in their battle with Amalek. The Mishnah in Rosh Hashanah (Chapter 3, Mishnah 8) asks, V'Ki Yadav shel Moshe Osos Milchamah Oh Shovros Milchamah; do the hands of Moshe truly make or break the outcome of the war?! What do Moshe's hands, which if anything represents the physical side of man, have to do with the victory of a people whose main strength is through their spirit?
The Mishnah answers, Elah Kol Zman Shehayu Yisrael Mistaklin Klapei Ma'alah U'Mishabdin es Libam L'Avihem She'Bashamayim Hayu Misgarbrim. As long as Bnei Yisrael looked heavenward and subjugated themselves to Hashem they were victorious. The hands of Moshe were different than the hands of Amalek. The hands of Moshe represent the ability to harness and use the spiritual; they were like a Yad Keili, the handle on a vessel. When Bnei Yisrael focus on their relationship with Hashem and see His holiness in the world, then they also control the physical, but only as a means to access the spiritual.
When the table is empty, though, the king remembers Amalek. Amalek only has a hold on the physical world. When the table of Shabbos is empty of its spiritual delicacies, then Amalek is remembered. The hands of Amalek only have significance when it is holding something totally physical without any spiritual content; Amalek is remembered when the Shabbos table is empty.
The Gemara in Shabbos 118B teaches that Rav Yehuda said in the name of Rav, had Bnei Yisrael kept their first Shabbos and not gone out looking for the mahn, no nation would ever be able to have dominion over Israel. And this is derived from the fact that soon after the parsha of the mahn the Torah states Vayavo Amalek, the battle with Amalek began. This highlights another connection between Shabbos and Amalek. When we strengthen our observance of Shabbos, we make ourselves impervious to the battle with Amalek. And now as we began sefer Vayikra, with its emphasis on Kedushah and Taharah, we should strengthen our commitment to Shabbos Kodesh and be victorious in the battle with Amalek.
Good Shabbos
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