Amalek is Us? Only if we let it!
Rabbi Cy Stanway
The holiday of Purim is beckoned with a Torah portion in which the main commandment is, “Remember what the Amalekites did to you along your way from Egypt, how they met you on your journey when you were tired and weary, and they attacked all your stragglers; they had no fear of God.…”
The Amalekites were the real bad guys of the Torah. According to the tradition, they attacked the weakest and most vulnerable among the Israelites and were considered the progenitors of everyone from Haman to Hitler. That’s how bad they were.
The mitzvah to remember Amalek and, at the same time, to blot his name out, is obviously a paradox. How do we remember and blot his now out at the same time? It is impossible. But I think that the text is telling us to remember how he attacked the most vulnerable and blot any of his actions from your consideration should you find yourself in a position of strength.
When people are in a position of strength, they are often prone to excess and to taking advantage of the weak or vulnerable.
In this coronavirus pandemic, we have seen this play out in real time. I never thought I would see people physically beating people up over toilet paper and hand sanitizer (especially since, I understand, basic soap works better!). Yet, there it is.
In times of crisis, we seek out the weakest in a variety of ways. Lately, there have been stories of Chinese people – not from China or Wuhan in particular – but Chinese Americans who have been spit on on the street, whose restaurants have been threatened and who are afraid for their children. The racism is breathtaking. Amalek is still very much alive and even Americans who thought themselves to be so much more civilized find it easy to persecute.
With that kind of logic, since Italy buttoned down the whole country, we ought not order Italian food and since Israel is demanding a 14 day quarantine, I suppose falafels are out of the question, too! This is not logic. This is fear.
Last Shabbat I spoke about the phrase, “The whole world is a very narrow bridge but the important thing is not to be afraid.” The Hebrew we normally use in that phrase is not what the original Hassidic master said. He did not say ‘do not be afraid’ – he said, ‘do not make yourself afraid.’ One very is stative and the other is reflexive. When we make ourselves afraid we are using the reptilian part of brain as if we are under attack and, to prevent perceived harm, we lash out at those who are the most vulnerable. We become Amalek. We have forgotten how to forget.
This virus is natural and not the fault of the Chinese, the Italians, the Iranians or anyone else. Of course, as in any crisis, people will blame the Jews. There is nothing new in that. But as we lament being persecuted for a 120 nanometer blob of DNA that we had nothing do to with, keep in mind how that feels and remember Amalek and how easy it is for us to beat up on the weak, the vulnerable and the ill. It is no-one’s fault if they get sick. But it is our fault if we lack the compassion, the empathy and the support that people need in their hour of need.
Remember, the commandment to remember Amalek was given to us….not because we are so wonderful but because the Torah knows that, in the right conditions, we are all Amalek.
Don’t be Amalek. Be a Jew.
