Torah Portion

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tells us: "He called the name of the
place Masa (test or challenge) and
Mereva (quarrel) because of the quar-
rel of the Jewish people and because
they challenged God saying, 'Is God
in our midst or not?' (Exodus 17:7)
This is the place, Refidim-Masa
and Mereva, where Amalek came and
made war against the Jews. Certainly
a nation plagued by disunity and ill
will, a nation torn apart by dispute
and accusation is "ripe for the pluck-
n addition to this week's regu-
ing." When that nation is the Jewish
lar Torah portion, which
people and their mutual contentious-
describes the priestly garments,
ness and disrespect are compounded
the investiture of the priests
by religious dispute, how can
and the incense altar, this week is
Amalek, the traditional
also Parshat Zachor.
enemy, resist attacking?
We are bidden to
Similarly, in
, "remember (and verbalize)
Deuteronomy, the verses
that which the tribe of
describe Amalek as attack-
Amalek did" (Deuteronomy
ing "the stragglers who
25:17) to the Jewish people
were weak and behind"
as we traveled to the land of
(Deuteronomy 25:18).
Canaan.
Amalek saw that the
We fulfill the biblical
Jewish people were not
obligation by the public
united and that the com-
reading of these verses of
RABBI ELIEZER munity and its mutual
Deuteronomy 25:17-19.
concern had broken down.
COHEN
These, together with those
There were weak and help,
Special to
in Exodus (17:8-16) where
The Jewish News less who were not cared
Amalek's unprovoked attack
for, not protected. The dis-
on the Jewish people takes
array and perhaps even the collapse
place, indicate the mutual enmity
of the community certainly invited
between Amalek and the Jewish peo-
attack from the enemy.
ple.
This same lesson is reflected by the
We are presented with an obliga-
preceding section of the Torah. In
tion that certainly is difficult to
Deuteronomy, we are presented with a
understand and to justify; it is to
quarrel between two men that has
commit genocide by completely
escalated into a physical brawl; the
obliterating Amalek. In fact, the
wife of one of them attempts to join
Haftorah portion for this Shabbat
in. Certainly such an occurrence rep-
points out King Saul's failure to ful-
resents not only a breakdown of
fill his obligation completely, thereby mutual love and respect for one
forfeiting his right to the kingship.
another, but even anarchy. Likewise
Rather than attempting to explain
the commandments immediately pre-
or justify such an obligation, I would
ceding the discussion of Amalek, and
like to focus on what we can learn in
following the "physical fight," concern
a constructive sense from the context
the obligation to deal with one anoth-
of this obligation — a lesson of cru-
er with accurate measures and weights; —
cial necessity for our times.
with honesty and integrity. We are
In Exodus the Torah tells us
told that we must not even have in
(Exodus 17:8): "Amalek came to
our possession improper weights and
Refidim to war with Israel." In the
measures. Our dealings with our fel-
preceding section of the Torah, we
lows must be in every respect imbued
are told that when the Jewish people
with mutual regard and a sense of
came to Refidim "there was no water
communal responsibility.
for the people to drink" (Exodus
Thus, whatever the nature of
17:1). The people complain, accuse
Amalek's attack and whatever the
and quarrel with Moses to the point
obligation to destroy Amalek must
of "almost stoning" him (Exodus
be, this is clear: We must become a
17:7). The verses describe a quarrel-
real community. All Jews must come
some people, hostile and accusatory
together despite any differences, with
in the extreme. In fact, the Torah
mutual respect and mutual concern.
Our enemies need not destroy us if
Eliezer Cohen is rabbi of
we destroy ourselves. E.
Congregation Or Chadash

Shabbat
Tezaveh/Zachor:
Exodus 27:20-30:10;
Deuteronomy 25:17-19;
I Samuel 15:2-34.

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ISRAELI S

In Our Disunity
Lies Our Defeat