TORAH PORTION

Turning To God

Shabbat Zachor Marsha Vayikra):
Leviticus 1:1-5:26; Deuteronomy
25:17-19; I Samuel 15:2-34.

L

et us take ourselves back more
explains: "Any time the Jewish people
than 2,000 years in history, to
looked to the heavens and subjugated
a night in the early spring in
their hearts to their Father in heaven,
Persia. It's the eve of the 16th of Nissan. they triumphed. And if not, they fell."
The Jews of Shushan have spent the
The only way to beat Amalek is
last three days and nights fasting,
to -understand that while I might be
praying to subvert the terrible legis-
doing the actual fighting my strength
lation that mandates their pending
comes not from myself, but from my
extermination.
faith in God and my dedication to His
King Ahasuerus has always been a
people and His Torah. As long as I'm
sound sleeper, for some reason on this putting my stock in myself, I cannot
night "the king could not sleep!' But
beat Amalek. When we understand
our rabbis teach us that the
that we will win when we
King of the World couldn't
subjugate our hearts to God,
sleep either. On this night,
we will overcome the power
something motivates God
of Amalek in the world.
to get involved.
What happened that fate-
From this point forward
ful night to keep God awake
the situation improves:
and begin the process of
Mordechai gets a horsy
redemption? "On that night,
ride from Haman; Esther
the prayers of the youth
gets Haman killed and the
of the Jewish people arose
Jews win the right to fight
to the heavens!' Until that
for their lives and defend
Rabbi Reuven
night, while we might have
themselves. What changed
Spolter
fasted and prayed, some-
that night? Why can't God
Special to the
thing was still missing.
sleep? Better yet, why does
Jewish News
Until that time we
He remain silent until this
always had a trump card.
point, only to pull a divine all-nighter
Mordechai will save us. And if he can't
and save the Jewish people?
do anything, then Esther surely will
This week, during maftir we read
carry the day. But, after three days of
Parshat Zachor — the additional
fasting, they've got nothing. Esther's
reading about how Amalek attacks us
visit to the king has come and gone,
at our weakest point, and our national
and yet the people hear nothing.
commitment to ultimately extermi-
Haman's still walking around on top of
nate Amalek from the world. How do
the world.
you beat an Amalek? How are we sup-
Finally, with no other options left;
posed to vanquish an enemy willing
with nowhere else to turn, the Jews
to attack us at our weakest; willing to
understand that unless they can sub-
legislate our extermination across the
jugate their hearts to God and really
world; or kill us in gas chambers and
put their fate in the hands of God, their
work camps; or blow up our children
salvation will never come. Only then
as they ride to school on buses in the
do their prayers reach the heavens, and
morning or fire missiles blindly into
keep God awake, worrying about His
civilian cities? How do you beat an
children. ❑
enemy that has no morality, no fear of
God and a dogged determination to
Reuven Spolter is rabbi of Young Israel
fight to the end, whatever the cost?
of Oak Park.
How did the Jews win so long ago?
"And it came to pass, when Moses held
Conversations
up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and
What are ways that we can
when he let down his hand, Amalek
demonstrate to God that we
prevailed:" The Mishnah wonders: "Do
truly believe that our fate lies in
the hands of Moshe make war or break
His hands? On the other hand,
war?" Of course not.
what are some things we do to
So how does Moshe lifting his hands
avoid needing that faith?
help the Jewish people? The Mishnah

ANOTHER KNOCKOUT

AT THE NEW DIA.

From bars to beaches to boxing, Ashcan artists caught
Americans at play TOO years ago. Use your free time
to see how they spent theirs. Life's Pleasures: The
Ashcan Artists' Brush with Leisure, 1895 1925.
March 2—May 25, 2008

-

Tickets, dia.org or Box Office
Members see it FREE, 313.833.7971

This exhibition was organized by the Detroit Institute of Arts. Support has been provided by the

Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and the City of Detroit. George Bellows, Dempsey and
Firpo, 1924, oil on canvas. Purchase with funds from Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney (31.95). Whitney

Museum of American Art, New York.

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March 13 • 2008

C5