100 and 101

This post is adding to ideas in the post, 'Toras Purim: Nothing Certain other than Taxes: Vayasem Achashveirosh Mas' on Divrei Chaim blog. 

The word עמלק can be broken down into עמל ק.  This of course is reminiscent of the Gemarah Chagigah (9a)  אינו דומה שונה פרקו מאה פעמים לשונה פרקו מאה ואחד.  The tumah that is Amalek is to learn only 100 times. What does this mean?  What is the advantage of learning 101 times?  The Arizal (שער מאמרי חז"ל) says that the angel in charge of forgetting is called מ"ס which equals 100 and by learning 101 times one moves past the malach of forgetting.  What is it that one forgets when learning 100 times but remembers with learning 101 times?  

The Megalleh Amukot notes that Michael, 101, is the malach in charge of remembering.  By learning 101 times, one is tied to the malach of remembering which is one more than the malach of forgetting.

The Baal Shem Tov teaches that the difference between 100 and 101 times is not a difference in number but the difference if one put The One, the אלופו של עולם, in the learning of 100 times.  Is one learning to connect to Hashem?  If that is the learning, there is the 1 in the 100, it will be remembered, if not it would be forgotten.  The Degel Machene Efraim reads this into the words of the Megillah , ישנו עם אחד, meaning, a nation that puts The one, puts Hashem into their learning.  The malach of forgetting is מ"ס, meaning one can learn the maximun amount of times, 100 times but if one isn't learning with the connection to Hashem, then the Torah will be forgotten, meaning it will not permeate through the individual to transform him into a better person.  לא זכה נעשה לו סם המות.  The Torah actually will destroy the person.  זכה נעשה לו סם חיים, one is able to connect the סם with Hashem and elevate it.  

The tumah of Amalak is to cause that disconnect between learning Torah and transforming the person.  אשר קרך בדרך, on the path between the mind and the heart, between the rest of the body, they come and attack, they interrupt the flow.  Amalak comes when רפו ידיהם מן התורה, when the Torah is not connected to the hands, when one's gashmi is not permeated with the Torah he is studying.  The Arizal continues וז"ס ויתן על פניו מסו"ה ר"ל כי הקליפה הזו רוצה לעשות הפסק למעלה.  The מסוה is מ"ס and ו"ק, the break between the teachings of the Torah and Hashem.  כי יד על כס קה, the last two letters of the name of Hashem are broken by the מ"ס of the מסוה.  The first two letters represent the knowledge of Hashem as expressed in the Torah while the last two letters refer to the middot (see Tanya, Igeres Hateshuva.)  The Torah, the knowledge is here but Amalek breaks the connection between the knowledge and transforming one's middot (see sicha 5749.) 

This is why we are commanded זכור את אשר עשה לך עמלך.  We must remember.  Amalek, עמל ק, makes us forget the א, אלופו של עולם, that has to be added to our learning so we are commanded to remember, to add the א to our learning, to learn 101 times.   

The parsha of Tiztavah is the only parsha after Shemos that des not have the name of Moshe.  The Megalleh Amukot points out though that there are 101 pessukim in the parsha and the hidden letters in the name of Moshe, משה = מם שין הא, add up to 101.  Even though Moshe doesn't appear overtly, he is hidden in the parsha.  In addition, he notes that 101 is the gematria of מיכאל because when Moshe is hidden, Michael comes.  In other words, when Klal Yisrael sinned with the agel, Hashem said now the angel (Michael) will lead them, not Hashem directly and Moshe davened that Hashem himself should lead them.  But after Moshe passed, then Michael leads them.  Even after Moshe is not physically here, he is not forgotten.  He is embedded in the parsha.  Michal is not a substitute but a way to hang on to Moshe and thereby connect to Hashem. 

As noted by the Meor Einayim, the parsha of Titzavah  usually falls out around 7 Adar, the day Moshe passed.  The fact that Moshe is not present in the parsha but is still alluded to shows that even in the absence of Moshe Rabbenu himself, his presence is still there.  In fact the connection to Moshe is greater now for it is a connection to Moshe as אתה, the essence of Moshe, not limited by the name of Moshe (see Kli Yakar, sichas Rebbe 5752.) The Maggid teaches that ואתה תצוה from the word צוותא, to be connected.  How to be connected to Moshe?  את בני ישראל, by learning the Torah, the letters of the Torah, א- ת.  By connecting ourselves to Moshe through the Torah, putting the א of אתה into our learning, then we will sill the 101, the hidden Moshe.  The the passing of Moshe is not a negative but a new לידה to be able to connect to Moshe on a deeper level. 

(Sources: תכלית מלחמת עמלק, chabad.org, שער מאמרי חז"ל, שבילי פנחס.)  

The Here And Now

There is a Midrash cited in various sefarim that אחשורוש is a reference to Hashem שאחרית וראשית שלו.  Why is this the description of Hashem alluded to here?

  

אשר קרך בדרך- Amalek says things are just מקרה.  What is the nature of claiming things are a mere chance?  When one doesn't see the full picture; one doesn't see the puzzle pieces fitting together.  If one has a freezeframe at a particular moment then it may be a chance but one sees the end of the story, it is obvious that there is an Orchestrator.  In other words, עמלק is stuck at looking only at the here and now, they don't see everything coming together.    

The Rambam Sefer Hamitzvot #188 says היא שצונו להכרית זרע עמלק בלבד משאר זרע עשו.  Why is Amalek associated with Esav in the formulation of killing them?  The Rambam is telling us that Amalek is the epitome of the Esav ideology.  Esav sold his בכורה for a bit of food because he looked only at the current situation in which he was hungry and did not care about the repercussions.  

When Hashem is instructing Moshe to tell Bnei Yisrael they will be redeemed, one of the miracles that is done is Moshe's staff turns into a snake and Moshe ran away.  Then he is instructed to grab onto its tail and it reverts back to a staff.  The Rikanti says the snake represents the forces of tumah.  The way that it is defeated is by grabbing the end.  To recognize that there is an end to the story, not to get stuck in the present state.  

There is a Midrash cited in many seforim that says the word אחשורוש at the beginning of the Megillah is hinting to Hashem שאחרית וראשית שלו.  Why is that the term used to reference Hashem?  And why at the beginning of the Megillah and why אחרית before ראשית?   

The essence of defeating Amlaek or Haman is the ability to connect the whole story.  To recognize that a ראשית has an אחרית.  Even at the beginning of the Megillah, way before the end of the story, the end is already set into motion even though it is not apparent yet.  It is only at the end of the Megilllah, at the stage of אחרית that one can appreciate that the ראשית is also שלו.  

Bilam says about Amalek, ראשית גוים עמלק ואחריתו עדי אבד.  The essence of Amalek is ראשית, the beginning but there is no end, אחריתו עדי אבד.  The Kabbalists point out the first letters of the words ראשית גוים עמלק spell out the word רגע.  They only see the present moment.  They grab onto the רגע of זעם that exists every day (Berachot 7a) at the time the טבע of the sun is worshipped.  Amalek holds on to the טבע as an explanation of events.  ואחרי ככלות הכל לבדו ימלוך נורא.

Salty Enemies

In the last post we mentioned that salt has positive effects in preserving and enhancing food and it also contains negative elements which can erode and destroy other properties.  The Netziv understands this idea reflects hashgacha pratis.  Had everything just been black and white, pure good or evil, there would be no room for the average person that has elements of both. Now that Hashem created things of dycotimy it leaves room for the middle of the road folk.  "משא״כ עתה מגיע השתלשלות הענינים משעה רעה לתכלית הטוב מצומצם לפי המעשים בהשגחתו יתברך כמה יאריכון ימי הרעה ואיך תהי הרבה או מעט עד שבא לידי תכלית הטוב הבא באחרית הימים של חשך. מש״ה ברא הקב״ה הליכות הטבע בזה האופן. "  He says that is why we are instructed to offer salt with the korbanot, " כדי להתבונן על הברית של ההשגחה."  

At the end of Beshalach right before the attack of Amalak it says (17:7) וַיִּקְרָא֙ שֵׁ֣ם הַמָּק֔וֹם מַסָּ֖ה וּמְרִיבָ֑ה עַל־רִ֣יב׀ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וְעַ֨ל נַסֹּתָ֤ם אֶת־י״י֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הֲיֵ֧שׁ י״י֛ בְּקִרְבֵּ֖נוּ אִם־אָֽיִן׃.  The Netziv asks הדבר פלא, איך נסתפקו אחרי רואם עמוד אש וענן ועוד הרבה ניסים, דכולי עלמא ידעי דלא עביד אלא קוב״ה. וגם כבר כתיב ״ויאמינו בה׳ ובמשה עבדו״, how could they be in doubt if Hashem is with them after all the miracles they witnessed?  He answers that they understood Hashem does miracles to direct the course of history to work out but is Hashem with me in my private problems?  In the run of the mill דרך הטבע trials and tribulations will Hashem get me through them?  He continues that was why Amalek followed.  Amalek denies the hashgacha in the daily running of the world.  Once Klal Yisroel had a doubt about that, it left the door open for Amalek.  And that is why the battle had to be one through natural means to demonstrate this hashgacha.  Klal Yisroel had to be reminded of the salt, of the hashgacha that exists not just in an overt fashion but it guiding the natural events.  This is the story of the Megillah.  There is no mention of the name of Hashem, there is no obvious open miracle.  It is a case of where Hashem guides the events through nature to garuntee a successfull outrcome. 

What To Want

From the Shearis Yisroel Shaar Hiskashrus Likutimm (pg. עו in the new editions.)

Clothes Without A Body

Rashi in Chukas (21:1) says יושב הנגב – זה עמלק, שנאמר: עמלק יושב בארץ הנגב (במדבר י״ג:כ״ט), ושינה לשונו לדבר לשון כנען כדי שיהו ישראל מתפללין לתת כנענים בידם והם אינם כנענים, ראו ישראל לבשיהם כלבושי עמלקיים, ולשונם לשון כנען, אמרו נתפלל סתם אם נתון תתן את העם הזה בידי.  If Amalek was trying to mess up the prayers of Klal Yisroel why didn't they change their garments as well so that Klal Yisroel would pray against the wrong nation?
The Or HaMeir on the Megillah says the following teaching from the Baal Shem Tov.

                                                           What I believe he is trying to say is that the evil forces don't have any true self; they only exist as a cover up, as garments over the truth.  It is impossible for Amalek to change their garments for that is their entire existence.  Amalek without its clothes ceases to be Amalek.  Amalek was trying to disguise itself as כנען but not steal their identity.  In order to maintain their own identity, Amalek must remain in its own garb.

Atz Hadaas, Amalek And Weights

Rashi in the beginning of Parshas Zachor explains the juxtaposition of Amalek right after the parsha of weights זכור את אשר עשהא עמלק וגו׳ – אם שקרת במדות הללו ובמשקלות, הוי דואג מן גירויב האויב, שנאמר: מאזני מרמה תועבת י״י (משלי י״א:א׳), וכת׳ בתריה: בא זדון ויבא קלון (משלי י״א:ב׳).  Why does cheating in weights lead to Amalek; what is the connection?  The Gemorah Chullin (139b) says the hint to Haman in the Torah is in the word Berashis (3:11) המן העץ אשר צויתיך לבלתי אכל ממנו אכלת.  Why is Haman connected to the these words?
Why was eating from the עץ הדעת prohibited; seemingly knowing between good and bad should be a good thing?  Knowledge of the difference between good and evil is indeed a positive; but one has to be an honest judge between the two.  Before the sin of the עץ הדעת, Adam and Chava also had a clear perception of good and evil but they had no personal bias and connection to it.  They were able to judge between the two forces as outsiders and to separate between the two.  The word דעת means connection.  Eating from the עץ הדעת meant that know Adam and Chava became connected to the good and the evil.  They could no longer be bystanders to arbitrate fairly between the two but they had to see the ideas through their own prism.  They decided good and evil not based upon what it is inherently but based upon how they felt, how it affected them, was it good or bad for them. 
The idea of false measures isn't just in the scales in your fruit store, its a message for life.  How does a person weigh what's important or inconsequential, what's good or inappropriate, moral or depraved?  These are the scales of life.  If one's scales are weighed down by their own feelings and ego, that is having false scales and measurements.         
This is Amalek.  They attack the bridge between the מוחין and מדות of the individual as is represented by the וה of the שם that they cut off.  That bridge is דעת.  Amalek infiltrates the דעת of a person to be מקלקל the חשבונות of an individual.  That is why Haman is hinted to in the עץ הדעת for that is the source of his power.

The Kaiser

From the sefer מרא דארעא דישראל about Rav Yosef Chayim Zonnenfeld pg. 199-200.

See the Gemorah Megillah (6a-b) and the Yaavetz there.  It's also brought in many seforim that there is a קבלה from the גר"א that the גרמניים are עמלק.

Women And Amalek

An individual in the beis midrah shared with me a text he received which was a picture of the following idea in the sefer דרושי וחידושי הרמבא"ד on Yisro.  It would seem the author was starting early on Adar jokes or got in a big fight with his wife that week or possibly both.

Weighty Measures

Rashi explains the juxtaposition between faulty weights and measurements and Amalaks attack as followsזכור את אשר עשה עמלק וגו׳ – אם שקרת במדות הללו ובמשקלות, הוי דואג מן גירוי האויב, שנאמר: מאזני  מרמה תועבת י״י (משלי י״א:א׳), וכת׳ בתריה: בא זדון ויבא קלון (משלי י״א:ב׳).  [It is interesting why Rashi in a few places in this weeks parsha explains the juxtaposition of the different ideas more than any of the other places, here and in 21:11, 21:22, 22:8?] 

What does this mean, why does having improper measures lead to a Amalek attack?  The Maharal explains that every being has their own measure of space so that everything can coexist.  If one misuses measures, then the measure of the world will also be turned against him and hence he is open to attack.    

Others interpret that one who uses false measures denies Hashem's attention to the little details in a person's life.  That is akin to Amalek, they also saw the plagues in Egypt and acknowledged Hashem's presence in the big things, what they denied is His involvement in the small things.

The Rebbe says homiletically that everyone has to keep the proper balance in life.  Amalek is a disruption of the balance of kedusha and chol, they encourage too much focus and emphasis on the material aspect of life.  אשר קרחה, they cool off the passion and desire for ruchnious and replace it with an empty shell of gashmious.  It is a lack of the measures, of the weight of ruchni that makes one susceptible of Amalek.       

Emunah vs. Amalek

The Kabbalists say that there is חכמה שבנפש which is not limited by reason (see Tanya Ch. 19.)  What does this mean, if its חכמה how is it not limited by reason?  In the intro. to my great-uncle’s book, Mystical Concepts in Chassidus, he says that people asked Rav Bloch why he often said deep, kabalistic ideas in his talks of mussar/ hashkapha if nobody understood what he was saying.  He answered that the neshama understands.  What does this mean, if the person doesn’t understand how does the neshama understand?  Why is there a mitzvah to remember Amalek more than the 7 nations of Eretz Yisroel?   

Many of the Chassidic masters discouraged the learning of chakirah, even that which is found in the Rishonim such as Bechai and the Rambam.  In Sur Marah V’Aseh Tov the Zlotchover explains that their holy words were only written for the needs of the generation who were misled by the philosophers.  However, those whose faith is pure have no need to be busied with philosophical inquiries.  He cites the Rashi (Beshalach 17:8) that Klal Yisroel was like a child riding on the shoulders of his father, protecting him from danger and the child questions the father’s presence.  The father said, you question my presence?  When a dog came, the father threw the son off and he was bit, so he learnt the hard way who was his protector.  Amalek is the dog that came to attack.  The Zlotchover says we are the son, Hashem is leading us through life, there is no room for question.  It is not that the Chassidic masters were afraid of questions, it was irrelevant to their religious experience.  A person that lives with Hashem, who recognizes Hashem’s constant presence, sees Hashem in all the world doesn’t have any room for questions.  That is the kind of religious experience the Chassidic masters had and were trying to pass on to their followers.  This emunah p’shutah isn’t for fear of questions, it is a completely different wavelength.  Why is it Amalek that is the dog that comes to bite?

It is well known that עמלק shares the numerical value of ספק.  One who’s faith is based upon human intelligence always has room for doubt.  There is always an irrational argument to deflect any proof.  However, when one sees something else there is no room for doubt, there could be a million questions, but since it was seen it is known to be true.  The only room there is for Amalek to attack is if one’s faith isn’t limited by the mind.  It if is felt in the heart, there is no room for an Amalek attack.  The fact that Klal Yisroel could question the presence of Hashem stemmed from an internal עמלק attack.  After seeing all the makkos, krieas yam suf and all the miracles it made no sense not to feel the presence of Hashem.  It was only an internal עמלק, therefore it was the nation of עמלק that came to attack.

The neshama knows God, it saw God before descending into the world.  The חכמה שבנפש is this knowledge of God embedded within a person that is above question.  It saw God and has no ספק of His existence and doesn’t wasn’t to be separate from Him.  That is what it means the neshama understands.  It is a true Godly teaching that can’t be fathomed by the limitation of the body, but it is seen by the soul. 

That is why Chazal teach that one should drink until they lose their brains on Purim.  Is the intellect that Amalek uses to muddle our recognition of Hashem, therefore, we remove our intellect to reveal the pure faith of our neshama.

The seven nations represent the seven middos.  The Tanya teaches בטבע מוח שליט על הלב.  We can change out middos for the better by controlling them with our brains.  It is the battle against Amalek that can’t be won with pure brainpower because Amalek confuses it.  For that a זכירה is necessary.  Something that is constantly remembered isn’t part of the brains, it becomes part of the essence of the person and that’s why its not subject to forgetting.  It is when the Emunah of a person is part of the person that Amalek doesn’t have any effect (see Tzemech Tzedek in Derech Mitzvosecha.)