The Shabbos before Purim is known as Parshas Zachor, where we fulfill our yearly obligation to recall Amalek’s attempt to destroy us. There is an obvious connection between Amalek and Purim, as Haman was a descendant of Amalek, but in Judaism there is always a deeper layer. What is the deeper connection between Amalek and Purim?

To address this question, we must understand the nature of Amalek. Amalek attacked the Jewish people on their way to Har Sinai. The most striking aspect of this attack is its timing. Hashem had just performed the makkos and split the sea for the Jewish people, acts that had worldwide reverberations. The Jews were viewed as invincible, untouchable. And exactly then, Amalek chose to attack the Jewish people, undertaking a practically suicidal battle with zero provocation. What was their motivation in undertaking such a mission? In order to answer this question, we must examine the fundamental principles of Jewish belief.

Three Fundamental Principles

The first fundamental principle is that Hashem is the creator of the world. The second principle is that Hashem has a direct relationship with this physical world. This is the concept of hashgacha, that Hashem oversees and controls the events of this world. The third fundamental principle is that there is a purpose to this world and our lives within it.

Amalek’s entire existence is devoted toward destroying the second and third of these principles. Amalek claims that although Hashem may exist, He has absolutely no connection to us or our world. Our lives are therefore meaningless, and this world is devoid of spirituality. This destructive mission is summed up in the pasuk describing Amalek’s attack on the Jewish people. As we read in Parshas Zachor, we must remember what Amalek did to us: “ashar korcha baderech,” how they “happened” upon us while we were traveling (Devarim 25:18). The word korcha is a strange one, and Rashi therefore quotes three interpretations of this word, each fundamental and significant.

Randomness and Happenstance

The first meaning of the word “korcha” is based on its connection to the word “karah,” happenstance. This explanation reflects Amalek’s claim that everything in this world is random and meaningless. There is no hashgacha, no Divine providence. When things happen to you, whether bad or good, there is no deeper meaning or significance behind it. Amalek was projecting that they just “happened” to be here with swords in hand, ready for battle; they simply “chanced” upon the Jewish people as they were on the way.

This is the exact approach that Haman took when plotting to kill the Jews. He did not rationally calculate a date on which to kill the Jews, rather he specifically chose one through a pur, a lottery. A lottery embodies randomness and chance. Haman let the luck of the draw determine when he would kill the Jews, an act of devotion to “karah,” happenstance. [The gematria, numerical value, of Amalek is safek, doubt. Amalek represents doubt and uncertainty, randomness and chaos.]

Keri: Spiritual Marriage

The second interpretation offered by Rashi connects the word “korcha” to “keri,” a concept linked to marital impurity. Judaism approaches marriage as a lofty mitzvah, whereby the relationship between husband and wife holds incredible potential for spirituality. The Ramban explains that the relationship between man and wife ideally reflects the relationship between Hashem and the Jewish people. It is a relationship of spiritual and existential oneness, where potential is developed and actualized.

Amalek, however, claims that marriage is no more than animalistic mating, a relationship devoid of meaning and spirituality. Amalek has divorced the physical from the spiritual, viewing the physical as detached from any higher spiritual source. The physical urges of man are the ultimate motivation in this world, as there is nothing deeper to the world or human interaction than its physical facade.

Kor: Cooling Off the Flame

Rashi’s third explanation of the word “korcha” is based on a midrash that relates the word to “kor,” cold. The midrash describes the mashal of a boiling hot bath of water that nobody dares jump into for fear of being scalded. Along comes one man and jumps into the boiling water, severely burning himself in the process. He may have harmed himself, but he has now cooled the water enough for others to jump into. This is what Amalek did as the Jewish people traveled from Egypt to Har Sinai. After Hashem performed the 10 makkos (plagues) and took the Jewish people out of Egypt, the nations of the world were ready to accept both Hashem and His Torah. They began flocking toward Har Sinai, on a mission to join the Jewish people in accepting the Torah. At this point, Amalek attacked the Jewish people, undertaking a nearly suicidal mission but showing the other nations that the Jews were not invincible. They “jumped into the scalding bath”—attacked the Jewish people—and “cooled the waters”—showed the other nations that the Jewish people were vulnerable to attack. Why did Amalek do this? Why were they willing to burn themselves simply to weaken the Jewish people?

The Philosophy of Amalek

When Amalek saw that not just the Jewish people, but the entire world was ready to adopt the Torah way of life, they had no choice but to attack. Amalek’s entire existence is predicated on a lack of connection between Hashem and this world, therefore a complete acceptance of that principle by all the nations of the world would mean Amalek’s ceasing to exist. Amalek attacked the Jewish people with the goal of preventing Matan Torah, with the goal of preventing the world from accepting Hashem’s Torah and the truth that lies within it. And although Amalek was sorely beaten, with only a few survivors, they still had managed to kill a few Jewish warriors. They showed that the Jews were not invincible, “cooling” down the excitement of all the nations of the world and paralyzing their readiness to accept the Torah. Amalek won. Physically, they lost, but in a deeper way, they won. The nations of the world walked away.

Today’s Purim Battle

Amalek seeks to hide the truth, to disconnect us from our source and to strip all meaning from this life. Only when we see past the surface and trace everything that happens in this world back to Hashem—our spiritual source—will we ultimately defeat Amalek and all that they stand for.

Shmuel Reichman is an inspirational speaker who has lectured internationally at shuls, conferences and Jewish communities on topics of Jewish thought and Jewish medical ethics. He is the founder and creator of “Shmuel Reichman Inspiration: Think. Feel. Grow.,” a platform from which he shares inspirational Torah videos that have reached over 100,000 people. You can find more inspirational lectures, videos and articles from Shmuel on YUtorah.org and Facebook and he can be reached at [email protected].