This Shabbat is called Shabbat Zachor because we have a biblical obligation to remember Amalek. We do so just before Purim to recall the connection between Purim, Haman and Amalek. The reason is that we are obligated to remember what Amalek did to us when we were in the Sinai, on the way to the land of Israel, and we must remember what Amalek has done to us repeatedly. Why are women obligated in this mitzvah as well? Women are usually exempt from doing mitzvot that are time-bound. This is an exception because women, namely Esther, were an inherent part of the nes (miracle). If we miss this mitzvah, we have a second opportunity to fulfill it when we read Parshat Ki Teitzei in Devarim 25:17.
So much of what we do in observing Judaism ties memory to action, typically through a sensory or visceral experience. Each Shabbat we stand (or sit, depending on minhag) while holding the kiddush cup, speaking the words acknowledging that Hashem created the world and that he took us out of Mitzrayim, and we follow those actions by drinking the wine. Let’s take a quick chronological tour through the year, noting how we tie memory to actions.
On Rosh Hashanah, Musaf is divided into three parts; the middle section is called Zichronot, remembrances. We remember and tie that to hearing the Shofar. On Yom Kippur, a central theme is abstaining from the physical. On Sukkot, we take the physical actions of building the Sukkah in order to remember what occurred when we were in the desert and we also hold the four Minim (lulav, etrog, hadas and arava). We say Yizkor to remember our family members who have passed and tie that to the giving of charity.
On Chanukah, we remember the miracles and light the Chanukiah with oil to remember the nes of the oil. We eat foods that are baked with oil. On Jan. 27, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, we remember the liberation of Auschwitz by attending solemn ceremonies.
Before Purim, we read Parshat Zachor to remember what Amalek did to us in the midbar (desert). We read this special portion despite the fact that it is outside the framework of the natural order of Torah reading that we do each Shabbat. It is a mitzvah d’oraita, a biblical commandment to remember. There are often additional readings to enable women to attend and hear as well. If someone has missed this opportunity, we have the ability to meet that obligation by listening to the reading in Parshat Ki Teitzei (as mentioned previously). Just prior to reading the Megillah, we donate money with the intention of preempting Haman’s “paying” off Achashverosh in order to eliminate the Jews. The Megillah says that we also have the obligations of sharing Mishloach Manot, giving to the ani (those less fortunate) and eating a festive meal.
Pesach, and the entire Seder, are all about remembering and tying what we say to physical methods of remembering; eating the matzah, karpas (greens), maror (bitter herbs), looking at the zeroa— a symbol of the korban pesach (pascal lamb), drinking the four cups of wine and singing songs.
Soon after Pesach, on 27 Nissan, we markYom HaShoah, to commemorate the Warsaw Ghetto uprising and the six million Jews that were killed in the Holocaust. It also commemorates the heroism of the survivors and rescuers. Yom Hashoah was enacted by Knesset law in 1959, and is observed by attending memorial gatherings so we can honor those who were killed solely because they were Jews.
During the Omer, the time between Pesach and Shavuot, we say the words and take the action of counting that time period and wee refrain from listening to music. On Shavuot, it is our tradition to stay up all night in anticipation of receiving the Torah.
On Tisha B’Av, we remember the destruction of both Temples by reading Eicha and sitting low, as we do when sitting shiva, thereby tying our physical actions to remembering what happened. In addition to mourning the Beit Hamikdash, we also recount the tragedies that occurred over and over in our history.
Our most recent Amalek manifestations are the Nazis and Hamas. One joke circulating recently was that the only thing that Hamas has fabricated is their history.
One of the ways we demonstrate and express who we are, and what we are able to afford, are the cars we drive. For most of us, cars are a sizable financial investment, whether they are bought or leased. The Germans have the distinction of creating high quality, greatly-desired motor vehicles, many of which have ties to the Nazis. The Nazi echelon were driven in Mercedes, which also produced many trucks for their military. BMW, Bavarian Motor Works, retooled during the war to supply Zyklon B, the gas used in the gas chambers that killed over a million people in Auschwitz alone. AUDI is an acronym of four automobile companies, and its symbol is four circles. This company exploited slave labor under the Nazi regime on a massive scale.
Thousands were forced to work for Auto Union, the forerunner of this company. Seven labor camps were built specifically for the Auto Union. Richard Bruhn, heralded as the father of the Auto Union, was a Nazi party member. In June 1934, Ferdinand Porsche received a contract from Hitler to design a people’s car (or “Volkswagen”); Auto Union became part of Volkswagen in1965. Porsche was an important contributor to the German war effort during World War II. His company produced advanced tanks such as the Panzer, and other weapon systems, including the V-1 flying bomb. Porsche was a member of the Nazi Party and an honorary overseer of the SS. He received the German National Prize for Art and Science, the SS-Ehrenring and the War Merit Cross.
When driving in areas that have a large Jewish concentration, one notices that, unfortunately, those who drive these German cars are obviously frum. Perhaps they are just not aware of the origin of these vehicles. Essentially they are mouthing the words about remembering Amalek but not connecting their actions to what they say. When I see these cars in my own Beit Knesset, I feel there is a lack of sensitivity, or perhaps they are just unaware that this is painful. We recoil when seeing the antisemitic protests at universities whereJewish students are threatened. We feel incensed when we see swastikas painted on a shul.
No doubt some will say that these cars are now produced in the United States. Nonetheless, what are the origins of these vehicles? For those that say that Israel has Mercedes taxis and other products, I say that was the result of a pivotal and difficult debate for the nascent state, and almost ripped it apart. Whether or not to accept German reparations was an existential argument between Menachem Begin and David Ben Gurion.
I point my finger at myself as well. At the start of my career, I prescribed a premium product that was manufactured in Germany. I then changed and prescribed an equally high quality product that happened to be produced in France. I soon realized that I was simply trading one bad decision for another. Ultimately, I prescribed an equal or superior product produced in Israel. I prescribed each drug on its own merits, and secondarily on where it was produced.
What message are we sending to our children when we have wonderful programs in schools, such as Names Not Numbers, famous films about Holocaust atrocities, and Holocaust education in public schools, while supporting the perpetrators and those who aided in the Holocaust?
There are, of course, choices that we can make when choosing a vehicle. Some will say that their family was in the U.S. during the Holocaust, or are of Sephardic origin, so this does not apply to them. It is important to understand that one third of the Jewish people were annihilated by the Germans wh odid not care if someone was from Poland or Greece, from France or Italy. Their criteria was very specific. Their definition of who was a Jew was someone having even one Jewish grandparent.
We are sensitive to those who have special needs, a different skin color or other differences. We may be less aware that what we drive demonstrates to our children and other children in our community who we are and what we value. Your car is an external representation of who you are and your values. It stands to reason and it is appropriate to consider not only what we say, but the actions we take.
The author is a first generation Holocaust survivor. His mother survived the horrors of Auschwitz and several work camps.
