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Unite the nation through love and kindness, and we will defeat the descendants of Amalek.
By RABBI SHMUEL RABINOWITZ FEBRUARY 7, 2025 12:14
An illustrative image of chess pieces.
(photo credit: SHUTTERSTOCK)
The weekly Torah portion ‘Beshalach’ concludes with the first battle the Jewish people faced after leaving Egypt – the war against Amalek.
Amalek, the symbol of heresy and impurity and a bitter enemy of the Jewish people, had the potential to defeat Israel. This was due to the nation’s spiritual decline at that time, aligning with the blessing Esau received from his father, Isaac, before his death. Esau was promised that he would live by the sword and that when the Israelites lost their spiritual strength, he would overcome them in battle.
Moses took this war very seriously, as it came immediately after the Israelites’ complaints about water and their lack of faith. As it is written:
“He named the place Massah and Meribah because of the quarrel of the Israelites and because they tested the Lord, saying, ‘Is the Lord among us or not?’” (Exodus 17:7).
Immediately afterward, in the next verse:
“Then Amalek came and fought with Israel...” (Exodus 17:8).
The Amalekites were strong warriors and skilled sorcerers. Given the Israelites’ state of strife and wavering faith, they had reason to fear. Moses instructed his disciple Joshua to select the most capable men. According to Rashi, citing the Talmudic sages, these men had to be both “mighty and God-fearing, capable of nullifying sorcery.”
The spiritual battle
However, beyond the physical battle, Moses prepared for a second, more crucial battle – the spiritual one.
“Moses’ hands grew heavy, so they took a stone and placed it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other so that his hands remained steady until sunset” (Exodus 17:12).
Moses ascended to the top of the hill and sat on a stone – not on a cushion or a soft seat – as a sign of solidarity with the suffering of the Israelites. He raised his hands in prayer, and when they became heavy from exhaustion, his brother Aaron and his nephew Hur supported them.
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Moses deliberately chose two individuals who embodied kindness, compassion, and peace. These qualities were essential to win this battle where the forces of impurity were deploying their full might.
The Talmud (Sotah 11b) tells us that Miriam, the sister of Aaron and Moses, was very frail in her youth, to the extent that no one wanted to marry her. But Caleb, son of Jephunneh, took her as his wife for the sake of heaven. From this union, Hur was born.
Hur, by his very essence, embodied boundless kindness and generosity; and Aaron, the high priest, was known for his love of peace and pursuit of harmony. These were the men Moses needed at his side in this fateful moment to secure an otherwise impossible victory.
This battle ignited the eternal enmity between Israel and Amalek. From then until today, every oppressor who rises against Israel carries within him a spark of Amalek. Moses teaches us that the attribute of kindness is the most effective strategy against overwhelmingly powerful adversaries. Whenever the Jewish people find themselves in distress, if they unite and strengthen themselves through love and kindness, they will overcome their enemies.
The Book of Esther echoes this lesson. When Haman, the descendant of Amalek, plotted to annihilate the Jewish people, he did so upon observing their disunity:
“Haman said to King Ahasuerus: ‘There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the nations...’” (Esther 3:8).
In response, Queen Esther instructed her uncle Mordechai: “Go, assemble all the Jews...” (Esther 4:16).
Unite the nation through love and kindness, and we will defeat the descendants of Amalek. ■
The writer is the rabbi of the Western Wall and Holy Sites.
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