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Amalek

Written by Benjie Fine

“He (Amalek) happened upon you on the way, and he struck the weaklings who were straggling at the rear, when you were faint and exhausted, and he did not fear G-d.” (25:18)
Why do we reserve special hatred for Amalek, more so than for other nations which attacked us without provocation? R’ Yitzchak Ze’ev Soloveitchik z”l explains:

The Gemara (Bava Kama 79) says: Why is a burglar punished more severely than a robber? Because a robber (Gazlan) equates G-d with man [he is afraid of neither], while a burglar (Ganav) places G-d lower than man [he fears man more than he fears G-d, therefore he steals when man is not looking]

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R’ Soloveitchik explains: A burglar is a greater sinner than is a robber because a burglar has begun to think through the consequences of his action, but has stopped those thoughts before they can lead him to G-d. This is worse than a robber who has not thought out his actions at all–therefore he fears no one- but at least he has not snubbed G-d.

Similarly, had Amalek attacked Bnei Yisrael head-on, we would not fault him. However, by attacking only the weakest Jews, Amalek acknowledged that there is something to fear. Despite that, he showed that he did not fear G-d.

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