Amalek
On Shabbat Zakhor, the Shabbat before Purim, a section is read after the weekly Parasha relating the commandment to remember what Amalek did to Bnei Yisrael on their way out of Egypt, and the imperative to wipe out the memory of Amalek.
Rabbi Elhanan Samet accounts for lack of juxtaposition between the mitzva in Devarim and the account in Shemot. Why does the mitzva about Amalek come so much later?
Rabbanit Shani Taragin relates to the intergenerational fight against Amalek in this video.
Amalek attacked suddenly, targeting the vulnerable stragglers at the beginning of the journey through the desert. Yehoshua led a successful battle against them (Exodus 17, 8-16). Rabbi Elhanan Samet analyzes the war against Amalek in the desert.
Shaul flouts the Divine commanded to wage a decisive battle against Amalek by sparing the king and the flocks. Shmuel tells him that God would take the dynasty away from him and would grant an enduring monarchy to someone else. Rabbi Amnon Bazak discusses the severity of Shaul’s actions.
Various explanations have been offered for the harsh biblical stance against Amalek.
Dr. Yael Ziegler discusses Amalek as a worldview anathema to the messages in Tanakh.
Rabbi Alex Israel analyzes the different descriptions of Amalek in Tanakh, relating to the concept of Yirat Elokim - fear of God – to explain what is so objectionable about Amalek.
The Torah mentions that Amalek attacked Israel while they were weary and strained. Rabbi Menachem Leibtag writes about the challenge of being attacked while travelling.
Rav Moshe Lichtenstein discusses Shaul's problematic behavior in the War against Amalek, and Shaul / Amalek and Mordechai / Haman connection.
Dr. Yael Ziegler discusses the similar challenges facing the descendants of Rachel – among them Shaul and Mordechai.
The redemptive progression of history continues.