We remember to choose light over darkness every day #Shabbatzachor#devartorah#parashathashavua

In his book Restless Faith, theologian Richard Mouw talks about the importance of remembering the lessons of the past. He quotes sociologist Robert Bellah, who said that “healthy nations must be ‘communities of memory.’ ” Bellah extended that principle to other societal bonds such as families. Remembering is an important part of living in community.

This Shabbat, Shabbat Zachor, is another special Shabbat before Purim. We remember how God saved our ancestors from Amalek, who attacked the Israelites by surprise when they were famished and weary when they first left Egypt. (Dt. 25:18) and how we defeated Haman, a descendent of Amalek, in Meggilat Esther. Do you know that some people at the end of the morning service read a list of six commandments to remember something from the Torah found in a traditional siddur?  One of the six is remembering what Amalek did to our ancestors.

Remembering Amalek is a positive commandment for the purpose of erasing our memory of them as it is written “you shall wipe out the memory of Amalek.” (Dt. 25:19) There is a strange paradox in this commandment. We’re supposed to remember Amalek in order to erase our memory of them. According to Jewish tradition Amalek symbolizes evil in our world. How easy it is for people to succumb to the evil inclination. Too many times in human history when the oppressed are freed, in retaliation they become the oppressors. I believe we remember Amalek’s evil every day and especially on Purim to remind ourselves not to become like them. Our Torah wants us to be the best version of ourselves and not the basest one. That’s why the Torah commands us “Do not despise an Edomite (Esua aka Edom is the grandfather of Amalek-gg), because he is your brother” (Dt. 23:8)

Why shouldn’t we hate our enemies? Rabbi Jonathan Sacks writes: “The answer is simple. Esau may hate Jacob, but it does not follow that Jacob should hate Esau. To answer hate with hate is to be dragged down to the level of your opponent. When, in the course of a television program, I asked Judea Pearl, father of the murdered journalist Daniel Pearl, why he was working for reconciliation between Jews and Muslims, he replied with heartbreaking lucidity, ‘Hate killed my son. Therefore, I am determined to fight hate.’

“As Martin Luther King Jr. wrote, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.” (https://thejewishnews.com/2022/09/09/a-word-of-torah-against-hate/#:~:text=One%20verse%2C%20however%2C%20stands%20out,23%3A8.)

We remember to choose light over darkness every day.