28 Feb TETZAVE: OUR PROTECTION FROM AMALEK

On Shabbat Zach-
or, we read the final

three verses in Para-
shat Ki-Teseh

which command
us to remember the
unprovoked attack
launched against our ancestors when they left

Egypt by the nation of Amalek. This attack oc-
curred in a place called Refidim, and the Sages

teach us that this location was so named be-
cause while Beneh Yisrael were there, “Rafu

Yedehem Min Ha’Torah” – they became lax in

their engagement in Torah study. It was on ac-
count of this laxity, we are taught, that Hashem

brought upon us the vicious attack of Amalek.

In commanding us to remember this inci-
dent, Hashem instructs, “Remember what

Amalek did to you.” Despite the fact that this

unfortunate incident was our own doing, a re-
sult of our failure to properly devote ourselves

to Torah, Hashem nevertheless describes the

war as something brought upon us by Ama-
lek, rather than something we brought upon

ourselves. One Rabbi compared this to a king
who had a close friend whom he trusted and
regarded very highly. The friend, however,
proved unworthy of this trust, and one night
tried to break into the palace. The guard dogs
immediately began to bark loudly, chasing the
man away. The king heard about the incident,
and summoned his friend to the palace.
“I’m really sorry about those dogs,” he said.
“It’s terrible the way they frightened you. They
should never have done that.”
Although it was obviously the man’s fault that

the dogs attacked him, the king, out of his un-
conditional love for his friend, focused on the

dogs’ aggressiveness rather than the friend’s
grave breach of trust.
Similarly, Amalek’s assault Beneh Yisrael was
because of our “breach,” due to our failure to
properly devote ourselves to Torah. Yet, in
speaking about this incident Hashem begins

by focusing not on our failure, but on the bru-
tality of Amalek. This expresses just how much

Hashem loves and cares for His people, how
even in our times of failure He wishes for our
wellbeing and looks angrily upon those who
oppress us.
In the next verse, however, Hashem indeed
draws our attention to the cause of Amalek’s
attack. He describes how at the time of this
attack Beneh Yisrael were “tired and weary,
and not Hashem-fearing.” Rashi explains the
phrase “and not Hashem-fearing” as referring
to Amalek, but according to the Or Ha’haim, it
refers to Beneh Yisrael’s condition at that time.
Because they were “tired and weary” – lax and

apathetic toward Torah study – their Yir’at Sha-
maim declined. Torah study is what keeps us

alert and sensitive to our religious duties, and
thus when our devotion to learning is lacking,
so is our overall devotion to Hashem. And
when this happens, we become vulnerable to

“Amalek,” to the many adversaries that threat-
en us and seek to perpetrate evil against us.

This is the fundamental message of Shabbat
Zachor – the importance of Torah learning as
our source of protection against Amalek and

our other foes. As long as we remain commit-
ted and dedicated to Torah study, our enemies

are powerless against us. As we recite at the

Seder, “Ve’hi She’ameda La’abotenu” – it, the
Torah, is what has stood in protection of our
people throughout the generations.

Particularly in our day and age, when en-
emies of the Jewish people pose such a grave

threat to our existence both in Israel and
around the world, we must heed the reminder

of “Zachor,” the warning of “Rafu Yedehem

Min Ha’Torah.” When we are “tired and wea-
ry,” when we do not approach Torah study

with the vigor and intensity it demands, then
we become vulnerable, as we lose our single

most important source of protection and de-
fense.