Dvar Torah for Parshat Zakhor

[The prophet] Shmuel said to Shaul..., '[God says] ÔI have noted what the Amalekites did to Israel...Go strike the Amalekites. Destroy all they possess...Have no mercy on them. Put them to death: man, woman, toddler, infant, oxen, sheep, camels and donkeys.'Ó...Shaul spared Agag [King of Amalek] and the best of the cattle...to sacrifice to God....
I Samuel 15:1ø9, 15 (Haftorah for Parshat Zakhor)

The following question was sent in by one of our readers:

Why is it that the demise of the Egyptians drowned at the Reed Sea is reason enough for us to not say the full Hallel after the first day of Pesach (Orach Chaim 490:4), but the death of 75,000 Amalekites (Esther 9:16) does not inhibit our celebration of the Purim miracle in any way?!

Here is one answer.

Bad tefillin? Is there such a thing? Yes.

Tefillin are not just ornamental black boxes strapped onto the head and upper arm. Tefillin are powerful tools that can make us more aware of Hashem (God), sharpen our vision and judgment, and purify our motives and acts. Bad tefillin can do just the opposite. In particular, they can distort our judgment.

We know what is written in kosher tefillin, but what is 'writtenÓ in bad tefillin? We know what it means to put on kosher tefillin, but how do we avoid 'putting onÓ bad tefillin?

The four chapters of kosher tefillin teach about Hashem's power and concern for us. They contain instructions on how to relate to each facet of the environment so that we may remember that Hashem is foremost in our lives. This keeps us from getting bogged down in the pursuit of pleasure. Bad tefillin are a set of instructions and values that encourage that pursuit. Those instructions and values can severely distort our judgment and cause us to do things that we may come to later regret.

This is what happened to Shaul, the first king of Israel. Instead of following Hashem's instructions as related by Shmuel, he heeded the voice of the people, a voice that what was whispering within him as well. (See Radak on ibid. v. 17.) As a result of failing to heed Hashem's instructions, Shaul lost his kingdom, which he regretted. Furthermore, as a result of his allowing Agag to live Haman was born, something which all the Jewish people came to regret (Megillah 12b)!

Unfortunate as these results were, they were not the end. As a result of his attempt to make use of Amalekite property to please God, Shaul's judgment became seriously impaired. He hunted the future King David and destroyed the city of Nov.

This is the lesson we have to learn from Shaul's mistake. There are some things–and some people–that cannot have a tikun (rectification). We must studiously avoid them. We must shun them. Failure to do so may lead to the loss of our own 'kingdoms,Ó misguided pursuit of innocent people or the unjustified downfall of the guiltless.

At the splitting of the Reed Sea, when Hashem told the angels not to sing, He called the Egyptians 'My creations.Ó Although the Egyptians were evil and hell-bent on reenslaving the Jews, there was something of 'MyÓ still within them. Since potential honor of God was lost, His praised had to be somewhat muted. Such is not the case with Amalek. Not only do they contain no vestige of 'My,Ó but God is their sworn enemy (Exodus 17:16). Their death should not inhibit our celebration in any way.

agutn Shabbos!
Shabbat Shalom!

A freilekhen (mirthful) Purim. Please remember: it's a mitzvah to drink and get drunk on Purim day, but there is no mitzvah to drive, even if you're only slightly inebriated. Sleep it off or leave the driving to someone else. Thank you.