Remember Amalek! -- 3/8/63

In recent years, the term ”evildoers” was used by George W, Bush to rouse the passions of the American people to wage war in the Middle East. It almost gave confronting evil a bad name. Consequently, with Bush’s jingoism still ringing in our ears, it may be jarring to hear Rabbi Sidney Ballon’s use of the word “evildoer” in the following pre-Purim sermon. In Jewish history, however, genuinely evil Hamans and Hitlers have too often conspired against the Jewish people. Remembering these perpetrators, and combating evil is an essential component of Jewish life in all ages. In this sermon, delivered during the relatively benign era of the early 1960s, the ”evildoer” in question is a Biblical character by the name of Amalek. Ballon asserts that it is not for the sake of blind vengeance that we are commanded to remember his name.

...the pleas to “Remember Amalek” can have a very positive meaning for us. It is a command not to hate the enemy more, but to remember the evil of prejudice and oppression which he fosters and to fight this evil with all our strength in whatever form it appears.... it is a plea for a greater sense of personal responsibility in the building of a better world....

When it comes to "rebbitzens" Jean H. Ballon broke the mold. Always her own woman, and a virtuosa in the kitchen. In the holiday spirit, from the Nassau Community Temple Sisterhood Cookbook that she edited, here is her recipe for the best hamantash you will ever nosh!

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Tonight is the Sabbath before Purim, and it is traditionally given the special name of Shabbos Zachor, which we usually interpret as Sabbath of Remembrance. This title comes to it because it has been customary in congregations other than Reform to read on this Sabbath not only the regular Torah portion of the week, but also an additional paragraph out of the book of Deuteronomy, which begins with the word Zachor and which reads according to the new Torah translation, “remember what Amalek did to you on your journey, after you left Egypt--how undeterred by the fear of God, he surprised you on the march, when you were famished and weary, and cut down all the stragglers in your rear. Therefore, when the Lord grants safety from all your enemies around you, in the land that the Lord your God is giving you as a hereditary portion, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget.”[i]

We read this passage just before Purim because the villain Haman[ii] has always been associated with Amalek. In the Book of Esther, Haman is called as Agagite, and Agag was the King of the Amalekites, therefore, Haman and Amalek were considered somehow to be related, and both of these names became equally symbolic of all enemies of the Jewish people.

As we think of this passage, however, which tells us to remember what Amalek has done, two questions come to mind. First of all we wonder at the contrast between the spirit of these words and the spirit with which we deal with Haman on the day of Purim. Purim is such an easy going holiday, a day of merriment and joy. We hardly take Haman very seriously, and we laugh at him and all that he stands for. But when we speak of Amalek, it seems to be in a rather vindictive tone and totally without humor. This is not at all in keeping with the spirit of Purim. And so we may question why our tradition called for us to go out of our way and engage in this extra reading from another section of the Bible in connection with Purim, when its spirit is so different.

And secondly we may well ask why we read this passage when it differs not merely from the spirit of Purim, but also seems to be at odds with the spirit of Judaism in general. The bible speaks so often of love and forgiveness and mercy. It tells us not to seek vengeance and to love they neighbor as thyself. The rabbis speak of the children of Israel as merciful children of merciful fathers. There seems to be a striking conflict between this ideal and the injunction to remember what our enemy has done to us in the past and never to forget.

And yet the idea of remembering the Amaleks and Hamans of history can be justified. And we might note first of all, even though we remember, we Jews do not have to defend ourselves against any charge of being vengeful or vindictive. The antagonism of the Jew through the centuries against those who oppressed him found its release for the most part in a harmless Purim spiel[iii]. We speak gleefully about hanging Haman and we stomp when his name is mentioned as we read the Megilla[iv], but that is the end of the matter. We have talked about our hates, but it has ended with the talk. On Passover, also, for example, the traditional Haggadah, when the door is opened for Elijah, implores God to pour out his wrath upon the nations who oppose Him, but the emotion dissipates itself with the utterance. I am reminded of the childish refrain, “Sticks and stones will break my bones, but names will never hurt me.” Jews have generally called names but have not thrown sticks and stones and so have not caused harm.

Recently, Jews may seem to have taken vengeance of a sort when Eichmann[v] was put on trial and condemned. But of we examine this matter carefully we see that what was done to him was not done in blind anger or in a vengeful spirit, but rather in accordance with the due process of law as it might concern any other criminal who had to be called to account for his violence against society. The long suffering patience of the Jew stands in sharp contrast to the hateful and vengeful spirit of his persecutors and the Jew need not feel squeamish about his own feelings and reactions.

Remembering Amalek and all that he symbolizes, therefore, is not for the purpose of obtaining vengeance or of seeking retaliation. It serves rather several other purposes of a positive nature, which make it advisable to say, Remember!”

We remember Amalek not merely because he was an evildoer who did harm to the Jewish people but because he has become the personification of evil itself. Likewise, Haman is not merely the foolish prime minister who managed to get himself hanged, but he has become for us the very symbol of evil in general, of evil which can possibly occur again and again, and to remember this evil is to be on guard against it. Our rabbis said that one should not hate evildoers, but should be constantly on guard against and actively in combat with evil itself. To hate evil is a principle of Judaism.

Many people asked during the days of the Eichmann trial, if we may refer to it again, “Why have this trial”--and thus reawaken all those horrible memories which are so disturbing particularly to those people who had personal memories of the concentration camps. “Better,” they said, “that we should forget and let the memory of this bitterness die out.” But it was important, both for us and all the world, not to forget in the hope that this will prevent a recurrence. If we keep this memory alive, and remind the world what compromise with dictatorship can lead to, perhaps it will prevent the kind of drift that made Hitlerism possible and make people a bit more zealous in the defense and preservation of freedom. President Adenour, a few days ago, made the statement that the German people are not to be held responsible for what happened to the six million. It is only the Hitler leadership that is to be blamed. We cannot blame him for saying this. The guilt of the German people is so monstrous it cannot be endured. It must be rationalized and excused if they are to live with themselves. But we must remember. A people who could tolerate such leadership and provide the grounds upon which it grew is suspect. Today Germany is perhaps the most prosperous nation in Western Europe.  What will she do with this prosperity? Will it lead again to arrogance and destruction? We need to remember and we need to be on guard.

There is another virtue to remembering. Jewish life comes easy today, for us, at least, n America. And consequently we hold in light esteem the heritage that is ours. But we need to remember the great cost of preserving this heritage in the past, the sacrifice that was required, the courage and faith that had to be displayed. When we realize the cost of something, we are more likely to treat it with respect and to be reluctant to let it slip easily away. When we realize the odds against which Jews had to combat, perhaps we can better appreciate the wonder that is involved in Jewish survival.

According to all normal patterns of history, the Jew should long ago have disappeared. By some act of Divine providence he continues to play a significant role on the stage of history, but if we were to repress the memories of an Amalek or of a Haman, of a Titus[vi] or a Torquemada[vii], of a Hitler or an Eichmann, or a host of others who have sought to destroy us we could not fully understand how phenomenal it is that the Jew persists. And it is the awareness of this mystery of Israel that serves as much as anything else to cement a bond among the Jewish people throughout the world.

What has happened in Israel recently tends to bear this out. In Israel, since he establishment of the state, there has been a tendency to ignore in education the history of our people between the time when the Jews were dispersed by the Romans and the time when the Jews have returned to he land. As a result there has been a lack of identification on the part of Israelis with other Jews outside of Israel, and a feeling of estrangement has been setting in. Ben Gurion[viii] has noticed this and has been disturbed by it.  He has decreed that schools now have content which he calls Jewish consciousness.  He wants Israelis to remember what has happened to Jews in all times and all places, because he knows that to forget would sever the ties that exist among us. To forget would mean failure to understand even how the State of Israel cam to be, failure to comprehend the historical and idealistic forces that contributed to it, the very miracle of its existence. The same thought applies to us. The struggles of the past must be remembered if we are to value our heritage, to preserve our identity, and to maintain our sense of unity with all of Jewry throughout the world. And finally, when we remember Amalek and what he stands for, we are individually more likely to remember the needs of those who have suffered because of the modern Amaleks and Hamans. We will remember our obligation to help. This very weekend has been designated by the New York Board of Rabbis as the occasion for recalling that the United Jewish Appeal is observing its twenty-fifth anniversary as the relief organization of American Jewry. Over these years the UJA has compiled a remarkable record of providing rescue and relief and rehabilitation for over three million Jews all over the world, but unless we remember, the strength of this work may be weakened. The history of he UJA shows that it is only at a time of actual dramatic crisis that the response to its call is at its best. At moments such as the present, the needs of the UJA are still tremendous as it tries to cope with continued immigration to Israel, refugees from North Africa, particularly in France, unrest in South America and problems elsewhere, but the sense of urgency that comes in moments of acute crisis is not present and so the Appeal suffers. We, therefore, need to remember what our enemies have done to us, whether Amalek or Hitler or the lesser adversaries of the present moment in order that we may be reminded of our ever present obligation to response to the needs of our fellow Jews, who are still in distress.

Thus the pleas to “Remember Amalek” can have a very positive meaning for us. It is a command not to hate the enemy more, but to remember the evil of prejudice and oppression which he fosters and to fight this evil with all our strength in whatever form it appears. It is a call to remember the difficult days of our people, to sense the wonder of Jewish survival and to cherish what has been so miraculously preserved. It is an admonition to remember those who have suffered at the hands of Amalek and to ease their pain. When we hear the word, “Remember” it is a plea for a greater sense of personal responsibility in the building of a better world, in creating a stronger Jewish life, in providing for our fellow Jews who are uprooted. May we dedicate ourselves to this effort with vision, and may we be rewarded with the strengthening of freedom and peace for all our own people and all the world.

Amen.

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[i] Deuteronomy 25:17-19

[ii] Haman, also known as Haman the Agagite, or Haman the evil, is the main antagonist in the Book of Esther, who, according to Old Testament tradition, was a 5th Century BCE noble and vizier of the Persian empire under King Ahasuerus. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haman_%28Bible%29

[iii] A Purim Spiel, or Purimshpil, meaning a Purim play—shpil means 'game' or '(stage) play' in Yiddish. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purim_spiel

[iv] A scroll of the Book of Esther, read on the festival of Purim

[v] Adolf Otto Eichmann, 1906-1962) was a German Nazi and one of the major organizers of the Holocaust. After the war, he fled to Argentina until he was captured and taken to Israel to face trial for crimes against humanity and war crimes. He was found guilty and executed by hanging in 1962.

[vi] Titus Flavius Caesar Vespasianus Augustus, 39-81, was Roman Emperor from 79 to 81. Earlier in his career he was in charge of the military operation against the Jews in Judaea. Infamously brutal toward the vanquished Jews, his most notorious act was to have the Great Temple of Jerusalem destroyed in 70 CE.

[vii] Tomás de Torquemada, 1420-1498, a fifteenth century Spanish Dominican friar, first Grand Inquisitor in Spain's movement to restore Christianity among its populace in the late fifteenth century. He is notorious for his zealous campaign against the crypto-Jews and crypto-Muslims of Spain.

[viii] David Ben-Gurion, 1886-1973) was a founder and the first Prime Minister of Israel until 1963.

Israel's Secret Weapon -- Purim 3/8/44

Purim[i]seems to be a relatively frivolous holiday—a day of masquerading and imbibing. This sermon from 1944 begins with that very point as it then demonstrates the very serious messages found even in this day of rejoicing. To that end this is the first of two Purim sermons that I am posting, this one just before the holiday that occurs this year on March 7.

The “secret weapon” referred to in the title is the spiritual strength of the Jewish people. Ballon attributes the miraculous survival of the Jews against all oppressors to this spiritual underpinning. In the midst of World War II, and as an Army-Air Force Chaplain, he draws on inspirational words from Army orientation guidelines. He applies these concepts to Jews, then expresses concern that the eroding spirituality among modern Jews may become their eventual undoing.

The complexities of modern life, the great changes in the world of thought and science, have put our spiritual steel to a great test.

This is a theme he returns to repeatedly throughout his decades in the pulpit. The remedy, he suggests here, comes from greater knowledge of the history of our people, our ideals, our friends and our enemies. With this knowledge Jews will be able to emulate Mordecai, the hero of the Purim story.

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“Purim iz kein Yomtov”[ii] has long been a familiar byword among Jews. And indeed, when we think of the deeply religious nature which characterizes most of the other red-letter days of our religious calendar, Purim does seem to be rather insignificant by comparison. Not only is it officially a minor holiday, but the manner in which we observe it, likewise, seems to fall short of the dignity of other occasions. The merrymaking and masquerading of Purim contrast sharply with the solemnity of Rosh Hashanah or even the dignified joy of Succos, and unlike the stirring religious messages which permeate the Scriptural readings of other festivals, the story of the Megillah contains not even a single reference to the God of Israel. It is quite surprising, therefore, to find that the rabbis, notwithstanding all these shortcomings, should have made the statement that Purim is as great a day as that upon which the Torah was given at Sinai. It is again surprising to find the opinion that even though it is conceivable that all the words of the prophets and the Holy Writings might sometime be lost and forgotten, the book of Esther would alone, nevertheless, still be remembered and the observance of Purim never be discontinued. In spite of all, Purim does seem to be a Yomtov, and an important one at that.

The paradox of Purim extends even into its very significance as a holiday. For in spite of the fact that it is a day of merrymaking and that the rabbis on this one day of the year jokingly permit us to imbibe so freely of strong drink that we would not even realize the error of “Cursed be Mordecai and blessed be Haman”—in spite of this Purim is essentially the symbol of Jewish dignity. Indeed, it is precisely because of this carefree spirit that Purim symbolizes for us the dignified self-assurance with which the Jew faced the vicissitudes of history and the dignified pride with which he stood up to the trials which beset him so many times in so many places.

The Purim story itself tells us of the dignity with which Mordecai reacted to the accusations of Haman. “There is a certain people, “ said Haman, “scattered abroad and dispersed among the people of Thy kingdom and their laws are diverse from those of every people, neither they keep the king’s laws.” When Mordecai hears this however, he does not seek to ingratiate himself with Haman nor to persuade him that after all the Jew is not “diverse” from other peoples. He does not in panic dissipate his energies in proving that he was as good a Persian as the rest of them and that Jews do not break “the king’s laws.” He rather counsels Esther to go boldly before the king and to confront him straightforwardly with the problem of her people. And when Esther is at first hesitant, Mordecai demonstrates his faith in the staying powers of his people, when he says, “For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then will relief and deliverance arise from another place.” Never for a moment does he doubt that the Jewish people will weather the storm.

When in succeeding generations the Jews commemorated these events of Purim, they recalled not only Haman of Persia, but all other tyrants like him, who had ever wanted to destroy the Jew. The fact that they could laugh and make merry in spite of these sorrowful memories was but the reflection of the same strength of character displayed by Mordecai, the same dignity and self-assurance, the same faith and optimism. It was the best proof, to use a word that sums up all these qualities, of their high morale, despite the ill fortune which dogged them.

It is not mere rhetoric to say that it was just this high morale which has been the “secret weapon” of Jewish survival. Recognition of the importance of the mental and spiritual factor for survival in times of crisis comes from a variety of sources. In wards where men lie critically ill and hover between life and death, some men live, physicians will tell you, because they have the will to live and are not afraid; others die, because they show no spiritual life or death is frequently determined by the morale of the patient himself.

Military leaders, also, ancient and modern, enemy and our own, have many times paid tribute to the importance of morale in achieving victory in battle. Caesar would personally lecture to his troops for the purpose of bolstering morale. In a German training manual of the present war we read that, “Ultimate success depends not on equipment, but the spirit in which we enter battle.” Napoleon the Great maintained that, “The spiritual is to the material in battle as three is to one.”

That this applies to the Jew also was recognized long ago by our rabbis. The Midrash, in commenting on the Book of Esther, pictures the wicked of the Bible as each in succession trying to outdo the others in his scheming against Israel. Each looks down upon his predecessors because of their failure to prevail. Esau looks down upon Cain, and goes him one better. Pharaoh belittles Esau and outdoes him in cruelty. Haman the arch tyrant looks down even upon Pharaoh. “I will not do as he has done,” says Haman, “but I will crush them and kill them and destroy them.” And we can imagine the rabbis of old chuckling to themselves at the utter ineffectiveness of any of the machinations of our oppressors. “But,” the rabbis added significantly, “someday in the future God will say, ‘Fools were all these ancients; they did not realize that Israel has a protector in heaven. I will not do as they have done. First I will contend with their protector, and then I will contend with Israel.’” Thus reads the Midrash, as though to say, “To destroy Israel you must first undermine his spiritual foundation. No tyrant can contend successfully with Israel regardless of his severity, if that spiritual foundation remains unweakened.” That is the secret of Israel’s survival. Take away his faith and his morale and only then will he be in mortal danger.

Today, as we are confronted by the greatest crisis of all our history induced by enemies who may with justifiable impudence look down even upon Haman, the maintenance of our spiritual armor remains our basic asset in assuring survival. It is not as easy, unfortunately, for us as it was for our forefathers to keep our spiritual arsenal stocked. The complexities of modern life, the great changes in the world of thought and science, have put our spiritual steel to a great test. Our task is much more difficult. Our approach must be different. But the test can be met.

What must we do to build present day Jewish morale? We may well take our cue from our fighting forces. Recognizing the importance of the problem, the United States Army seeks in many ways to boost the morale of its fighting men. One of its outstanding techniques is to be found in its orientation department. This department by means of lectures and discussions attempts to acquaint the soldier with the issues involved in the current world struggle, to demonstrate to him the worthwhileness of our effort, and to build in him the will to carry on. The four points which are emphasized in this program can effectively serve as the pattern for building Jewish morale as well. These four points, which are hammered home to the soldier, exhort him first: “Have pride in your outfit.” Second: “Know what you are fighting for.” Third: “Know your enemy.” Fourth: “Know your allies.”

As Jews, too, we need first to all to learn to have “pride in outfit,” pride in ourselves as members of the Jewish people. All too many of us in the present almost wince at the mention of the word Jew, as though it were some term of reproach. All too many of us suffer an inferiority complex and feel that it is a handicap to live as a Jew. All too many hear the accusations of the enemy poured forth so venomously, and in confusion are inclined to accept the enemy’s evaluation of the Jew as at least a partial truth. Many of us heatedly proclaim our Jewish pride in the face of insult, but so often this belligerent reaction is but a psychological compensation for the doubt and apprehension with which we are normally filled. The basic reason for this is sheer ignorance of Jewish history and Jewish existence. If Jewish history did not provide us with such an inspiring epic of the past, if there were no Jewish pioneers in Palestine to thrill us with their glorious achievements in the present, if the Jewish people had not made such great contributions to civilization, there might be reason for such embarrassment. As it is, however, only abysmal ignorance can prevent us from having pride in our outfit, and the attainment of Jewish knowledge is the major objective in regaining that pride.

As Jews, too, we need to know why we fight. What is it that Judaism wants of us? What is the sense of continuing as Jews? This point ties in closely with the first. The knowledge of our past would also provide us with an understanding of our hopes for the future. The lessons of our great teachers would provide us with the signposts that we so desperately need. The rabbis said that Amos summarized Judaism very competently when he preached, “Let justice well up as waters and righteousness as a mighty stream.” Hillel also put it concisely, when he said that the essence of Judaism is, “Do not unto others what you would not have then do to you. The rest is commentary.” This combination of social and personal ethics is the fundamental purpose of Jewish striving. We should become more familiar with its broader details and learn some of its commentary. We should seek to understand some of its practical implications for the social struggles of the present and its significance in moulding the world of the future. We would then feel that as part of the Jewish people and the heirs to a great heritage we have a definite contribution to make to the present world scene, that our survival fills a need and a purpose, and is not the meaningless caprice of fate.

As Jews, too, we need to know our enemies. Why is it that so many of our people today fear anti-Semitism and desire sincerely to combat it, and nevertheless play into the very hands of those who foster it. Why is it that so many Jews are afraid to fight openly and insist on blinking their eyes at events which hurt us? Why are we so smugly satisfied with halfway measures of anti-defamation, when it is only the triumph over reaction in the economic and political arena that can bring us complete victory over our enemies? It is time to stop being fearful of self-expression and to speak up forthrightly. When the basic rights of any human being are threatened then there is also a threat to the Jew. In every force of reaction, which threatens whatever group or race or creed, there lies the modern Haman who must be resisted and vanquished.

And finally, as Jews, too, we need to know our allies. If we have mastered the preceding task of knowing our enemies, we shall be in better position also to know our allies. It goes without saying that the obvious good-will agencies, which set out to better the relationship between the Jew and his neighbor, are our allies. But we must realize further that all forces which fight the elements of reaction are thereby also automatically our allies. The distinguishing marks of reaction are opposition to the attempts of the common man to attain a measure of security in his life, claims of racial superiority, suppression of the rights of the many in favor of political and economic domination by a chosen few. Those, therefore, who strive to protect the rights and dignity of the common man, who fight racial and religious discrimination, who stand up against the all-consuming greed of economic monopoly and power, those who fight any or all of these harbingers of fascism, they, too, are our allies and should be treated accordingly.

That is the program. That is the stimulant we need for the strengthening of Jewish morale. We must acquire the knowledge that brings us pride in the achievements of our people. We must understand to what end we fight for Jewish survival. We must recognize clearly the enemy who would destroy us. We must know those who are actively fighting beside us. Then the spirit displayed by our father is their celebration of Purim will be strong within us. We will then no longer question whether or why we should survive as Jews. We will have developed a sense of purpose, self-respect, self-assurance. We will live our lives as Jews with pride and with dignity. Our spiritual armor will be strong, and with our “secret weapon,” our impregnable morale, functioning to perfection, the future of our people will be assured. Am Yisroel chai. The people of Israel will continue to live.

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[i] Purim is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the deliverance of the Jewish people in the 5^th Century Persian Empire from destruction in the wake of a plot by Haman, royal vizier to King Ahasuerus who planned to kill the Jews. The plans were foiled by Mordecai and his niece, Queen Esther. The story is recorded in the Biblical Book of Esther, often referred to as the Megillah.

[ii] Translation from the Yiddish: “Purim is no holiday.”