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! |
====================================================
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.
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.
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.
[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.
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