Amalek: The Source of the Seven Nations

 

(Continued from here.)

Amalek’s goal in preventing Daas of holiness from influencing the emotions is for the person to then succumb to his desire to sin.

This is the meaning of the verse: “Amalek is the first of the nations.”[1]

Rashi there explains that Amalek was first in the sense that it was the first nation to attack the Jewish people after the Exodus, despite knowing about the tremendous miracles that Hashem had performed for the Jewish people.

But the deeper explanation is that the Amalek within is “the first,” the source, “of the nations,” of the Seven Nations within, of the seven negative character traits.

For, as explained, the inner Amalek blocks the Daas of the Divine Soul from arousing emotions of love and fear of Hashem.

This vacuum in the emotions automatically enables the seven negative character traits to seize control and tempt one to sin.

This is also the deeper meaning of the verse, “One who is separated seeks pleasure.”[2] By separating the emotions from the intellect, so that the person lacks fear of Hashem, he comes to “seek pleasure,” to indulge in all the forbidden pleasures.

This is the reason that the inner Amalek’s “end is to be destroyed,” for the drive to provoke the desire to sin is evil and irredeemable.

Earlier, we said that we accomplish the mitzvah to banish the Seven Nations by uprooting the desire for sin, through Teshuvah.

This obligation is directly tied to the mitzvah to eradicate Amalek, for Amalek’s objective in his chutzpah is for the person to succumb to his negative desires and fall into sin. Thus, we also eradicate the Amalek within through Teshuvah.

Erasing Amalek by Remembering Him

Another way in which we overcome the Amalek within is by fulfilling the mitzvah to remember the nation of Amalek, as it is written, “Remember what Amalek did to you.” [3]

Based on the above explanation, this remembrance entails a command to reflect upon the distinguishing trait of the nation of Amalek: An all-consuming desire to incite arrogant, insolent rebellion against the truth of Hashem. One should feel pained at the very existence of such obscene evil in the world, and in so doing, one also subdues the Amalek within.

This strengthens the person so that his meditation upon Hashem’s greatness will indeed result in love and fear of Hashem, which will in turn inspire him to observe the Mitzvos with passion and an inner sensitivity to G-dliness.

Based on the Rebbe Rashab’s Sefer Hamaamarim 5643, 5644, 5645, p. 305 ff.; Sefer Hamaamarim 5654, p. 196 ff., p. 337 ff.

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[1] Bamidbar ibid.

[2] Mishlei 18:1.

[3] Devarim 25:17.