Exodus 17:14 - Eternal war against evil

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Hebrew Text

וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה כְּתֹב זֹאת זִכָּרוֹן בַּסֵּפֶר וְשִׂים בְּאָזְנֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ כִּי־מָחֹה אֶמְחֶה אֶת־זֵכֶר עֲמָלֵק מִתַּחַת הַשָּׁמָיִם׃

English Translation

And the Lord said to Moshe, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Yehoshua: that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of ῾Amaleq from under the heaven.

Transliteration

Va'yomer Adonai el-Moshe k'tov zot zikaron ba'sefer v'sim b'oznei Yehoshua ki-macho emche et-zecher Amalek mitachat hashamayim.

Hebrew Leining Text

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה כְּתֹ֨ב זֹ֤את זִכָּרוֹן֙ בַּסֵּ֔פֶר וְשִׂ֖ים בְּאׇזְנֵ֣י יְהוֹשֻׁ֑עַ כִּֽי־מָחֹ֤ה אֶמְחֶה֙ אֶת־זֵ֣כֶר עֲמָלֵ֔ק מִתַּ֖חַת הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃

Parasha Commentary

The Command to Record the Obliteration of Amalek

The verse (Shemot 17:14) records Hashem's instruction to Moshe to document the future eradication of Amalek. Rashi explains that this command serves two purposes:

Preservation of the decree: Writing it in the Torah ensures that the mitzvah to destroy Amalek remains eternally binding for future generations (Rashi, Shemot 17:14).
Yehoshua’s role: Moshe is told to "place it in Yehoshua’s ears," hinting that Yehoshua, as Moshe’s successor, would lead the battle against Amalek (Rashi, based on Sanhedrin 20b).

The Severity of Amalek’s Sin

The Rambam (Hilchot Melachim 5:4-5) emphasizes that Amalek’s attack on Bnei Yisrael after Yetziat Mitzrayim was an affront to Hashem’s sovereignty, as they targeted a nation still under divine protection. The Midrash Tanchuma (Ki Teitzei 11) adds that Amalek’s cruelty—attacking the weak and stragglers—demonstrated their unique evil, warranting eternal opposition.

The Obligation to Erase Amalek’s Memory

The phrase "מָחֹה אֶמְחֶה" ("utterly blot out") implies a twofold eradication:

Physical destruction: The mitzvah to wage war against Amalek (Devarim 25:19).
Spiritual obliteration: Ensuring their ideology of hatred and doubt in Hashem (as per the Zohar’s interpretation of their name, symbolizing "amalek" – "doubt") does not endure (Sforno, Shemot 17:16).

The Role of the Written Record

The Mechilta (Beshalach 6) teaches that writing this decree in the Torah ensures that even if Amalek’s physical descendants vanish, the lesson of opposing evil remains. The Ramban (Shemot 17:16) adds that this mitzvah is uniquely tied to the divine throne (כֵּס י-ה), symbolizing that Hashem’s presence is incomplete until Amalek’s influence is eradicated.

📚 Talmud Citations

This verse is quoted in the Talmud.

📖 Megillah 18a

The verse is cited in the context of discussing the commandment to remember and blot out the memory of Amalek, emphasizing the importance of writing and oral transmission of this commandment.

📖 Sanhedrin 20b

The verse is referenced in a discussion about the roles and responsibilities of Joshua as Moses' successor, particularly in relation to the commandment concerning Amalek.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What does Exodus 17:14 mean when it says to 'blot out the remembrance of Amalek'?
A: This verse commands the Jewish people to remember and ultimately erase the memory of Amalek, a nation that attacked the Israelites after they left Egypt. According to Rashi and the Talmud (Sanhedrin 20b), this is a mitzvah (commandment) to both remember Amalek's evil deeds and to destroy them completely, as they represent cruelty and opposition to Hashem's will.

Q: Why is Amalek singled out for destruction in the Torah?
A: Amalek is singled out because they attacked the weak and defenseless among the Israelites (Deuteronomy 25:18). The Midrash (Tanchuma Ki Teitzei 9) explains that Amalek represents pure evil and cynicism, acting against Hashem's plan. Their attack was unprovoked and demonstrated a rejection of morality, making them a perpetual enemy of the Jewish people.

Q: How do we fulfill the commandment to remember Amalek today?
A: We fulfill this mitzvah by reading the portion about Amalek (Deuteronomy 25:17-19) in the Torah twice a year—once during the regular Torah reading cycle and again on the Shabbat before Purim (called Shabbat Zachor). The Rambam (Hilchot Melachim 5:5) also teaches that we must maintain a consciousness of opposing evil in every generation, as Amalek represents.

Q: Why did Hashem tell Moshe to write this down and tell Yehoshua?
A: Rashi explains that this was to emphasize that the battle against Amalek would continue into the future, particularly when Yehoshua would lead the Israelites into the Land of Israel. Writing it in the Torah ensures that all future generations would remember this commandment. The Talmud (Megillah 18a) also notes that Yehoshua was singled out because he would later lead the war against Amalek.

Q: What lesson can we learn from the commandment to erase Amalek?
A: The Torah teaches us that evil must be actively opposed and not ignored. Just as Amalek attacked the weak, we must stand against cruelty and injustice in the world. The Rambam (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Melachim) explains that this mitzvah also symbolizes the need to remove evil influences from our own lives and society.