Over breakfast one morning, a woman said to her husband, “I’ll bet you don’t know what day this is.” “Of course I do,” he replied, slightly offended, and left for work.

At 10:00 a.m., the doorbell rang. A dozen long-stemmed red roses. At 1:00 p.m., a box of her favorite chocolates arrived. Later, a boutique delivered a designer dress.

When her husband came home, she exclaimed, “First the flowers, then the chocolates, then the dress! I’ve never had a more wonderful Groundhog Day in my entire life!”

Sometimes we need reminders. We need reminders about dates. We need reminders about milestones. And we need reminders about our history.

This Shabbat is one of those reminders. Before Purim, we read Parshat Zachor and fulfill the mitzvah to remember how Amalek attacked us. It is striking that this mitzvah is observed annually. The Chatam Sofer famously argued that memory fades after twelve months, and therefore the Torah requires us to recall Amalek at least once a year so we do not forget the danger or the lesson.

But let’s be honest: do we really need reminders?

We live in a time of rising antisemitism. College campuses feel hostile. Jewish institutions require security. Israel fights enemies on multiple fronts. Political polarization fractures both American and Israeli society. Within Israel, there are painful divisions — religious and secular, right and left, Religious Zionist and Charedi — especially around issues like army service and national responsibility.

And closer to home, American Jews carry deeply personal anxieties:

The crushing cost of Jewish education and housing.

Fears about children drifting religiously or assimilating.

Mental health challenges affecting teens and adults.

Loneliness in an increasingly digital, fragmented world.

A culture that often undermines family stability and sacred commitments.

There is no shortage of reasons to worry. If we choose to focus on what is broken, we will never run out of material.

So why an annual reminder about Amalek?

Perhaps because the Torah is carefully calibrating our emotional posture. Amalek is real. Evil is real. There are moments when vigilance is necessary, when strength is necessary, when confronting evil is a moral obligation. But that is not meant to be our daily mindset.

Contrast Amalek with Yetziat Mitzrayim. We remember the Exodus from Egypt every single day in Kriat Shema. The Torah commands: “So that you remember the day you left Egypt all the days of your life.” Amalek — once a year. Redemption — every day.

Amalek reminds us to confront evil when required. Yetziat Mitzrayim reminds us daily to live with gratitude, faith, and moral purpose.

The difference in frequency is not incidental. It is instructive.

Psychologist John Gottman speaks about “positive sentiment override” and “negative sentiment override” in relationships. Some couples interpret everything through a positive lens; others interpret everything through suspicion and negativity. But this idea applies beyond marriage. It applies to how we view the world.

Is there negativity around us? Absolutely. Is there blessing around us? Absolutely.

We are living in an era of extraordinary Jewish strength. We have a sovereign State of Israel — something Jews dreamed about for two thousand years. We have thriving Torah institutions. The observant community is growing. Jewish learning is more accessible than ever. We gather openly as Jews. We build families. We build communities.

The Torah’s message is clear: do not deny the darkness, but do not let it define you.

It is no coincidence that Purim follows immediately after Parshat Zachor. Yes, we remember Amalek. But then we celebrate salvation with unrestrained gratitude. We publicize the miracle. We strengthen friendships through mishloach manot. We care for the vulnerable through matanot la’evyonim. Two days after reflecting on evil, we immerse ourselves in joy, generosity, and community.

Each of us faces a daily choice.

Will Amalek occupy our minds every day? Or will Yetziat Mitzrayim?

Will we live scanning constantly for threats? Or will we build lives rooted in gratitude and mission?

The Torah’s structure answers the question for us.

Remember Amalek — but only once a year. Remember redemption — every single day.

The key is not to ignore the challenges. The key is to refuse to let them become the defining lens through which we experience Jewish life.

Focus on the positive. Build the positive. Live the positive.

That is not naïveté. It is avodat Hashem.

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)