This coming Sabbath in the Jewish calendar is known as Shabbat Zachor, the Sabbath of Remembering. It is the Sabbath that precedes the holiday of Purim, which Jews around the world celebrate next week, to remember how they were saved from the evil machinations of a Persian man named Haman, who sought to annihilate the Jews of Persia (today’s Iran!), according to the Biblical story as told in the book of Esther, which is read in full on this holiday.

On this Sabbath, we read special verses from the book of Deuteronomy at the end of weekly Torah reading:

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 your God grants you safety from all your enemies around you, in the land that the Lord your God is giving you as a hereditary portion, you should blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget! (Deuteronomy 25:17-19)

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 your God grants you safety from all your enemies around you, in the land that the Lord your God is giving you as a hereditary portion, you should blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget! (Deuteronomy 25:17-19)

In Jewish Tradition, Haman was considered a descendent of Amalek, so that on the holiday of Purim, Jews remember his attempts to annihilate our people by listening carefully to the reading of the Scroll of Esther in the synagogue and making lots of noise to eradicate his name.

Who exactly is Amalek that we seek to blot out his name and at the same time keep his memory alive?

In the traditional Jewish mindset, he is the classic anti-Semite,........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)