Torah on Tap Amalek! http://rabbiseinfeld.blogspot.com/ 2008/03/finding -amalek.html Genesis 36: And Esau dwelt in the mountain-land of Seir--Esau is 8 ח ַוֵּיֶׁשבֵּ עָׂשו ְּבַהֵּר שִעיר, ֵּעָׂשו הּוא .Edom ֱאדֹום. And these are the generations of Esau the father of a 9 ט ְּוֵּאֶׁלה תְֹּּלדֹותֵּ עָׂשו, ֲאִבי ֱאדֹום, .the Edomites in the mountain-land of Seir ְּבַהר, ֵּשִעיר. These are the chiefs of the sons of Esau: the sons of 15 טו ֵּאֶׁלה, ַאלֵּּופי ְּבֵּני-ֵּעָׂשו: ְּבֵּני Eliphaz the first-born of Esau: the chief of Teman, the ֱאִלַיפז, ְּבכֹורֵּ עָׂשו--ַאלֵּּוף תיָׂמן ,chief of Omar, the chief of Zepho, the chief of Kenaz ַאלּוף אָֹׂומר, ַאלְּּוף צפֹו ַאלּוףְּקַנז. the chief of Korah, the chief of Gatam, the chief of 16 טז ַאלּוף- ַקֹּרחַאלּוף ַגְּעָׂתם, Amalek. These are the chiefs that came of Eliphaz in ַאלּוףֲ עָׂמֵּלק; ֵּאֶׁלה ַאלֵּּופי ֱאִלַיפ ז .the land of Edom. These are the sons of Adah ְּבֶׁאֶׁרֱץאדֹום, ֵּאֶׁלְּה בֵּניָׂ עָׂדה. When Esau was getting old, he called in his grandson Amalek and said: "I tried to kill Jacob but was unable. Now I am entrusting you and your descendents with the important mission of annihilating Jacob's descendents -- the Jewish people. Carry out this deed for me. Be relentless and do not show mercy." (Midrashim Da’at and Hadar, summarised from Legends of the Jews volume 6 – Louis Ginzburg p.23) Exodus 17: Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in 8 ח ַוָׂיבֹּא, ֲעָׂמֵּלק; ַוִיָׂלֶׁחםִעם- .Rephidim ִיְּשָׂרֵּאל, ִבְּרִפִידם. ,And Moses said unto Joshua: 'Choose us out men 9 ט ַויֶֹּׁאמֶׁר מֹּשה ֶׁאל-ְּיֻׁהֹושַע ְּבַח ר- and go out, fight with Amalek; tomorrow I will stand ָׂלנּו ֲאָׂנִשים, ְּוֵּצאִ הָׂלֵּחם ַבֲעָׂמֵּלק; '.on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand ָׂמָׂחר, ָאנִֹּכי ִנָׂצב ַעל-רֹּאשַ הִגְּבָׂעה, ַּומֵּטה ָׂהֱאלִֹּהים, ְּבָׂיִדי. So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought 10 י ַוַיַעש ְּיֻׁהֹושַע , ַכֲאֶׁשַרָאמר-לֹו with Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to ֶׁמֹּשה-- ְּלִהָׂלֵּחם, ַבֲעָׂמֵּלק; ּומֶֹּׁשה .the top of the hill ֲַאהרֹּן ְּוחּור, ָׂעלּו רֹּאשַ הִגְּבָׂעה. ,And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand 11 יא ְּוָׂהָׂיה, ַכֲאֶׁשר ָׂיִרים ֶׁמֹּשה ָׂידֹו- ,that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand -וְּ ָׂגַבר ִיְּשָׂרֵּאל; ְּוַכֲאֶׁשר ָׂיִנַיח ָׂידֹו, .Amalek prevailed ְּוָׂגַברֲ עָׂמֵּלק. But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a 12 יב ִויֵּדֶׁי מֹּשְּהכֵּבִדים, ַוִיְּקחּו- ֶׁאֶׁבן stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and ַוָׂיִשימַּו תְּחָׂתיו ַוֵּיֶׁשבָׂ עֶׁלָׂיה ; Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one ְּוֲַאהרֹּן ְּוחָּׂור תְּמכְּּו בָׂיָׂדיו, ִמֶׁזה 1 side, and the other on the other side; and his hands ֶׁאָׂחד ִּומֶׁזֶׁהאָׂחד, ַוְּיִהי ָׂיָׂדיו .were steady until the going down of the sun ֱאמּוָׂנה, ַעד-בֹּאַ הָׂשֶׁמש. And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people 13 יג ַוַיֲחלֹּש ְּיֻׁהֹושַעֶׁאת-ֲעָׂמֵּלק {with the edge of the sword. {P ְּוֶׁאת-ַעּמֹו, ְּלִפי- ָׂחֶׁרב. }פ{ And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Write this for a 14 יד ַויֶֹּׁאמר ְּיהָׂוהֶׁאל- ֶׁמֹּשה, ְּכתֹּב memorial in the book, and rehearse it in the ears of זִֹּאת זָׂכרֹוַן בֵּסֶׁפר, ְּוִשים, ְּבָאְּזֵּני Joshua: for I will utterly blot out the remembrance of ְּיֻׁהֹושַע : ִכי- ָׂמחֶֹּׁה אְּמֶׁחֶׁה את-ֵּזֶׁכר ֲעָׂמֵּלק, ִמַתַחתַ הָׂשָׂמִים. Amalek from under heaven.' And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it 15 טו ַוִיֶׁבן ֶׁמֹּשה, ִמְּזֵּבַח ; ַוִיְּקָׂרא .Adonai-nissi ְּשמֹו, ְּיהָׂוה ִנִסי. And he said: 'The hand upon the throne of the 16 טז ַו יֶֹּׁאמר, ִכי- ָׂידַעל- ֵּכס ָׂיּה, LORD: the LORD will have war with Amalek from ִמְּלָׂחָׂמהַ ליהָׂוה, ַבֲעָׂמֵּלק-- ִמדֹּר, {generation to generation.' {P דֹּר. }פ{ Deuternomy 25 (NB. Read in shul shabbat before Purim; Shabbat Zachor): Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way as 17 יז ָׂזכֹור, ֵּאֲתאֶׁשר-ָׂעָׂשהְּ לָׂך ;ye came forth out of Egypt ֲעָׂמֵּלק, ַבֶׁדֶׁרְּך , ְּבֵּצְּאתֶׁכם ִמִּמְּצָׂרִים. how he met thee by the way, and smote the 18 יח ֲאֶׁשָׂר קְּרָׂךַ בֶׁדֶׁרְּך , ַוְּיַזֵּנְּבבָׂך ,hindmost of thee, all that were enfeebled in thy rear ָׂכל- ַהֶׁנֱחָׂשִלים ֲַאחֶׁריָׂך --ְּוַָׂאתה, .when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God ָׂעֵּיף ְּוָׂיֵּגַע ; ְּולֹּא ָׂיֵּרא, ֱאלִֹּהים. Therefore it shall be, when the LORD thy God hath 19 יט ְּוָׂהָׂיְּה בָׂהִניַח ְּיהָׂוה ֱאלֶֹּׁהיָׂך ְּ לָׂך given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, in ִמָׂכל-אְֹּּיֶׁבָׂיךִ מָׂסִביב, ָׂבֶָׁארץ ֲאֶׁש ר the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an ְּיהָׂוה- ֱאלֶֹּׁהָׂיךנֵֹּּתןְּ לָׂך ַנֲחָׂלה ְּלִרְּשָׂתּה-- ִתְּמֶׁחֶׁה את-ֵּזֶׁכרֲ עָׂמֵּלק, inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt blot out the ִמַתַחתַ הָׂשָׂמִים; לֹּא, ִתְּשָׂכח. remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt }פ{ not forget. {P} What would Amalek do? They would send people into battle on their birthday; saying: not quickly will a person fall on his birthday [the constellations are advantageously aligned on a person's birthday]. What did Moses do? He shuffled the constellations. (Jerusalem Talmud, tractate Rosh Hashanah 3:8) 1 Samuel 15: Thus saith the LORD of hosts: I remember that 2 ב כַֹּהָאמר, ְּיהָׂוְּה צָׂבאֹות, which Amalek did to Israel, how he set himself against ָׂפַקְּדִתי, ֵּאֲתאֶׁשר- ָׂעָׂשהֲ עָׂמֵּלק .him in the way, when he came up out of Egypt ְּלִיְּשָׂרֵּאל-- ֲאֶׁשר- ָׂשם לַֹו בֶׁדֶׁרְּך , ַבֲעלֹּתֹוִ מִּמְּצָׂרִים. Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all 3 ג ַעָׂתהֵּ לְּך ְּוִהִכָׂיתֶׁה את-ֲעָׂמֵּלק, that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man ְּוַהֲחַרְּמֶׁתם ֶׁאת-ָׂכל- ֲאֶׁשר-לֹו, וְּלֹּא and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel ַתְּחמֹּל, ָׂעָׂליו; ְּוֵּהַמָׂתֵּה מִאישַע ד- ִאָׂשה, ֵּמעֵֹּּלל ְּוַעד-יֹוֵּנק, ִמשֹור {and ass.' {S ְּוַעד- ֶׁשה, ִמָׂגָׂמל ְּוַעד-ֲחמֹור. }ס{ 2 And Saul summoned the people, and numbered them 4 ד ַוְּיַשַּמָׂעשאּול, ֶׁאת- ָׂהָׂעם, in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten ַוִיְּפְּקֵּדַם בְּטָׂלִאים, ָׂמאַתִים ֶׁאֶׁלף .thousand men of Judah ַרְּגִלי; ַוֲעֶׁשֶׁרֲתאָׂל ִפים, ֶׁאת- ִאיש ְּיהּוָׂדה. And Saul came to the city of Amalek, and lay in wait 5 ה ַוָׂיבָֹּׂא שאּול, ַעד- ִעירֲ עָׂמֵּלק; .in the valley ַוָׂיֶׁרב, ַבָׂנַחל. And Saul said unto the Kenites: 'Go, depart, get you 6 ו ַויֶֹּׁאמָׂר שאּול ֶׁאל- ַהֵּקיִניְּ לכּו down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you ֻׁסרְּּו רדִּו מתְֹּוךֲ עָׂמֵּלִקי, ֶׁפן-אִֹּסְּפָׂך with them; for ye showed kindness to all the children ִעּמֹו, ְּוַאָׂתהָׂ עִשָׂיתה ֶׁחֶׁסדִעם-ָׂכל- ְּבֵּני ִיְּשָׂרֵּאל, ַבֲעלָֹׂותִם מִּמְּצָׂרִים; of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt.' So the ַוָׂיַסר ֵּקיִני, ִמתְֹּוךֲ עָׂמֵּלק. Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. And Saul smote the Amalekites, from Havilah as 7 ז ַוַיְּךָׂ שאּול, ֶׁא ת-ֲעָׂמֵּלק, ֵּמֲחִוָׂילה .thou goest to Shur, that is in front of Egypt בֲֹואָׂך שּור, ֲאֶׁשרַעל- ְּפֵּנִי מְּצָׂרִים. ,And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive 8 ח ַוִיְּתֶׁפֹּש את- ֲאַגֶׁג מֶׁלְּך -ֲעָׂמֵּלק, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of ָׂחי; ְּוֶׁאת-ָׂכל- ָׂהָׂעם, ֶׁהֱחִריםְּלִפי- .the sword ָׂחֶׁרב. But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of 9 ט ַוַיְּחמָֹּׂל שאּול ְּוָׂהָׂעםַעל- ֲאָׂגג, the sheep, and of the oxen, even the young of the ְּוַעל- ֵּמַיטבַהצֹּאן ְּוַהָׂבָׂקר second birth, and the lambs, and all that was good, and ְּוַהִּמְּשִנים ְּוַעל- ַהָׂכִרים ְּוַעל-ָׂכל- ַהטֹוב, וְּלֹּא ָאבּו, ַהֲחִר ָׂימם; ְּוָׂכל- would not utterly destroy them; but every thing that ַהְּּמָׂלָׂאכה ְּנִמְּבָׂזה ְּוָׂנֵּמס, אָֹּׂתּה was of no account and feeble, that they destroyed ֶׁהֱחִרימּו. }פ{ utterly. {P} Then said Samuel: 'Bring ye hither to me Agag the 32 לב ַויֶֹּׁאמְּר שמּוֵּאל, ַהִגישּו ֵּאַלי king of the Amalekites.' And Agag came unto him in ֶׁאת- ֲאַגֶׁג מֶׁלְּךֲ עָׂמֵּלק, ַוֵּיֶׁלְּךֵּ אָׂליו, chains. And Agag said: 'Surely the bitterness of death ֲאַגַגמֲעַדנֹּת; ַויֶֹּׁאמֲראָׂגג, ֵָּאכָׂן סר ַמר- ַהָּׂמֶׁות. }ס{ is at hand.' {S} And Samuel said: As thy sword hath made women 33 לג ַויֶֹּׁאמְּר שמּוֵּאל-- ַכֲאֶׁשִרשְּכ ָׂלה childless, so shall thy mother be childless among ָׂנִשיםַ חְּרֶׁבָׂך , ֵּכן- ִתְּשַכִלמָׂנִשים women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the ִאֶּׁמ ָׂך ; ַוְּיַשֵּסְּף שמֵּּואֶׁל את- ֲאָׂגג ִלְּפֵּני ְּיהָׂוה, ַבִגְּלָׂגל. }ס{ LORD in Gilgal. {S} Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to 34 לד ַוֵּיֶׁלְּך ְּשמּוֵּאל, ָׂהָׂרָׂמָׂתה; .his house to Gibeath-shaul ְּוָׂשאּולָׂ עָׂלה ֶׁאל-ֵּביתֹו, ִגְּבַעת ָׂשאּול. And Samuel never beheld Saul again until the day 35 לה וְּלֹּא-ָׂיַסְּף שמֵּּואלִ לְּראֹותֶׁא ת- of his death; for Samuel mourned for Saul; and the ָׂשאּול, ַעד-יֹום מֹותֹו, ִכי- ִהְּתֵַּאבל LORD repented that He had made Saul king over ְּשמֵּּואל, ֶׁאל- ָׂשאּול; ַו יהָׂוה ִנָׂחם, ִכי- ִהְּמִלְּיךֶׁאת- ָׂשאּולַעל-ִיְּשָׂרֵּאל. .Israel }פ{ Esther 3: After these things did king Ahasuerus promote 1 א ַַאחרַהְּדָׂבִריםָׂ הֵּא ֶׁלה, ִגַדל Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and ַהֶּׁמֶׁלְּךֲ אַחְּשֵּורֶֹׁוש את- ָׂהָׂמֶׁן בן- 3 advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes ַהְּּמָׂדָׂתאָׂ הֲאָׂגִגי--ַוְּיַנְּשֵּאהּו; ַוָׂיֶׁשם, .that were with him ֶׁאת- ִכְּסאֹו, ֵּמַעל, ָׂכל- ַהָׂשִריםֲ אֶׁש ר ִאתֹו. Then were the king's scribes called in the first 12 יב ַוִיָׂקְּראּו סְֹּּפֵּריַהֶּׁמֶׁלְּךַ בחֶֹּׁד ש month, on the thirteenth day thereof, and there was ָׂהִראשֹון, ִבְּשָׂלֹושהָׂ עָׂשר יֹום בֹו, written, according to all that Haman commanded, unto ַוִיָׂכֵּתְּבכָׂכל- ֲאֶׁשר- ִצָּׂוהָׂ הָׂמן ֶׁאל ֲאַחְּשַדְּרְּפֵּני- ַהֶּׁמֶׁלְּך ְּוֶׁאל- ַהַפחֹות the king's satraps, and to the governors that were over ֲאֶׁשרַע ל- ְּמִדיָׂנה