Today we will share a bitachon thought related to Parashat Ki Tese that also connects with Rosh Hashanah, as the lessons in the parshiot before Rosh Hashana are there to help us to prepare for the high holidays.
In this week’s parasha, we talk about Amalek. “Remember what Amalek did, Asher Karacha B’Derech/ that happened on the way.”
The word Karacha can also be understood as “cooled down.” Rashi us that the world was a bubbling, hot bath after the Jewish people had just got out of Mitzrayim.
No one would jump in and start up with the Jewish people. Then came Amalek, who jumped into bubbling, hot bath. And as a result, he cooled it off. Up until that point, no one would start up with Bnei Yisrael.
It was like, you don't jump off a building. It’s not even an option. But after Amalek, it wasn’t so clear anymore in what we call Bechush/ our senses.
For example, your senses won't let you jump off a roof, but your senses will let you eat something unkosher. It's not that clear, even though it might be clear in your head. Amalek cooled off that clarity that you don't start up with God and God's control.
And the second aspect of what Amalek did comes from that same root, Kar, as in Mikreh . How does he cool things off ? It’s connected. He cools things off by saying it's only a coincidence, and not to believe in God controlling the world.
The way they fought against Amalek back when they left Mitzrayim is by weakening him. How?
Masechet Rosh Hashana 29a says, on the pasuk when Moshe lifted his hands the Jewish people won- the Mishna asks, “Did Moshe’s hands bring success and make or break the war? Rather, when we looked up to heaven and we subjugated our hearts to our Father in heaven, we would become successful. If not, we would fall.”
Rav Sadok says that any lesson that shows up in a certain Masechet/tractate is not by coincidence. Masechet Rosh Hashana talks about how we decide the new year. And only by tangent, we might say, doors it talk about Amalek. The Gemara talks about intention, paying attention, having in mind for the shofar…. and then we switch to, “Your heart with Amalek..” It seems like a tangent, but it's not, because that is what Rosh Hashana is all about. It's all about Hashem controlling the world, and Amalek comes to cool us off.
Rav Yerucham Levovitz, in his Sefer
M’Amorei HaMashgiach (pg 123) says, “Rosh Hashanah itself is a bubbling bath.”
That means, come Rosh Hashana we are supposed to be afraid. We know everything is decided on Rosh Hashana. So what causes us not to be afraid? It’s a certain Amalek, that causes us to cool down. Amalek is all about Lo Yareh He’s not afraid. But when Rosh Hashana comes, we are supposed to be concerned. So how do we escape that?
Rav Yerucham says, “Open a Mussar Sefer.” Learn a little bit, and that will make an impact on you.
We should all do that before the high holiday season. We should take out a Mussar sefer, one that talks about character perfection, fixing yourself, making yourself better.
That's what we need to do to fight that Amalek force that says, “I'm not afraid.”
In upcoming parshiot, we will discuss the man that says Shalom Yiyeh Li, Everything's going to be fine; I've gone through so many Rosh Hashanas. I have nothing to worry about.
No. Every year we're judged. And, B’Ezrat Hashem we will have a good judgment, but to have that good judgment, you have to feel concern, and not get sucked in by the Amalek that tries to cool down any feelings of inspiration or change we might have.
Rav Yerucham further points out that regarding the fellow that says Shalom Yihyeh Li/ everything's going to be fine, and has no regard for the curses we say at he end of the year…
It says in Devarim (29, 17-19)
וּמָחָ֤ה ה׳ אֶת־שְׁמ֔וֹ מִתַּ֖חַת הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃
Hashem will erase his name from under the heavens.
Rav Yerucham points out that the same term is used for Amalek. It says, “We're going to erase Amalek.” When somebody totally ignores what's going on around him, and ignores Rosh Hashana, that is the worst thing a person can do.
The Gemara in Rosh Hashana says there are three books, and the book of the wicked that are erased comes from this pasuk.
So there's a concept of erasing the wicked, but B’Ezrat Hashem, we will not be on that list. We are working on ourselves, uplifting ourselves, learning and getting ready for Rosh Hashana.
The phrase that used in the pasuk quoted above is, “Subjugate your heart to your Father in heaven, and then you are successful in your war against Amalek.”
We use the words, your Father in heaven because this is what Amalek comes to deny.
There’s a famous Rashi that says that Amalek comes when the Jewish people say, “Is God with us or not?” And he gives the beautiful mashal of a father carrying his son on his shoulders, and whatever the son wants, the father gives him.
“I'm always here, to give you whatever you need,”
he says.
Then they come across a man, whom the boy asks, “Do you know where my father is?” But he's still on his father's shoulder. So the father says, “I'm carrying you on my shoulders and you want to where I am? I'll put you down for a second and see what's happens.”
Then a dog comes, which is Amalek.
We have to realize, especially at the end of the year, that our Father in heaven has been with us the entire year, taking care of everything that we need. We should never fall into the Amalek trap of saying,
“Is God with us or not?” Of course God is with us. And at the times when you don't see Him there, He’s really carrying you.
Have a wonderful day and a Shabbat Shalom.