There is an interesting story in this week’s Parasha that many might not be aware of. After Aharon Hakohen passed away, it says, VaYishma HaCanaani/ The Canaani hears..
What did he hear, and who was he?
Rashi says that it was that Aharon died. And actually, he saw it because the clouds of glory went away.
And who was this Canaani?
The one that lives in the south.
Rashi says this is Amalek.
So why do we call them a Canaani?
Rashi explains that they spoke the language of Canaan, but they dressed like Amalek, so the Jewish people were confused. They wondered who these people were. And the reason Amalek did this was so that the Jews wouldn’t be able to pray properly (when praying to be successful at war with them).
Imagine two different businesses in competition with each other, at a trade show together. One wants to ruin the other’s booth. He might steal his props or do something underhanded, but imagine if he went to the front desk and canceled the wake-up calls for the other business man! He knows his competition likes to pray Netz/early. So if he cancels the wake up call, his competitor will sleep late, and miss Netz. And the one who thought up this plan will go pray Netz instead, and he will get the order. This man really believes in the power of prayer, and he knows that the way to jam up his competition is by ruining his prayer.
That is what Amalek was doing. Amalek knows God and works against Him. So Amalek is a believer, to a certain extent. He believes in the power of prayer, and he’s still trying to jam it up.
In the end, the Jewish people just prayed regular, saying, “God give us this nation …” pointing to the nation. As, when a person is praying and they don’t know the right name to use, they can just say, “this person.” Additionally, when Moshe prayed for Miriam, he didn’t have to say her name, because when a person is in front of you, you don’t have to say their name.
So since the Amalek people were there, the Jewish people were able to point and say, “Save me from this nation.” And sure enough, they were successful.
But why was Amalek coming here?
Because Amalek always comes to interfere when we are on our way into Eretz Yisrael; when we are on our way to success. For example, Amalek came right after we left Mitzrayim, and right before David Hamelech wanted to build the Bet Hamikdash. Amalek also came as Haman when we wanted to build the second Bet Hamikdash… Amalek is always there to interfere and bring us down.
When Amalek comes, it affects us.
Although the Jewish people won the war, they started complaining after that. Even just meeting up with Amalek has a negative impact on us.
There is a beautiful thought from Rav Yehezkiel Abramsky, about the original fight against Amalek (page 609 of his Sefer).
When we fight against Amalek, God swears and says, “The hand is on the throne of God.” Simply, this means that God swears that He will have an everlasting war against Amalek.
But Rav Abramsky explains it a little deeper. He says that the Jewish people believe, with a full belief, in something called Hashgacha Pratit, God’s supervision over every little detail. As it says in Masechet Chullin 7b, a man does not bang his finger below unless they announce it above.
We believe that every little detail happens from God. Amalek is the opposite. Amalek believes everything comes from my strength and my power.
We attribute what happens to our hand, to God’s throne. We know that every little detail that happens to even our smallest finger is coming directly from God’s throne.
That’s what the war against Amalek is about, and that belief is the biggest way to fight Amalek. He further says, from a pasuk in Tehilim (105,3) which we say every morning in Hodu
, יִ֝שְׂמַ֗ח לֵ֤ב ׀ מְבַקְשֵׁ֬י ה׳
Happy in the heart are the people that search God.
What does it mean to search God?
These are the people that look for God in everything that happens in their life. They are always looking for
God’s hashgacha. Their eyes are open, looking at every detail, and asking, “Where do I see Hashem in this act?” They realize that Hashem is the God and Controller. He did, He is doing, and He will do. Every thing is happening from Him. This is what Amalek comes to interfere with, and the way we fight back is by strengthening our Emuna.
This week’s parasha is yet another example of Amalek coming to interfere and try to jam up our ability to pray, and our overcoming it.
Everyone should have a Shabbat Shalom.