HAMAS - A REMINDER OF AMALEK

11 Adar Bet 5774

Just in time for Parshat Zachor...

"Every Jew is obligated as a positive Torah precept to detest Amalek and his descendants and to verbally recall that nation’s treachery. We are obliged to tell our children what Amalek did to us when we left Egypt. This mitzvah will only be completely fulfilled when Amalek’s memory will be totally obliterated from the world. The Torah states two parts of this mitzvah, you shall obliterate the memory-verbally, you shall not forget-you shall harbor enmity in your heart. It is for these reasons that Chazal ordained that this portion of the Torah be read publicly once a year on the Shabbos before Purim. This time was chosen so as to juxtapose the obliteration of Amalek and that of Human who was a descendant of Amalek." (ShemaYisrael.com)

"You shall remember what Amalek did to you on the way, when you went out of Egypt, how he happened upon you on the way and cut off all the stragglers at your rear, when you were faint and weary, and he did not fear God. [Therefore,] it will be, when the Lord your God grants you respite from all your enemies around [you] in the land which the Lord, your God, gives to you as an inheritance to possess, that you shall obliterate the remembrance of Amalek from beneath the heavens. You shall not forget!" (Devarim 25:17-19)

In just the last few hours...

Color Red rocket siren sounds in Ashdod and Ashkelon
Barrage of rockets fired toward Ashkelon and Ashdod
Two rockets explode in open area between Ashkelon and Ashdod
Color Red rocket siren sounds in Rehovot and Yavne
(Ynetnews)

Just like Amalek, they attack at the periphery and they have no fear that God will retaliate against them.

All of Israel must feel the threat and the terror and cry out to Hashem on behalf of all our brothers and sisters who are living in the shadow of these rockets!! We must make the effort - especially today on Ta'anit Esther - to feel the threat of annihilation, not only for the sake of our brothers, but for the sake of us all. The threat is REAL!

Why does this come davka now - today? Because we have not convinced Hashem that we are taking our obligations seriously enough.  How many are fasting in deed alone while every thought is consumed by the mishloach manot that they are preparing or with shopping lists for their seuda? How many are not fasting at all!? And surely gifts to the poor are but an afterthought.

Without the proper spiritual preparation, there is no joyous celebration, just an unholy consumption. 

DO TESHUVA FOR THIS NOW AND THE ROCKETS WILL STOP!!

PS: How many of us said "Toda raba, Abba, for the blessed rain"???