Fighting Happenstance, Fighting the Cold

By Rav Elimelech Biderman, shlita

From “Torah Wellsprings,” Parshas Mishpatim, Shabbos Zachor

    Why does Parshas Zachor always precede the Yom Tov of Purim?

    Purim requires preparation, and one of the preparations is the reading of Parshas Zachor.

   For instance, Megillas Esther proclaims (9:28), "These days should be remembered and performed." The Gemara (Megillah 30) teaches that “to remember” means to read Parshas Zachor and “to perform” means to perform the mitzvos related to Purim.

    The Gemara further teaches that we should follow the order of the pasuk: first to remember and then to perform.

    Rebbe Tzaddok explains, "On Shabbos Zachor, we read in the Torah about our obligation to obliterate Amalek.”

   Not just our physical enemy, Amalek has another name: He is called קרהו, as Megillas Esther says in 4:7, ויגד לו מרדכי את כל אשר קרהו. The Midrash (Esther Rabba 8:5) explains that Mordechai sent Esther a message that קרהו has come against the Yidden.      

    Who is קרהו? It is Amalek and his descendants, such as Haman. In Devarim 25:18, we read, “Remember what Amalek, who happened to meet you on the way, did to you.”

   The phrase, “happened to meet you,” describes the essence of Amalekites, who say that everything in the world happens “by chance.”

    The early scholars taught us that מקרה spells רק מה׳, or “only from Hashem.” What appears to be מקרה, happenstance, is really prepared by Hashem.

     Amalek, however, does not believe in hashgacha pratis.

     Our battle today is not to become influenced by Amalek by strengthening our confident knowledge that everything happens with Hashem's hashgachah pratis. 

     In addition, קרך also means cold, meaning that we should fight anything that cools off our ardor for Torah and Yiddishkeit.

     The Beis Aharon zt”l writes that every Yid should do mitzvos with warmth and by doing so, his intention should be to obliterate the memory of Amalek. 

    "When all Yidden will be careful to do so, I am certain that very soon, they will be redeemed from all tzaros."