We are continuing with the halachos of the four parshiyos, and today we will continue to discuss Parshas Zachor.
The Torah obligates us to remember the event of Amalek attacking Klal Yisroel. In the language of the Torah, the Torah obligates us to remember to the point that we take action to eradicate Amalek. The language in the pesukim of Ki Seitzei is different than the language in Beshalach, in that in Beshalach, the Torah only mentions the event and that Hashem will take action, with no command to Klal Yisroel. Thus, even though according to the Magen Avraham one fulfills their obligation through hearing the laining of Beshalach (read on Purim morning), most achronim disagree. They hold it is not sufficient to hear the laining as it does not describe the command to remember, nor to take action.
It is important to understand the language of the pesukim, so some poskim suggest that one must understand the pesukim of the parsha. We will go through the language of the pesukim. The laining is found in Devarim 25:17-19.
- Zachor: one must remember that which Amalek did to you.
- The Torah says lacha, in the singular. The Gra points out that when the Torah refers to Klal Yisorel as a nation, it refers to us in singular, as a single unit.
- This event happened baderech, when we left mitzrayim. This was a difficult time for Klal Yisroel, as we were on a journey.
- Karcha. There are different understandings of the word karcha, but Unkelos translates it as “met you”, i.e., that they engaged us.
- Vayezaneiv, they took advantage of the fact that people were straggling behind (literally, tail). Rashi explains that although Klal Yisroel were generally protected within the ananei hakavod, some individuals, due to their various sins, did not have the protection of the ananei hakavod. Amalek used the opportunity to attack those individuals. They attacked the tail in the sense that they killed the stragglers who were traveling behind.
- Ve’ata: Klal Yisroel were tired and thirsty. There were multiple reasons to respect Klal Yisroel’s weak state. Amalek was not in danger, as Klal Yisroel was not attacking them, and they were not planning to take Amalek’s territory.
- Velo yarei: Amalek had no fear of Hashem, and no compassion, and they attacked.
- Vehaya: Therefore, the Torah tells us that when Hashem gives us rest in the land of our inheritance. In other words, the mitzvah of destroying Amalek only begins once Klal Yisroel is settled in Eretz Yisroel.
- Timcheh, lo tishkach: At that point, they should eradicate Amalek physically, and we should never forget it in our minds.
We hold mitzvos tzrichos kavanah, so one should have in mind to fulfill their mitzvah of remembering to destroy Amalek,zechiras mechiyas Amalek, at the time of the laining.
There is a minhag to repeat the last pasuk, or part of the last pasuk, due to a question regarding the correct vowelization of a word.
One should hear the laining in their pronunciation, but is not meakeiv.
The Shulchan Aruch paskens that Parshas Parah is also a mitzvah deoraysa. It is not clear which mitzvah he is referring to, but the same halachos apply to it as they applied to Zachor. Specifically, the Shulchan Aruch says that the same people who travel in for Parshas Zachor should travel in for Parshas Parah as well. The Mishnah Berurah brings multiple achronim who disagree and hold it derabanan, but one should try to follow the Shulchan Aruch.
Since it is not clear which mitzvah is fulfilled through the laining, one should have in mind in a general sense that they are having kavanah to fulfill a mitzvah.
Summary
- One should understand the words of Parshas Zachor.
- One should have in mind to fulfill their mitzvah
- The Shulchan Aruch holds that Parshas Parah is also a mitzvah deoraysa. Therefore, one should try to treat it with the same halachos as Parshas Zachor. However, the Mishnah Berurah brings that many disagree, and hold it is derabanan.
