Rabbi Yeḥiel Michel Epstein (author of “Aruch
haShulḥan”) comments that God singled out Amalek from among all of Israel’s
enemies because of the nature of its attack on Israel. Typically, wars are
fought for territorial gain, yet Amalek attacked Israel in the desert, before
it had entered its Land. Amalek’s attack was motivated by pure, and unfounded
hatred, and this is the reason the Torah instructs us to “remember what Amalek
did to you on the way, when you left Egypt
Historically, it has been the descendants of
Rachel who have fought against Amalek. Our Sages comment: “Jacob saw (prophetically)
that the descendants of Esau (Amalek) will fall only into the hands of the
descendants of Rachel”. [Babylonian Talmud Bava Batra 123b] This is necessary,
explains Rabbi Epstein. The sons of the remaining Mothers were guilty of
unfounded hatred towards Joseph, and thus were not suited for countering the
unfounded hatred of Amalek. Only the sons of Rachel were uncontaminated by
unfounded hatred among the brothers, and therefore capable of fighting Amalek.
Indeed, it was Joshua, of the tribe of
Ephraim, who was sent by Moses to counter Amalek’s attack in the desert.
It was necessary for Saul, of the tribe of
Benjamin to reign as the first king of Israel, even though monarchy belongs to
the tribe of Judah, because it is the king’s task to eradicate Amalek.
As well, the Purim miracle, the salvation
from Haman, the descendant of Amalek had to come through Mordechai and
Esther, of the tribe of Binyamin, descendants of Rachel.
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