Amalek was a descendant of Esau. The Amalekites had an ingrained irrational hatred toward Israel. They attacked with no provocation. They would sneak up behind the Israelites and use ambushes and cunning to attack the weak, the elderly, and the stragglers. Later, during Moses' teachings in Deuteronomy, he says that God will be at war with Amalek forever, and he transmits this divine command to his followers: "you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget!"



Taken literally, this appears to be one of many examples of a God who approves of murder and slaughter, and wishes us to show our love for him by killing certain other people. In fact, this particular story has sometimes been used to explain and justify the need to annihilate Arabs. But this sort of soul-demeaning nonsense takes literalism to the extreme and completely misses the point.

Like everything in these stories, the episode with Amalek is an internal symbol and allegory. Amalek, the great enemy of the soul, is lurking within each one of us. The name 'Amalek' has the root 'malak', a word which means 'cutting at the neck' - i.e., severing the Mind from the Body. In addition, according to the Kabbalah the name 'Amalek' signifies doubt. Thus, whenever one is considering an appropriate positive act, 'Amalek' introduces doubt into one's mind, and cuts our mind off from our actions.

'Doubt' can be intelligent and rational, making certain that we search carefully for accuracy and truth. But there is also an irrational, automatic 'doubt', the kind that mocks our reason, belittles any argument without even listening, and reacts to the most inspiring moments with nothing more than a cynical shrug. Amalek is that ugly inner voice that attacks truth and goodness, laughs at decency and sincerity, and scoffs at kindness and altruism. Amalek represents that all-too-familiar cynicism that pounces on any sign of weakness whether internal or external, that seeks to prevent any attempt to improve oneself, that adores meaninglessness and aims relentlessly at the destruction of the soul.

This irrational hatred of everything noble and good cannot be reasoned with, it cannot be persuaded by rational arguments or emotional appeals. Symbolically, then, there is no room for acts of diplomacy with Amalek: he must simply be annihilated! From this comes the injunction in Deuteronomy, "you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget!" But the only form of slaughter that is being justified here is the slaughter of our own Mind's cynicism and doubt.

This is a never-ending battle, and the soul must be ever-vigilant. Amalek - that deadly voice inside us all - will never give up, he will never leave us in peace, and his threatening presence must never be ignored or forgotten.