Vayikra – AMALEK and – The Last Generation

This Parsha is VayikrA and Parshas Zachor

when we "remember" to blot out the name of Amalek

which is done in Shul standing and affirming
[see Commentary at end]

Rebi Yehudah says: 

“The generation within which Moshiach will come . . . The truth will be lacking, as it says, ‘The truth will be missing’ (Yeshayahu 59:15) . . . He who turns away from evil will be considered foolish in the eyes of the people.” (Sanhedrin 97a). 

"The Son of David will not come until .  .  . the [last] perutah has gone from the purse. (Sanhedrin 97a)

The entire sod of AMALEK is in this week’s parshah, and not just in this week’s parshah, but in the first verse of this week’s parshah. In fact, it is not only in the first verse, but in the very first word of the parshah—vayikra—in a single letter, the Aleph at the end of the word.

This Aleph is everything. Comprised of three letters, Yud-Yud-Vav, it has the gematria of God’s four-letter Name (10+10+6) that is too holy to pronounce during non-Temple times. In Sofrus, the “shpitz” of the Yud points Heavenward confirming that its gematria is no random coincidence. Representing the number one, it is meant to direct our attention to THE One of Ones, God Himself.

Grammatically, the letter Aleph transforms the word “vayikar” into “vayikra.” Conceptually, it transforms the word from meaning that Creation is on auto-pilot, as many believe it is, to meaning that God is “hands on” every moment of history on every level of Creation.  One small letter with an awesome and universal impact, making it the very antithesis of Amalek.

This point is made clear much earlier in the Torah, when Amalek first confronts the Jewish people. After assembling an army and defeating Amalek, Moshe Rabbeinu declares, and Rashi asks:

“For there is a hand on the throne of the Eternal, 

[that there shall be] a war for God against Amalek 

from generation to generation.” (Shemos 17:16) 

Why is “throne” written Chof-Samech and not 

Chof-Samech- Aleph? 

And why is God’s Name divided in half? (Rashi)

The Hebrew word used in the verse for “throne” is “kisay,” which is spelled Chof-Samech-Aleph. In the verse, however, it is missing the Aleph and is therefore pronounced “kase.” Why? Rashi answers:

The Holy One, Blessed is He, 

swore that His Name will not be whole 

and His throne will not be complete 

until the name of Amalek is completely obliterated. (Rashi)

It sounds deep, but not deep enough. Does God really have a throne? Yes, but not in an conventional sense. The “kisay” refers to a particular level in the sefiros, relatively high up. Make no mistake about it, it is the real kisay in Creation, even if made of Divine light. The ones we sit on are only physical manifestations of the conceptual one to which the verse refers.

This is part of the message of Megillas Esther, though many don’t pick it up. It has to do with an important detail of the story to which very few refer, if any, other than the Vilna Gaon. According to the Gaon, it was around Achashveros’ throne, so-to-speak, that the redemption of Purim revolved.

The Vilna Gaon asks why it was that Achashveros established his throne in Shushan, Persia, when his predecessors sat in Bavel, or Iraq? He answers that Achashveros had his throne built in Shushan, and being too large to transport in the end, he chose instead to base himself in Shushan. He literally changed the location of the monarchy based upon the location of the throne.

In fact, so important is a throne to the establishment of royalty that it is often referred to as the “seat of the monarchy.” The phrase “capturing the throne” usually means to usurp the monarchy from the previous king or queen. It may only be a place to sit, but its elevated structure and elevated status turns it into the most powerful seat of power in an empire.

That is though, only with respect to a human throne. How does this apply to the Divine throne, which certainly cannot be “captured” by anyone other than God Himself?

The Aleph is the key. The Aleph is missing from God’s throne, but what is the Aleph? Whatever it is, it is the opposite of Amalek, something to which the Torah alludes here:

Remember what Amalek did to you 

on your way when you left Egypt, 

encountering you along the way and attacking the weak 

who straggled after you, while you were tired. 

He came after you and did not fear God. (Devarim 25:17-18)

Of course Amalek did not fear God. That’s why he attacked the Jewish people straight out of Egypt. Has anyone ever expected Amalek to fear God? Eisav grew up in the house of Yitzchak and didn’t fear God, so why should Amalek, his grandson, who probably never even had contact with Yitzchak Avinu?

As the Malbim points out, and as mentioned many times in the past, the Hebrew word “yireh,” or “fear,” has a similar root as “liros,” which means “to see.” This indicates that fear of God is also the seeing of God, which, of course, is not physically possible. Spiritually though, it is different. There are ways to spiritually “see” God and to make Him noticeable, based upon the following:

. . . A tablet fell down from Heaven 

for them upon which the word “truth” was inscribed. 

Rebi Chanina said: “One may learn from this 

that the seal of The Holy One, Blessed is He, is truth.” (Yoma 69b)

What does this mean?

It means, just as a throne represents the power of the king, his seal represents how he wants others to perceive him and his monarchy. In the case of God, the King of Kings, He wants to perceived as the God of Truth, with a capital T.  Perception of God is the perception of truth, Absolute Truth, and vice versa.

[...]When Truth reigns in the world, then God does as well, and His throne is firmly established.
The Hebrew word for “truth” is “Emes,” spelled: Aleph-Mem-Tav. If the Aleph is removed then all that remains is Mem-Tav, which spells “maice,” which is a dead person, regarding whom the Talmud teaches:

The righteous, even in death are called “living” . . . 

Evil people, even while alive, are called “dead.” (Brochos 18a)

The Talmud makes an ominous prediction regarding the End-of-Days:

Rebi Yehudah says:

“The generation within which Moshiach will come . . . The truth will be lacking, as it says, ‘The truth will be missing’ (Yeshayahu 59:15) . . . He who turns away from evil will be considered foolish in the eyes of the people.” (Sanhedrin 97a).

And:  "The Son of David will not come until .  .  . the [last] perutah has gone from the purse. (Sanhedrin 97a)

by Rabbi Pinchas Winston, Shaar Nun Productions

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Commentary:  The world is missing Emes and the nations are ganging up on little Eretz Yisrael:  Islam and the EU. The next step in the Redemption Process might be the economic devastation mentioned so many times, and close behind that the Heavenly appearance of Nibiru (if HaShem allows it to be), and the arrival of Mashiach IY"H (BE"H Pesach time).