8:06pm - Havdalah, Saturday
(Melbourne Australia)
Good Shabbos!
Laws and Customs
This being the Shabbat before Purim, on which we celebrate the foiling of Haman the Amalekite's plot to destroy the Jewish people, the weekly Parshah is supplemented with the Zachor reading (Deuteronomy 25:17-19) in which we are commanded to remember the evil of Amalek and to eradicate it from the face of the earth.
"Parshat Zachor" is the second of four special readings added during or immediately before the month of Adar (the other three being "Shekalim", "Parah" and "Hachodesh")
Links:
The Zachor Reading with commentary
More on Who Was Amalek?
The festival of Purim begins at nightfall tonight, and the Megillah (Book of Esther) is read for the first time this evening.
Since the first Megillah reading takes place after Shabbat ends, one should be careful not to travel to the synagogue to hear the reading prior to the end of Shabbat (click here for times), or before saying the special prayer: Blessed Is the One Who Separates Between Holy and Mundane. If one owns his own Megillah scroll, it should be brought to the synagogue prior to Shabbat (since one may not prepare on Shabbat for after Shabbat).
See entries for tomorrow, Adar 14. (In Jerusalem and other ancient walled cities, the festival is observed beginning tomorrow night--see entries for Adar 15.)
NOTE: The "Fast of Esther", usually observed on this date, is moved back this year to the previous Thursday, because of the sanctity of Shabbat (see entry for Adar 11)
Please click here to view the Yeshivah Shule Tzetel for Shabbos Parshas Zochor and Parshas Vayikra. Please click here to view the PDFs of Weekly Publications.
PARSHAH IN A NUTSHELL
Leviticus 1:1–5:26
The name of the Parshah, "Vayikra," means "And [He] called" and it is found in Leviticus 1:1.
G‑d calls to Moses from the Tent of Meeting, and communicates to him the laws of the korbanot, the animal and meal offerings brought in the Sanctuary. These include:
• The "ascending offering" (olah) that is wholly raised to G‑d by the fire atop the altar;
• Five varieties of "meal offering" (minchah) prepared with fine flour, olive oil and frankincense;
• The "peace offering" (shelamim), whose meat was eaten by the one bringing the offering, after parts are burned on the altar and parts are given to the kohanim (priests);
• The different types of "sin offering" (chatat) brought to atone for transgressions committed erroneously by the high priest, the entire community, the king or the ordinary Jew;
• The "guilt offering" (asham) brought by one who has misappropriated property of the Sanctuary, who is in doubt as to whether he transgressed a divine prohibition, or who has committed a "betrayal against G‑d" by swearing falsely to defraud a fellow man.
ZACHOR
Deuteronomy 25:17–19
This being the Shabbat before Purim, on which we celebrate the foiling of Haman the Amalekite's plot to destroy the Jewish people, the weekly Parshah is supplemented with the "Zachor" reading (Deuteronomy 25:17–19) in which we are commanded to remember the evil of Amalek and to eradicate it from the face of the earth.
Remember what Amalek did to you on the road, on your way out of Egypt. That he encountered you on the way and cut off those lagging to your rear, when you were tired and exhausted; he did not fear G‑d. And it shall come to pass, when the L‑rd your G‑d has given you rest from all your enemies round about, in the land which the L‑rd your G‑d is giving you for an inheritance to possess it, that you shall obliterate the memory of Amalek from under the heavens. Do not forget.
HAFTORAH IN A NUTSHELL
I Samuel 15:2-34.
This week's special haftorah discusses G‑d's command to destroy the people of Amalek. This to avenge Amalek's unprovoked attack on the Israelites that is described in the Zachor Torah reading.
Samuel conveys to King Saul G‑d's command to wage battle against the Amalekites, and to leave no survivors—neither human nor beast. Saul mobilizes the Israelite military and attacks Amalek. They kill the entire population with the exception of the king, Agag, and they also spare the best of the cattle and sheep.
G‑d reveals Himself to Samuel. "I regret that I have made Saul king," G‑d says. "For he has turned back from following Me, and he has not fulfilled My words."
The next morning Samuel travels to Saul and confronts him. Saul defends himself, saying that the cattle was spared to be used as sacrificial offerings for G‑d. Samuel responds: "Does G‑d have as great a delight in burnt offerings and peace-offerings, as in obeying the voice of G‑d? Behold, to obey is better than a peace-offering; to hearken, than the fat of rams. . . . Since you rejected the word of G‑d, He has rejected you from being a king."
Saul admits his wrongdoing and and invites the prophet to join him on his return home. Samuel refuses his offer. "The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you, today; and has given it to your fellow who is better than you." Samuel then kills the Amalekite king.
SAGES ON THE PARSHAH
Remember what Amalek did to you on the road, on your way out of Egypt. That he encountered you on the way (Deuteronomy 25:17-18)
[The Hebrew word karcha, "encountered you," also translates "cooled you off". Thus the Midrash says:]
What is the incident (of Amalek) comparable to? To a boiling tub of water which no creature was able to enter. Along came one evil-doer and jumped into it. Although he was burned, he cooled it for the others.
So, too, when Israel came out of Egypt, and G‑d rent the sea before them and drowned the Egyptians within it, the fear of them fell upon all the nations. But when Amalek came and challenged them, although he received his due from them, he cooled the awe of them for the nations of the world.
(Midrash Tanchuma)
Amalek is thus the essence of chutzpa, of completely irrational challenge to truth. There are challenges to the truth that are based on rational argument. There are evasions that arise from subjective motives and desires. But then there is "Amalek," who neutralizes the most compelling evidence and chills the most inspiring experience with nothing more than his cynicism and audacity.
There is only one way to defeat Amalek: to remember. Because his challenge is not rational, it cannot be rationally refuted; because it immune to feeling, it cannot be repelled by a rousing of emotion. To counteract Amalek's poison, one must call forth the souls reserves of supra-rational faith, instilled within it when it was first formed as a spark of the divine essence—a faith which, when remembered, can meet his every moral challenge.
(The Chassidic Masters)
Vayikra in-depth...
https://w2.chabad.org/media/pdf/73/QSeI730449.pdf
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