PARSHAS TEZAVA (Parshas Zocher)

 Good Shabbos!  As I stepped outside the Synagogue early Friday morning, I met a Russian couple in the parking lot who asked if they could ask me a very important question.  I told them I would be happy to answer them to the best of my ability.  They looked at me very seriously and asked: “When is Purim?”  I must admit I was pleasantly surprised that the date of Purim was so important to this couple for I was not aware that they were observant or even cognizant of this special day. 

I told them that Monday night and Tuesday was Purim and asked if I might see them in Shul on that day?  They answered “No, they did not expect to attend services”, but thanked me for offering.  I then questioned, why then were you so concerned about the date of Purim?  To which the man replied: “My mother’s name was Esther.  I remember being taught that the story of Purim had to do with a woman named Esther, so I always think of my mom on that day.” 

What a beautiful Jewish couple, trying to maintain a memory of his mother by remembering the date of Purim.  At that moment it struck me how evil were the Russian decrees against the Jews since 1917, when slowly but surely, they erased hundreds and hundreds of years of Yiddish memories. 

It can’t be a coincidence that the first act of nearly every totalitarian regime is to rewrite history to try to take control of the memory of their citizens.  By controlling what people remember, they seek to control what their citizens believe and feel. By controlling memories, they hope to equally control what those people might be willing to fight for or to struggle against. 

Last year, I visited Shanghai, China.  While touring, my guide told of the terrible atrocities that the Japanese inflicted upon the Chinese during the 2^nd World War.  She then shared something which I found amazing.  She said that the Japanese have rewritten this entire historical period in their history books to leave out the many episodes of torture and mass human destruction which they visited upon the Chinese.  By erasing the memory of those atrocities, they seek to adapt their nation’s feelings to their portrayal of history. 

This week I was discussing with Mr. Myron Horvitz the loss of the Yiddish language and many other memories of 800 years of European Jewish culture.  Sad to say, the wonderful memories that a couple like Mel and Esther Goldfarb have of the Polish shtetl are gone, and for the most part, never to be replaced.  Mel and Esther are heroes to the Jewish people for sharing their memories with so many youngsters so they are not forgotten.     

Memory plays a central role in Judaism.  We have a large collection of commandments which are referred to as “Eidim” which means memories or witnesses.  We will soon be saying Kiddush to remember that G-d created the world in 6 days and rested on the 7^th.  In just a few weeks we will all be eating Matza on Pesach, to bear witness and memorialize the fact that G-d saved us from slavery in Egypt and, on our way out of Egypt, we did not have time to let our bread rise. 

There are numerous commandments that help us to remember, and re-experience those memories, throughout the cycle of the Jewish year.  As we recall and relive those events, it builds our faith and belief in G-d and in our hope for the future. 

Today on the Shabbos before Purim we read the Torah portion that describes our encounter with Amalek as we left Egypt.  It is called “Shabbos Zachor” - the Shabbos to remember.  The Maftir reads as follows:  “Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you came out of Egypt; how he met you on the way, and cut down all the weak who straggled behind you, when you were weary and exhausted; and he did not feat G-d.  Therefore, when the L-rd your G-d will relieve you of all your enemies around you, in the Land which the L-rd your G-d gives you as inheritance, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.  Do not forget.”  (Devarim 25:17-19).

The Jews were on a spiritual high.  G-d had just split the sea and saved them from their Egyptian oppressors.  Each and every Jew had seen and felt and experienced the mighty hand of G-d and the reality of His love and caring for the nation of Israel.  Then Amalek came and “met us” on the way.  The Sages say that this word “Korecha’ which means “met us” also means to “cool us off” from our passion and fervor in serving G-d.  They sought to create doubt in our minds if our memories were indeed valid.  They knew if they could get us to doubt what we had seen as being truly miraculous then they might be able to sever us from our bond and connection with G-d.  Indeed, the very name “Amalek” has the same numerical value of its Hebrew letters as the word “safek”, which means “to doubt”. 

I look around the world, and I see insidious evil leaders, who still today, seek to rewrite history so as to change our memories and instill doubt into our way of thinking.  There is a priest by the name of Floriano Abrahamowic who publicly denied that the Holocaust ever took place.  He was ostracized by the Roman Catholic Church until recently when the Pope, in a spirit of inclusive outreach, sought to bring this fellow back into the fold.  I am all for unity but it is unconscionable to give any credence or respect to someone who would deny such an unspeakable historical horror and try to wipe away its memory as if it didn’t exist. 

I am abhorred by the rantings of Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who denies that the Holy Temple every existed in Jerusalem or that Jews were even there over a thousand years ago.  Many other Arab groups are anxious to believe his blatant lies and historical fabrications in their goal to change the memories of the past so as to change the realities for the future.  This can never be allowed to take place! 

There is a law which states: “One who reads the Megillah backwards has not fulfilled their obligation”.  A key lesson of this law is that if one thinks that the Megillah is only applicable way back in time and lacks a current message they have not fulfilled their obligation. 

There are still enemies who follow in the ways of Haman and his forbearer Agag, king of Amalek.  We must therefore remember and never forget.  We must cherish our memories and all of the beauty and tradition handed down to us through the generations.  We must especially observe those “memory mitzvahs” which serve to strengthen our faith and knowledge and belief in G-d, in appreciation of all that He has done for us in the past and all He promises to do for us in the future.

May the day come very soon when, as we say in the Megillah, it is again a period of joy, gladness, light, and splendor for all of Israel and let us say Amain.