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when the nation of Amalek attacked the Jewish people soon after all, there are curses that really are curses and curses that (no matter
they had left Egypt. Confronted by a lack of food and water, the what the giver’s intent) are actually blessings in disguise. Thirdly,
Jewish people complained and questioned God and Moses, finally the effect of a blessing or a curse can be transformed from one to
declaring, “Is God among us or not?” As our Sages note, the very the other quite suddenly or over long periods of time, depending, for
next verse states: “Then Amalek came and fought with Israel….” example, on how the receiver conceives of them, and fourthly these
(Exodus 17:8). Amelek represents the archenemy of the Jews, not utterances can manifest differently in different contexts and with
only physically but spiritually as well. Indeed, the numerical value regard to different people, as what may be a blessing for one person
of the Hebrew word for “Amalek” has the same value as the Hebrew can be a curse for another.
word for doubt (safek). The Sages explained that the Jewish people’s To paraphrase a rabbinic idiom, one of the greatest compliments
doubt and weakened faith led Amalek to attack Israel.
that can be paid to people is that their “insides” are like their
The Torah often promises that if the Jewish people observe the “outsides” (Berachot 28a). They are not hypocritical and what they
commandments and create a proper Torah society, God will protect say is what they mean, pure and simple. In relation to our discussion,
them from all their enemies. This does not mean that when enemies their blessings do not hide alternate agendas – they mean what they
attack this is a sign of our moral failing and God wants us to allow say. Yet, we all know that attaining such a level is much easier said
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them to defeat us as punishment; indeed, the Jewish people found than done.
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their faith and immediately fought and defeated Amalek in the A famous Torah scholar known as Nachum Ish Gam Zu (Nachum,
desert. However, it does mean that God is trying to teach us a deeper the man who said “this is also for the good”) turned every possible
spiritual lesson when we are confronted by enemies or other hardships stumbling block into a potential blessing through his positive attitude.
in life. We must try to discover the root cause and rectify it, while we The Talmud likewise coined an expression: “All that God does, He
simultaneously defeat or overcome them. does it for the good” (Berachot 60b). The good in what happens in life
It is also important to note that our enemies throughout the ages may not be readily apparent; it may take hard work to ultimately
have also been subject to their own Divine accounting and required see, but eventually it will be revealed.
rectification. Thus, while their enmity may also be God’s way of Some people naturally see the positive side to life. Once a man went
teaching us a lesson, our own sins in no way justify their aggression.
to the Seer of Lublin and complained that he was having a hard time
As we have cautioned, this principle is quite open to dealing with a string of setbacks in his life. The Seer advised him to
misunderstanding, and, therefore, requires much careful clarification. go to Reb Zusha of Annipoli who could teach him how to deal with
However, we must accept that all our actions have physical and suffering. When the man entered Reb Zusha’s broken down home he
spiritual ramifications, many of which may come back to haunt us. told him why he had come. Reb Zusha, who had lived a life of great
God inscrutably chooses how he wishes to teach us the lessons we poverty, could not understand why the Seer had sent someone to
must learn. Ultimately, the antidote to Amalek, Balaam, and all our talk to him about how to deal with suffering; in his own eyes, God
personal and national enemies is rectifying the root causes that caused had only been good to him and given him exactly what he needed.
them to be sent. This is why Moses sent Joshua to fight Amalek with The mystical tradition teaches that our difficulty in distinguishing
the sword, while he stood at the top of the hill in prayer throughout between good and evil is a result of Adam and Eve eating from the
the battle. This type of war can only be fought on both fronts at once Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Two forces that had once been
if we ever hope to defeat our physical and spiritual enemies.
clearly defined became blurred and mixed together. In truth, there is

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