This Shabbat is called Shabbat Zachor. It is the Shabbat prior to Purim, a festival that remembers a plot by an evil anti-Semite in Persia who desired to annihilate the Jews in the Persian Empire because they would not give up their beliefs. Purim celebrates the fact that the plot was foiled and the massacre was averted. Tomorrow in preparation for the festival of Purim we are going to read a Torah portion that recalls the evil Amalek who attempted to wipe out the Israelites as they journeyed from Egypt to the Promised Land of Canaan. Why do we have a Shabbat designed to remember an enemy? Are we actually giving a place of prominence in history to an ancient enemy?
Shabbat Zachor is not designed to give honor to the memory of an ancient enemy. It is designed to help us remember that in every generation enemies have arisen to destroy us and to recognize that we cannot allow ourselves to be fooled into thinking that evil cannot raise its ugly head again. Evil actions happen when good people remain silent. Evil words gain power when they are not confronted by moral citizens. One of the lessons of Purim is that hatred unleashed can lead to unthinkable results such as genocide.
So as we are joined by our friends who are gathering for a retreat at Wesleyan University this weekend, it is important to note that education and communication can dispel misguided understandings of one another. It is only through having a shared commitment to maintaining a moral order in this universe that all people will one day feel united. We have much work to do, but as our ancient sages once said, "the day is short, the task is great...it is not your job to finish the task, but neither are you free to desist from it."
May we all become engaged in the work of creating a peaceful world where hatred is a word only from the past.
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