“I Shall Surely Blot Out” and the Commandment “You Shall Blot Out”

״מָחֹה אֶמְחֶה״ וּמִצְוַת ״תִּמְחֶה״

And behold, in one place it is written (Exodus 17:14) “For I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek” (וְהִנֵּה בִּמְקוֹם אֶחָד כָּתוּב: "כִּי מָחֹה אֶמְחֶה אֶת זֵכֶר עֲמָלֵק), and in another place it is written (Deuteronomy 25:19) “You shall blot out the remembrance of Amalek” (וּבִמְקוֹם אַחֵר כָּתוּב: "תִּמְחֶה אֶת זֵכֶר עֲמָלֵק). And this is a great Secret (וְהוּא סוֹד גָּדוֹל), for the commandment is (ibid): “And it shall be, when Hashem your God gives you rest” (כִּי הַמִּצְוָה הִיא: "וְהָיָה בְּהָנִיחַ ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ לְךָ).

And already you have heard that Amalek is the aspect of the filth that stands at the edge of the tent (וְכְבָר שָׁמַעְתָּ הֱיוֹת עֲמָלֵק בְּחִינַת הַזּוֹהֲמָא הָעוֹמֶדֶת בִּשְׁוּלֵי הָאֹהֶל), and it must be removed in the Secret of “the remembrance of Amalek from beneath the heavens” specifically (וְצָרִיךְ לְהַעֲבִירוֹ בְּסוֹד: "זֵכֶר עֲמָלֵק מִתַּחַת הַשָּׁמָיִם" דַּוְקָא). And all the other nations-even the ones closer-stand around him (וְכָל שְׁאָר הָאֻמּוֹת, אֲפִלּוּ הַקְּרוֹבוֹת יוֹתֵר, הֵם עוֹמְדִים מְסָבִיבוֹ), and about them it is said (ibid): “when Hashem your God gives you rest from all your enemies around” (וְעֲלֵיהֶם נֶאֱמַר: "בְּהָנִיחַ ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ לְךָ מִכָּל אוֹיְבֶיךָ מִסָּבִיב).

And you must know that before the weakening, he was the one who supported the others (וְתֵדַע שֶׁקֹּדֶם הַחֻלְשָׁה – הוּא הָיָה הַמַּחֲזִיק אֶת הָאֲחֵרִים), and cooled the pot in the secret of (Numbers 24:20) “first of the nations” (וְקֵרֵר אֶת הַקְּדֵרָה בְּסוֹד: "רֵאשִׁית גּוֹיִם). And afterward, when he was weakened by the power of Moshe (וְאַחַר כָּךְ שֶׁנֶּחְלַשׁ הוּא בְּכֹחַ מֹשֶׁה), then this remembrance becomes strengthened rather, by the others (אָז זֶה הַזֵּכֶר מִתְחַזֵּק הוּא, אֲדֶּרְבָּא, עַל־יְדֵי הָאֲחֵרִים), for he takes the others with him (שֶׁהוּא לוֹקֵחַ הָאֲחֵרִים עִמּוֹ), and by the accusation of all of them he is strengthened (וּבְקִטְרוּג כֻּלָּם מִתְחַזֵּק). And then he himself gives them strength from what he draws (וְאָז הוּא עַצְמוֹ נוֹתֵן לָהֶם כֹּחַ מִמַּה שֶׁהוּא מַמְשִׁיךְ), for his level is always one (כִּי תָּמִיד מַדְרֵגָתוֹ אַחַת), only that while he is in his power, he does not need assistance to act (אֶלָּא שֶׁבִּהְיוֹתוֹ בִּתְקְפוֹ לֹא הָיָה צָרִיךְ לְסִיּוּעַ לַעֲשׂוֹת פְּעוּלָתוֹ); and afterward, he only acts with assistance (וְאַחַר כָּךְ אֵינוֹ עוֹשֶׂה אֶלָּא בְּסִיּוּעַ), but his function is always to draw down the power and distribute it to them (אֲבָל תָּמִיד פְּעוּלָתוֹ הִיא שֶׁעוֹשֶׂה לְהַמְשִׁיךְ לָהֶם הַכֹּחַ וּלְחַלְּקוֹ אֲלֵיהֶם).

And behold, now it must go by another path (וְהִנֵּה עַתָּה צָרִיךְ לָלֶכֶת בְּדֶרֶךְ אַחֵר), and that is-to destroy first the other nations who strengthen him (וְהוּא – לְהַכְרִית בִּתְחִלָּה שְׁאָר הָאֻמּוֹת שֶׁהֵם הַמְחַזְּקִים אוֹתוֹ), and then he also is lost (וְאָז הוּא גַּם כֵּן אָבֵד). And therefore: “when Hashem your God gives you rest from all your enemies around” (וְעַל כֵּן: "בְּהָנִיחַ ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ לְךָ מִכָּל אוֹיְבֶיךָ מִסָּבִיב). But there is yet a deeper secret found here (אֲבָל עוֹד סוֹד עָמוֹק נִמְצָא כָּאן), and that is because it is written (Bereshit 15:16) “For the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet complete” (וְהוּא כִּי כָתוּב: "כִּי לֹא שָׁלֵם עֲו‍ֹן הָאֱמֹרִי עַד־הֵנָּה), and this is because the Holy One Blessed Be He does not punish a nation until its measure is full (וְזֶה – כִּי אֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נִפְרָע מִן הָאֻמָּה עַד שֶׁתִּתְמַלֵּא סְאַתָּהּ), and therefore, as long as a nation has a claim to draw strength (וְלָכֵן עַד שֶׁיֵּשׁ טַעֲנָה לְאוּמָּה אַחַת לְהַמְשִׁיךְ לָהּ כֹּחַ), He does not remove it (לֹא יַעֲבִירֶנָּה). And since Amalek is the one who draws power for them all (וּבְהִיוֹת עֲמָלֵק הוּא הַמְמַשֵּׁךְ כֹּחַ לְכֻלָּם), therefore he will endure as long as each of them has a claim to receive (עַל כֵּן הוּא יִתְקַיֵּם כָּל זְמַן שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לְכָל אֶחָד מֵהֶם טַעֲנָה לִינוֹק), and therefore he is the last of them all to be eternally destroyed (וְעַל כֵּן הוּא הָאַחֲרוֹן לְכֻלָּם לִהְיוֹת אָבֵד לְעוֹלָם). And this is what is said: “And it shall be, when Hashem your God gives you rest…”-then you shall blot him out (וְזֶהוּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: "וְהָיָה בְּהָנִיחַ ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ לְךָ" – אָז "תִּמְחֶה), for then is his time (כִּי אָז הוּא זְמַנּוֹ).

And you must know (וְצָרִיךְ שֶׁתֵּדַע), that we speak concerning the heads of the nearby nations (כִּי עַל רָאשֵׁי הָאֻמּוֹת הַקְּרוֹבוֹת), and those who draw to the others (וּמְמַשְּׁכוֹת אֶל הָאֲחֵרוֹת אֲנַחְנוּ מְדַבְּרִים), and this is “all your enemies around” (וְזֶהוּ: "כָּל אוֹיְבֶיךָ מִסָּבִיב), that when the iniquity of all of them is complete and they are driven out (שֶׁכַּאֲשֶׁר שָׁלֵם עֲו‍ֹן כֻּלָּם וְנִגְרָשׁוּ), then this remembrance of Amalek will be blotted out (אָז יִמָּחֶה הַזֵּכֶר הַזֶּה שֶׁל עֲמָלֵק). And I still need to explain to you the matter of “I will utterly blot out” and “you shall blot out” (וְעֲדַיִן צָרִיךְ אֲנִי לְפָרֵשׁ לְךָ עִנְיַן: "מָחֹה אֶמְחֶה" "תִּמְחֶה).

Know that certainly, Yisrael do not enter the land until the Holy One, Blessed Be He, blots out above this remembrance (דַּע, כִּי וַדַּאי אֵין יִשְׂרָאֵל נִכְנָסִים לָאָרֶץ עַד שֶׁיִמְחֶה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמַעְלָה אֶת הַזֵּכֶר הַזֶּה). And the matter is that through Moshe’s Tikkun he was weakened (וְהָעִנְיָן, כִּי בְּתִקּוּן מֹשֶׁה נֶחְלַשׁ), until only a single remembrance remained, as above (עַד שֶׁלֹּא נִשְׁאַר אֶלָּא זֵכֶר אֶחָד לְבַד כְּנַ״ל). And this, at the time of their entry into the land, would have been lost (וְזֶה בְּעֵת כְּנִיסָתָם לָאָרֶץ הָיָה אָבֵד), for the Holy One, Blessed Be He, blots it out from above (שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מוֹחֲקוֹ מִלְמַעְלָה). And until it is blotted out from above, Yisrael could not enter (וְעַד שֶׁלֹּא נִמְחָה מִלְמַעְלָה, יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא הָיוּ יְכוֹלִים לִכָּנֵס), and this is the secret of (Exodus 17:14) “And place it in the ears of Yehoshua” (וְהוּא סוֹד: "וְשִׂים בְּאָזְנֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ), for he is the one who enters (כִּי הוּא הַמַּכְנִיס), and there is where He blots out Amalek (וְשָׁם הוּא מַה שֶׁהוּא מוֹחֶה אֶת עֲמָלֵק).

But Yisrael must do below that which is proper to be done below-corresponding to what is done above (אֲבָל צְרִיכִים יִשְׂרָאֵל לַעֲשׂוֹת לְמַטָּה מַה שֶּׁרָאוּי לְהֵעָשׂוֹת לְמַטָּה – מַה שֶּׁנַּעֲשָׂה לְמַעְלָה), and therefore (Deuteronomy 25:19) “You shall blot out the remembrance of Amalek” (וְלָכֵן: "תִּמְחֶה אֶת זֵכֶר עֲמָלֵק), and everything is according to the proper order of the levels (וְהַכֹּל לְפִי הַסֵּדֶר הָרָאוּי לְפִי הַמַּדְרֵגוֹת). And therefore, “when Hashem gives you rest,” certainly, as above (וְלָכֵן: "בְּהָנִיחַ" וַדַּאי, כְּנַ״ל). And here it is said (Deuteronomy 25:19) “Do not forget” (וְכָאן נֶאֱמַר: "לֹא תִשְׁכָּח), and this is a great secret (וְהוּא סוֹד גָּדוֹל), for Yisrael are obligated to do below as is done above (כִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל מְחוּיָּבִים לַעֲשׂוֹת לְמַטָּה כְּמוֹ שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה לְמַעְלָה), for then what is done above itself is sustained (שֶׁאָז הֶעָשׂוּי לְמַעְלָה עַצְמוֹ מִתְקַיֵּים). For if not, that which was done above becomes corrupted (שֶׁאִם לָאו – הֶעָשׂוּי לְמַעְלָה הוּא מִתְקַלְקֵל), and this is (וְזֶהוּ): “Do not forget” (lo tishkaḥ) (לֹא תִשְׁכָּח)—“do not weaken strength” (lo tash koaḥ) (לֹא תָשׁ כֹּחַ), that you not weaken the Supernal power which has already been strengthened (שֶׁלֹּא תְּהֵא מַתִּישׁ כֹּחַ הָעֶלְיוֹן שֶׁנִּתְחַזֵּק כְּבָר).

For truly, so it was in the time of Shaul (כִּי בֶאֱמֶת, כָּךְ הָיָה בִּזְמַן שָׁאוּל), that since he did not blot out this remembrance (שֶׁכֵּיוָן שֶׁלֹּא מָחָה אֶת הַזֵּכֶר הַזֶּה), he also caused to re-corrupt that which had already been repaired (גַּם שֶׁהֶחֱזִיר לְהִתְקַלְקֵל מַה שֶּׁכְּבָר נִתְקַן), for until it is done below, it is not considered fulfilled (כִּי עַד שֶׁלֹּא נַעֲשָׂה לְמַטָּה, אֵינוֹ נִקְרָא מְקוּיָּם). And from here all the matters of the exiles afterward were drawn (וּמִכָּאן נִמְשְׁכוּ כָּל עִנְיְנֵי הַגָּלוּיוֹת אַחֲרֵי כֵן), as you will hear in great secrets in the explanation of the words of the Ma’amar later (כְּמוֹ שֶׁתִּשְׁמַע בָּזֶה סוֹדוֹת גְּדוֹלִים בְּפֵירוּשׁ דִּבְרֵי הַמַּאֲמָר לְפָנִים).

And it is found that the intent of the Ma’amar (וְנִמְצָא כַוָּנַת הַמַּאֲמָר) in the Zohar there: “The Faithful Shepherd opened and said: therefore they went in the wilderness and on detours, for they would not enter the land until vengeance is taken from Amalek” (זוֹהַר שָׁם: "פָּתַח רַעְיָא מְהֵימְנָא וְאָמַר: בְּגִין כֵּן הֲווֹ אַזְלֵי בְּמִדְבַּרָא וּבְעִקּוּמָא, דְּלָא יַעֲלוּן לְאַרְעָא עַד דְּיִטּוֹל נוּקְמָא מִנֵּיהּ דְּעֲמָלֵק)-is that Amalek first needed to return to the state of weakness (שֶׁהֻצְרַךְ עֲמָלֵק בַּתְּחִלָּה לַחֲזוֹר לִבְחִינַת הַחֻלְשָׁה), and then vengeance would be taken from him (וְאָז יִטּוֹל מִמֶּנּוּ הַנְּקָמוֹת), and Yisrael could enter the land (וְיוּכְלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לִכָּנֵס לָאָרֶץ). And to accomplish this they required the forty years, as explained above (וּלַעֲשׂוֹת זֶה הֻצְרְכוּ הַמ׳ שָׁנִים, כְּנַ״ל). And it says there afterward (וְאָמַר אַחַר־כָּךְ שָׁם): “Who is Amalek above?” (עֲמָלֵק מַאן הוּא לְעֵילָא), and this is truly a great secret-to understand the particulars of the aspect of Amalek according to his root, in the secret of this filth (וְהוּא בֶאֱמֶת סוֹד גָּדוֹל לָדַעַת פְּרָטִיּוּת בְּחִינַת עֲמָלֵק לְפִי שָׁרְשׁוֹ בְּסוֹד הַזּוֹהֲמָא הַזֹּאת), how the matters are divided within it (אֵיךְ מִתְחַלְּקִים בָּהּ הַדְּבָרִים). And you will see in it how the Klipot extend in their dominion, in the secret of Esav and Yishmael (וְתִרְאֶה בוֹ אֵיךְ מִתְפַּשְּׁטוֹת הַקְּלִיפּוֹת בְּמֶמְשַׁלְתָּן בְּסוֹד עֵשָׂו וְיִשְׁמָעֵאל). And I will first explain to you the secret of Esav (וַאֲפָרֵשׁ לְךָ בַּתְּחִלָּה סוֹד עֵשָׂו):