After an overwhelming week at work, Daniel decides to go on a nature hike to recharge. Without letting anyone know of his plans, he heads off into the mountains. As he enjoys the view and the peaceful quiet around him, he suddenly slips and tumbles off the edge of a cliff. He plunges downward but somehow manages to grasp a branch jutting out of the cliff face. He clings to the branch for dear life, trying not to look down at the ravine below.
As his life flashes before his eyes, he is struck by a disheartening thought: “I am alone. Nobody knows I am here, and I have no way of escaping. I am going to die.” He begins to take stock of his life, thinking about the good times he’s had and what he has managed to accomplish in his short existence. He thinks about his family and how much they are going to miss him. Just then, a rope soars past his head, hanging directly in front of him. After a moment’s shock, he grabs the rope and holds on for dear life as someone on the other end begins to pull him up over the cliff edge.
As Daniel reaches the top, still gasping, he immediately asks the man who saved him, “How did you know I was hanging off the edge of the cliff and needed rescuing?” The man stares back blankly and says, “I didn’t. This morning, I randomly decided to practice throwing ropes over cliff faces.”
There are two reactions Daniel can have to this series of events. He can recognize the miracle that just occurred, thanking G-d for sending him salvation when all hope seemed lost. Or he can laugh at the unlikely coincidence that this man decided to practice rope-throwing the same exact day he fell off a cliff, thankful that he happened to get lucky. This is the exact decision we face in every moment and aspect of life, and this theme runs through the entire Purim story.
Haman and Our Battle Against Amalek
As we just experienced Purim and our victory over Haman, let us delve deeper into the unique spiritual and existential battle that the Jewish People must continue to wage against the philosophy of Amalek. As a descendant of Amalek, Haman continued their legacy of Jewish obliteration. As the Maharal explains, Amalek rejects any connection between the spiritual and the physical — essentially denying Hashem’s control of this world and the ability for man to uplift himself to the spiritual. Torah is the epitome of both of these principles, providing the guidelines for achieving spiritual elevation. It is based on the axiom of Hashem’s connection with this world and is the means for elevating ourselves and all of physicality to a higher purpose. Amalek stands in direct opposition to this. When they saw that the Jewish People were ready to adopt the Torah way of life, they had no choice but to attack. Amalek’s entire existence is predicated on a lack of connection between Hashem and this world; an acceptance of Torah’s truth would mean the cessation of Amalek’s existence. Amalek therefore attacked the Jewish People in order to prevent Matan Torah — to stop the world from accepting Hashem’s Torah and the truth within it.
“Ha’min Ha’eitz” — the Source of Haman
The essence of Haman is revealed in a very strange discussion in the Gemara. The Gemara asks, “Where is Haman found in the Torah?” Torah is not simply a guide to living a life of truth; it is the blueprint and DNA of this physical world. Our physical world is a projection and emanation of the deep spiritual reality described in the Torah. This is the meaning behind the famous Midrash: “Istakel b’Oraisa u’bara alma — [Hashem] looked into the Torah and used it to create the world.” Every single thing we see and experience in the physical world stems from the spiritual world — the transcendent dimension of Torah. This is what the Gemara means: Haman’s spiritual root must be found within the Torah, and by understanding this source, we can understand his spiritual nature and purpose.
The Gemara answers: “Ha’min ha’eitz.” Ha’min shares the letters of Haman. Right after Adam and Chavah sinned, they hid behind a bush. Hashem then asks, “Ha’min ha’eitz — Did you eat from the tree?”
Before Adam sinned, he was on an almost angelic level. He saw reality through a crystal-clear lens and lived in the spiritual realm of Gan Eden. Once Adam sinned, however, the physical no longer revealed the spiritual — it hid it. His spiritual vision became distorted and he became confused. He does the impossible: he hides from Hashem. How can Adam expect to hide from Hashem? He knows this is impossible, yet a small voice of doubt whispers, “Maybe it is possible.” It was the shame of having eaten from the Eitz HaDaas that made him want to hide from the truth — from the consequences of his actions.
Deep down, Adam hoped Hashem would tell him everything would be okay and that their closeness could be restored. This was the true pain of Hashem’s response: “Ayekah — Where are you?” “Ha’min ha’eitz — Did you eat from the tree?” The moment Adam relates to Hashem with doubt, Hashem responds in kind, for Hashem relates to us exactly as we relate to Him. As the pasuk says, “Hashem tzilcha — Hashem is your shadow.” However you relate to Hashem, He will mirror.
Ayekah would become the foundation for all of history. It shares the same letters as “Eichah,” the Megillah describing the destruction of the Jewish People’s connection with Hashem — the direct result of denying Hashem’s connection to the world. The question of “Ha’min ha’eitz” is the source of Haman, the source of Amalek, the source of all doubt in this world. It represents the gap between us and Hashem, a gap that Amalek battles to keep open, and a gap that the Jewish People must forever strive to close.
Why Isn’t Hashem Mentioned in the Megillah?
Megillas Esther is unique in that it is one of the only books in Tanach in which Hashem’s name is not mentioned. This is because Purim marks a transition in history, when our battle against Amalek manifested in a new form. Until Purim, history was permeated with open miracles, nevuah was common, and Hashem was openly revealed in the world.
The second stage, ushered in by Purim, is characterized by hidden miracles. Hashem is no longer openly manifest and clearly visible. We must choose to see Hashem within the darkness — to peer past the façade of a meaningless world. It is in this stage that Amalek’s claims are all the more tempting, as it is so easy to ignore Hashem’s involvement. Our challenge is to see past the surface, to see the miraculous within the natural, the ethereal within the mundane, and the infinite within the finite.
A Timeless Battle
Amalek fights for a G-dless reality, devoid of spirituality and meaning — a world of doubt where a gap exists between us and Hashem. Only when you look closer do you see the deeper layer of reality, the transcendent root. Hashem is echad — one — and our goal is to see the spiritual oneness inherent within every event and object in this world. Amalek seeks to hide the truth, to disconnect us from our Source, and thus to strip all meaning from life. Only when we see past the surface, tracing everything back to Hashem, will we ultimately defeat Amalek and all that they stand for.
Rabbi Shmuel Reichman is an international speaker, bestselling author, business coach, the CEO of SMA, and a TED Talk Speaker. His bestselling book, The Journey to Your Ultimate Self, serves as an inspiring gateway into deeper Torah thought. After receiving his BA from Yeshiva University and Semicha from Yeshiva University's RIETS, Rabbi Reichman received a Masters degree from the University of Chicago. As part of his Masters Degree at the University of Chicago, Rabbi Reichman received an Ivy Plus Scholarship to Harvard where he spent a year studying as an Ivy Scholar. Additionally, he received a Masters degree in Educational Psychology from Azrieli Graduate School and a Masters degree in Jewish Thought from Yeshiva University's Bernard Revel Graduate School. As a business and leadership coach, Rabbi Reichman provides a unique 1-on-1 coaching program where he helps high-achievers, coaches, and business owners achieve their financial and personal goals. To learn more or to get in contact with Rabbi Reichman, visit his website: www.ShmuelReichman.com.