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Why does Ki Seitzei command destroying Amalek after achieving peace from "all enemies"? The shiur develops a crucial distinction: oyev (enemy) seeks takeover for gain, while soneh (hater) destroys purely to harm. Amalek represents the dangerous soneh mentality that we must recognize and avoid in our own relationships.
The shiur analyzes a puzzling verse in Ki Seitzei that commands destroying Amalek after achieving rest from "all your enemies." If all enemies have been overcome, why does Amalek remain? Rabbi Zweig develops a fundamental distinction between two Hebrew terms for enemies: oyev and soneh. This distinction emerges from analyzing Megillas Esther, where Chazal say Esther initially pointed at Achashverosh before an angel redirected her finger to Haman. The rabbis' reading reveals a textual problem: Esther calls Haman an oyev, but his actions demonstrate he's a soneh. An oyev wants to take over and benefit from their target - they recognize value and seek acquisition. This explains most conflicts between nations and individuals, where one party desires the other's resources, territory, or capabilities. Pharaoh was an oyev toward the Jews, wanting to harness their productivity. An oyev's actions, while hostile, follow rational self-interest.
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Ki Seitzei 25:17-19
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