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Why does Rashi (רש"י) connect Amalek's attack specifically to the sin of false weights and measures? The shiur develops that Amalek represents the archetype of the 'letz' who believes nothing is absolute and that humans are the ultimate arbiters of morality. False weights reflect this same relativism - 'if no one knows, what's the harm?' - making Jews vulnerable to Amalek's attack when they adopt such thinking.
This shiur examines three interconnected questions about Amalek's attack on the Jewish people. First, why does Rashi (רש"י) connect Amalek's attack specifically to the sin of false weights and measures, rather than more seemingly serious transgressions? Second, what drives Amalek to engage in essentially self-destructive behavior - a 'kamikaze attack' where they knew they would be destroyed while inflicting minimal damage? Third, how can the Torah (תורה) criticize Amalek for not fearing God when fear of God is not one of the seven Noahide laws? The key insight centers on understanding two types of 'fear of God.' While Gentiles are not obligated in the mitzvah (מצוה) of emotional awe and love of God required of Jews, they must recognize that their actions have eternal consequences - that God cares about their behavior. This recognition creates a relationship with the eternal, which is fundamental to human existence itself. Without this connection, a person doesn't truly feel they exist.
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Why does the Midrash connect Pharaoh's expulsion of the Jews to the mitzvah of shiluach hakan? The shiur develops a chiddush that Pharaoh's sin wasn't only drowning the children, but the insensitivity of expelling the parents afterward. The deeper analysis reveals that Pharaoh may have valued the Jews greatly and wanted to control them—making his expulsion an act of tremendous cruelty, not liberation.
Why does Moshe respond to the splitting of the sea with shirah rather than praise or thanksgiving? Rashi's use of "al libo" reveals that shirah is an emotional expression—a response of love to love. When Hashem shows personal care, the only adequate response is "I love You too," not mere gratitude or praise, and this principle applies to all relationships.
Parshas Ki Seitzei 25:17-19
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