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Why does Moshe say "bechar lanu" (choose for us) to Yehoshua when organizing the war against Amalek? The Mechilta learns from here that a teacher must honor his student like himself. The shiur explains that Milchemes Amalek is the leader's personal test—not a communal war—making Moshe's inclusion of Yehoshua a deliberate choice to equate their honor, establishing the principle of respecting one's student.
The shiur opens with a Mechilta cited by Rashi (רש"י) on the verse where Moshe instructs Yehoshua to choose soldiers to fight Amalek. When Moshe says "bechar lanu anashim" (choose for us soldiers), Rashi explains that Moshe equated himself to Yehoshua. From this the Chachamim derive the principle "yehi kavod talmidcha chaviv alecha k'shelcha" - the honor of your student should be dear to you like your own. Rabbi Zweig raises a fundamental question: the word "lanu" (for us) would seem to refer to the Jewish people as a whole, not specifically to Moshe and Yehoshua. If so, how does this verse prove the principle about honoring one's student? The resolution begins with understanding the unique nature of Milchemes Amalek. Unlike other wars which are conducted by the king on behalf of the nation, the war against Amalek is a personal responsibility of the king himself. The Rambam (רמב"ם) titles the laws of war as "laws of kings and their wars," indicating the king's role. However, Milchemes Amalek goes beyond this - it serves as a test of the king's fitness to lead. This is demonstrated through the case of Shaul HaMelech, who lost his kingship precisely because he failed to properly execute the war against Amalek.
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Parshas Beshalach - Shemos 17:9
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