The Sons of Rachel Are Set to Uproot Amalek

Pesikta Rabbati 13:1

Curated by Arthur·Told by Maggid·

"Out of Ephraim came those whose root is against Amalek; after you, Benjamin" (Judges 5:14). When Israel went out of Egypt, Amalek came against them. What did the wicked Amalek do to them? Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: he would cut off the sign of the covenant and throw it upward, saying, "In this You delighted — here, it is given to You." Therefore it is written, "Repay our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom their reproach with which they reproached You, O LORD" (Psalms 79:12) — this is the circumcision, set in the bosom. When Saul reigned, the Holy One, blessed be He, said: the seed of Amalek shall fall only by the hand of a son of Rachel. So you find at Rephidim that Amalek fell by the hand of Joshua, of whom it is said, "And Joshua weakened Amalek" (Exodus 17:13). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: this tribe is forever prepared to exact payment from Amalek. Why do the sons of Joseph exact payment from Esau? Joseph's brothers hated him, yet he turned their hatred into love; Esau turned Jacob's love into hatred. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: let Joseph come, who uprooted hatred from his heart, and exact payment from Esau, who buried enmity in his heart. And when Joseph saw his brothers in distress, he could not restrain his compassion and wept; but of Esau it is written, "He pursued his brother with the sword and cast off all pity" (Amos 1:11). Why "after you, Benjamin"? The Holy One, blessed be He, said: forever it is Benjamin's task to demand payment from the seed of Amalek. Know it: a man of Amalek's seed arose and attacked Israel, and none stood against him but one from Benjamin's seed. Who was this? The wicked Haman, of whom it is said, "King Ahasuerus promoted Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite" (Esther 3:1). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: by your life, a man of Benjamin's seed is ready to come and uproot your roots. And who was this? Mordecai, of whom it is said, "There was a Jew in Shushan the capital named Mordecai, son of Jair, a Benjaminite" (Esther 2:5).

Themes

AmalekJosephRedemption

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