Editing Amalek (section)

=== Jewish traditions ===
Amalek is the archetypal enemy of the Jews and the symbol of evil in [[Jewish religion]] and [[Jewish folklore|folklore]].<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Britt |first1=Brian |chapter-url=https://www.academia.edu/37317042 |title=Encyclopedia of the Bible and its Reception |chapter=Amalek, Amalekites. II. Judaism |last2=Lipton |first2=Diana |last3=Soltes |first3=Ori Z. |last4=Walfish |first4=Barry Dov |date=2010 |publisher=De Gruyter |isbn=978-3-11-018355-9}}</ref> [[Nur Masalha]], Elliot Horowitz, and Josef Stern suggest that the Amalekites represent an "eternally irreconciliable enemy" that wants to murder Jews. In post-biblical times, Jews associated contemporary enemies with Amalek or Haman and, occasionally, believed pre-emptive violence is acceptable against such enemies.<ref name="Masalha-2000">* {{cite book |last=Masalha |first=Nur |title=Imperial Israel and the Palestinians: the politics of expansion |date=2000 |publisher=Pluto Press |pages=129–131}}
* {{cite book |last=Stern |first=Josef |title=Judaism and modernity: the religious philosophy of David Hartman |date=2004 |publisher=Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. |editor1-last=Hartman |editor1-first=David |pages=360–362 |chapter=Maimonides on Amalek, Self-Corrective Mechanisms, and the War against Idolatry" |editor2-last=Malino |editor2-first=Jonathan W.}}
* {{cite book |last=Hunter |first=Alastair G. |title=Sanctified aggression: legacies of biblical and post-biblical vocabularies |date=2003 |publisher=Continuum International Publishing Group |editor1-last=Bekkenkamp |editor1-first=Jonneke |pages=99–105 |chapter=Denominating Amalek: Racist stereotyping in the Bible and the Justification of Discrimination |editor2-last=Sherwood |editor2-first=Yvonne}}</ref> Groups identified with Amalek include the [[ancient Rome|Romans]], [[Nazis]], [[Stalinism|Stalinists]], [[Islamic State]],<ref>{{cite book |last=Horowitz |first=Elliott |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=x4ZeDwAAQBAJ |title=Reckless Rites: Purim and the Legacy of Jewish Violence |publisher=[[Princeton University Press]] |year=2018 |isbn=978-0-691-19039-6 |pages=1–7}}</ref> and bellicose Iranian leaders such as [[Mahmoud Ahmadinejad]].<ref>Roth, Daniel. [https://elmad.pardes.org/2018/02/shabbat-zachor-remember-what-amalek-did-to-you-but-why-did-he-do-it-can-we-reconcile-with-our-eternal-sworn-enemies/ "Shabbat Zachor: "Remember what Amalek did to you!" But why did he do it? Can we reconcile with our eternal sworn enemies?"] ''Pardes from Jerusalem'', 18 Feb. 2018. ''Elmad by Pardes''.</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Zaimov |first=Stoyan |date=April 29, 2017 |title=ISIS a Reenactment of Biblical War Between Israel and the Amalekites, Military Analysts Say |url=https://www.christianpost.com/news/isis-reenactment-biblical-war-israel-amalekites.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416093336/https://www.christianpost.com/news/isis-reenactment-biblical-war-israel-amalekites.html |archive-date=2021-04-16 |website=Christian Post}}</ref> More metaphorically, to some [[Hasidic Judaism|Hasidic]] [[rabbi]]s (particularly the [[Baal Shem Tov]]), Amalek represents [[atheism]] or the [[cynical]] rejection of God, which leads to [[Libertine|unethical hedonism]]. This is sometimes known as the "Amalekite doctrine".<ref name=":62">{{Cite web |last=Koperwas |first=Josh |title=Destroying Amalek: Removing Doubt & Insecurity |url=https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/8012?lang=bi |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240123050025/https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/8012?lang=bi |archive-date=January 23, 2024 |website=Sefaria}}</ref> In contemporary times, religious Jews associate Amalek with [[Antisemitic terrorism|violent antisemites]],<ref name="Masalha-2000" /><ref name="Biblehub">{{Cite web |title=Esther 3 Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges |url=https://biblehub.com/commentaries/cambridge/esther/3.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230702205114/https://biblehub.com/commentaries/cambridge/esther/3.htm |archive-date=Jul 2, 2023 |access-date= |website=Biblehub}}</ref> [[nihilism]] and [[Jewish skeptics|Jewish doubt in God]].<ref name=":62" />

During the [[Purim|Purim festival]], the [[Book of Esther]] is read in commemoration of the salvation of Jewish people from [[Haman]], who plotted to kill all [[Persian Jews|Jews in Persian Empire]]. It is customary for the audience to make noise and shout whenever "Haman" is mentioned, in order to desecrate his name, based on {{Bibleverse|Exodus|17:14}}. It is also customary to recite {{Bibleverse|Deuteronomy|25:17-18}} on the [[Special Shabbat#Shabbat Zachor|Shabbat before Purim]]. This was because Haman was considered to be an Amalekite although this label is more likely to be symbolic rather than literal.<ref>{{cite web |last=Finley |first=Mordecai |date=21 February 2018 |title=Unmasking Purim, Fighting Amalek: Behind the whimsy of this holiday lie some deep lessons for living |url=http://jewishjournal.com/culture/religion/purim/231046/unmasking-purim-fighting-amalek-behind-whimsy-holiday-lie-deep-lessons-living/ |access-date=22 February 2018 |work=Jewish Journal}}</ref><ref name="Biblehub" /><ref name="jewishencyclopedia.com2">{{Cite Jewish Encyclopedia|title=HAMAN THE AGAGITE|url=http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/7124-haman-the-agagite|first1=Emil|last1=Hirsch|first2=M.|last2=Seligsohn|first3=Solomon|last3=Schechter|volume=6|page=189&ndash;190}} Retrieved 13 February 2017</ref> Some Iranophilic Jews interpreted Haman's Amalekite background as being anathema to both Jews and 'pure-blooded Iranians'.<ref name="Silverstein-2018"/>