Editing Amalek (section)

===Judaism===
[[File:Davidster Dick Stins The Hague.jpg|thumb|"Davidster" ([[Star of David]]) by Dick Stins is a [[The Holocaust|Holocaust memorial]] in [[The Hague]]. The text at the side (in Dutch and Hebrew) is from [[Deuteronomy]] 25:17, 19 – "Remember what Amalek has done to you ... do not forget."]]

In the ''[[Mishneh Torah]]'', [[Maimonides]] derived three commandments, two positive and one negative, related to references to Amalek in the [[Torah]]:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! #
! Type
! Commandment
! Source
|-
| 59
| Negative
| Not to forget the wicked deeds which Amalek perpetrated against us<ref>{{cite web |title=Mishneh Torah, Negative Mitzvot |url=https://www.sefaria.org/Mishneh_Torah%2C_Negative_Mitzvot.59 |website=[[Sefaria]] |access-date=15 January 2024}}</ref>
| "Do not forget" ({{bibleverse|Deut.||25:19|HE}})
|-
| 188
| Positive
| To exterminate the seed of Amalek<ref>{{cite web |title=Mishneh Torah, Positive Mitzvot|url=https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.25.18?lang=bi&aliyot=0&p2=Mishneh_Torah%2C_Positive_Mitzvot.188 |website=[[Sefaria]] |access-date=15 January 2024}}</ref>
| "You shall blot out the memory of Amalek" ({{bibleverse|Deut.||25:19|HE}})
|-
| 189
| Positive
| To constantly remember what Amalek did to us<ref>{{cite web |title=Mishneh Torah, Positive Mitzvot |url=https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.25.18?lang=bi&aliyot=0&p2=Mishneh_Torah%2C_Positive_Mitzvot.189 |website=[[Sefaria]] |access-date=15 January 2024}}</ref>
| "Remember what Amalek did to you" ({{bibleverse|Deut.||25:17|HE}})
|}

Many rabbinic authorities such as [[Maimonides]] ruled that the commandment only applies to a Jewish king or an organized community, and cannot be performed by an individual.<ref>[[Maimonides]] (Sefer Hamitzvot, end of positive commandments), [[Nachmanides]] (Commentary to Exodus 17:16), Sefer HaYereim (435), Hagahot Maimoniyot (Hilchot Melachim 5:5)</ref> According to [[Rashi]], the Amalekites were sorcerers who could transform themselves to resemble animals, in order to avoid capture. Thus, in {{Bibleverse|1 Samuel|15:3}}, it was considered necessary to destroy the livestock when destroying Amalek.<ref>[[Rashi]], 1 Samuel 15:3 commentary, The Rubin Edition, {{ISBN|1-57819-333-8}}, p. 93</ref> According to ''[[Haggahot Maimuniyyot]]'', the commandment only applies to the [[Messianic Age]] and not present times; medieval authorities widely support this limitation.<ref>{{cite web |first=Aryeh |last=Klapper |url=https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/how-not-to-talk-about-amalek/ |title=How Not to Talk About Amalek |work=The Times of Israel |date=4 March 2020 |access-date=16 January 2022 |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200304085123/https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/how-not-to-talk-about-amalek/ |archive-date=2020-03-04 }}</ref> According to the Midrash, every nation on Earth has a guardian angel overseeing its destiny, except for two: Israel rejected archangel [[Michael (archangel)|Michael]] as its guardian, in favor of God himself. The other is Amalek, whose guardian angel is the foremost angel of evil, [[Satan]]. The final war will be fought between the children of God and the children of Satan, between good and evil. This is possibly why the 188th commandment exists: to wipe out Amalek completely, male and female, young and old, sparing none, since evil has no future. However, one obscure prophecy states that all nations will eventually worship God alone, which raises the question of how there can be a [[Third Temple]] when Amalek is wiped out. The Midrash state there is no quandary, given the last Amalekite is a convert to Judaism.<ref>THE MIDRASH SAYS, Copyright 1980 Rabbi Moshe Weissman, Brooklyn, NY.  Benei Yakov Publications 1742 E.7th St. Brooklyn, NY 11223.</ref>

Maimonides elaborates that when the Jewish people wage war against Amalek, they must request the Amalekites to accept the [[Seven Laws of Noah]] and pay a tax to the Jewish kingdom. If they refuse, they are to be executed.<ref>[[Mishneh Torah]], Hilchot Melachim uMilchamot, 6:1 and 6:4</ref>

Other Talmudic commentators argued that the calls to spare no Amalekite or "blot out their memory" were metaphorical<ref name="JTAreject">{{cite news |last1=Kampeas |first1=Ron |title=Netanyahu rejects South Africa's claim that his quote about 'Amalek' was a call to genocide |url=https://www.jta.org/2024/01/16/israel/netanyahu-rejects-south-africas-claim-that-his-quote-about-amalek-was-a-call-to-genocide |access-date=13 February 2024 |work=[[Jewish Telegraphic Agency]] |date=2024-01-16}}</ref> and did not require the actual killing of Amalekites. [[Samson Raphael Hirsch]] said that the command was to destroy "the remembrance of Amalek" rather than actual Amalekites.<ref>Commentary to Deuteronomy 25</ref> [[Yehudah Aryeh Leib Alter]] interpreted the command as thoroughly hating Amalek without performing any physical action.<ref>Shemot Zachor 646</ref> [[Yisrael Meir Kagan]] said that God would perform the elimination of Amalek and that Jews only need to remember what Amalek did to them.<ref>Introduction to positive commandments, Beer Mayim Hayim, letter Alef</ref>

[[Isaac S.D. Sassoon]] believes that the ''[[herem (war or property)|ḥerem]]'' commands existed to prevent the Jewish community from being endangered but believes people should think twice before literally following them.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sassoon |first=Isaac S.D. |date=May 14, 2015 |title=Obliterating Cherem |url=https://www.thetorah.com/article/obliterating-cherem |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240209001511/https://www.thetorah.com/article/obliterating-cherem |archive-date=February 9, 2024 |website=TheTorah.com}}</ref> Nathan Lopes Cardazo argues that the Torah's ethically questionable laws were intentional since they were a result of God working with an underdeveloped world. He believes that God appointed the [[Chazal]] to help humanity evolve in their understanding of the Torah.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cardazo |first=Nathan Lopes |date=October 19, 2016 |title=The Deliberately Flawed Divine Torah |url=https://www.thetorah.com/article/the-deliberately-flawed-divine-torah |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240212110948/https://www.thetorah.com/article/the-deliberately-flawed-divine-torah |archive-date=February 12, 2024 |website=TheTorah.com}}</ref>