"And Moses erected an altar"

Synopsis

Rabbi Yehuda concludes Beshalach by saying that there is no generation that does not contain the evil seed of Amalek. The Holy One, blessed be He, wages war against them, and "The sinners (sins) will be consumed out of the earth," meaning in this world and in the World to Come. About that same time it is written, "Bless you Hashem, O my soul. Haleluyah."

Altar Amalek Banners Circumcision Moses Throne War

485. We have learned, "And Moses erected an altar" (Shemot 17:15), as we have explained. "And he called the name of it, Hashem is my banner" (Or, miracle) AS THE MIRACLE IS ASCRIBED TO HASHEM, "Hashem is my banner." Why? Because Amalek took all those who were circumcised but not uncovered and cut them and threw them up, and said, 'Take what You wanted.' At that moment, it is written, "For he said, 'Because Yah has sworn by His throne that Hashem will have war with Amalek from generation (Heb. midor) to generation (Heb. dor)'" (Ibid. 16). The words 'midor' and 'dor' are spelt without THE VAV TO TEACH US THAT THOSE GENERATIONS IN WHICH THERE WERE BATTLES AGAINST AMALEK lacked inhabitants above, FOR THE NAME WAS NOT COMPLETE, NOR WAS THE THRONE COMPLETE, and THEY WERE LACKING inhabitants below, FOR THERE IS NO COMPLETENESS FOR THE LOWER BEINGS.

485. תָּאנָא, וַיִּבֶן מֹשֶׁה מִזְבַּח כְּמָה דַּאֲמֵינָא. וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ ה' נִסִּי. ה' נִסִּי מַמָּשׁ. אֲמַאי. בְּגִין דַּעֲמָלֵק נָטַל כָּל אִינּוּן דַּהֲווֹ גְּזִירִין, וְלָא אִתְפְּרָעוּ, וְגָזַר לוֹן וְשָׁדֵי לְהוּ לְעֵילָּא, וְאָמַר טוֹל מַה דְּאִתְרְעִית בֵּיהּ. בֵּיהּ שַׁעֲתָא מַה כְּתִיב. וַיֹּאמֶר כִּי יַד עַל כֵּס יָהּ מִלְחָמָה לַה' בַּעֲמָלֵק מִדֹּר דֹּר. מִדֹּר דֹּר חֲסֵרִין, מִדִּיּוּרִין דִּלְעֵילָּא, וּמִדִּיּוּרִין דִּלְתַתָּא.

Amalek Earth Evil Sin Soul, The War World to Come, The

486. Rabbi Yehuda said, In every single generation and in all the subsequent generations to come into the world, there is no generation that does not contain that evil seed OF AMALEK. The Holy One, blessed be He, wages war against them. About them, it is written, "The sinners (sins) will be consumed out of the earth..." (Tehilim 104:35). "Out of the earth," MEANING in this world and in the World to Come. About that same time is written, "Bless you Hashem, O my soul. Haleluyah" (Ibid.).

486. א"ר יְהוּדָה, בְּכָל דָּרָא וְדָרָא, בְּכָל דָּרִין דְּאַתְיָין לְעָלְמָא, לֵית לָךְ דָּר דְּלֵית בְּהוּ מֵהַהוּא זַרְעָא בִּישָׁא, וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אֲגַח בְּהוּ קְרָבָא. וְעָלַיְיהוּ כְּתִיב יִתַּמּוּ חַטָּאִים מִן הָאָרֶץ וְגוֹ.' מִן הָאָרֶץ: בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין, וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי. בֵּיהּ זִמְנָא כְּתִיב, בָּרְכִי נַפְשִׁי אֶת ה' הַלְלוּיָהּ.