An End to Evil

It is written, "Amalek is the first among nations, and in the end he shall be destroyed." (Num. 24:20) This verse means that Amalek is the spiritual source and root of the Seven (evil) Nations: the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, and so on - yet he is distinct from them. The only rectification of Amalek is its utter eradication and destruction…

The conclusion of the above verse, "…and in the end he shall be destroyed", seems to imply that the kelipa of Amalek contains no element that can be salvaged by means of the divine process called birurim (i.e., the sifting and refining of materiality by elevating the divine sparks embedded within it). The kelipa of Amalek, so it would appear, cannot be rehabilitated into something positive and thereby be brought to a state of rectification. Rather, the only rectification of Amalek is its utter eradication and destruction. This is hinted at in the verse "…and in the end he shall be destroyed" - Amalek's consummation is its destruction.

However, we find in the words of our sages, "Some of the descendants of Haman, a descendant of Amalek, converted to Judaism and studied the Torah in public." (Gittin 57b) Even the kelipa of Amalek may be rectified and elevated…

The study of Torah, even when pursued individually, is part of the birurim. Public Torah study has an elevated status, as is hinted in the verse, "The wisdom [of Torah] exults [even] outside…" (Prov. 1:20), meaning that even those external aspects of the universe which are prone to become sundered from G-dliness can triumph, for they too can be elevated by means of the birurim wrought by Torah study.

Since Haman descended from Amalek, and Haman's descendants, far from being destroyed, even studied Torah in public, it follows that even the kelipa of Amalek may be rectified and elevated. How can one reconcile these two statements - that the total destruction of Amalek is deemed necessary, for he is considered to be beyond salvation and rectification, yet he can indeed be rectified and elevated as in the case of his descendants? The kelipa…is a non-entity…

A solution may be found in the verse "[G-d] has set a limit to darkness…" (Job 28:3), meaning that He has limited the time during which the darkness of kelipa will be permitted to derive sustenance from the leavings of holiness, from the most extrinsic level of holiness. When that time expires, the kelipa will be utterly destroyed and annihilated, leaving no vestige of itself, because it does not possess any intrinsic form of true existence; it is a non-entity…

In contrast to the side of holiness, the kelipot derive their existence from a "lack of divine desire" and were therefore sundered from G-d's unity. They have no existence other than the animation which they receive from the encompassing level of divine light. When this source is removed they will be totally cut off and will be utterly obliterated. This is the meaning of the above-quoted verse, "[G-d] has set a limit to darkness…". The darkness of the kelipot has a limited time period, after which the kelipot will be utterly destroyed and annihilated, since they originate from a "lack of divine desire." An insolent individual…is essentially a non-entity…

While this applies to the sitra achra in general, it is especially true of the kelipa of Amalek, whose whole being is brazenness and chutzpa, with no inner content at all. Every other kelipa has at least some content, albeit evil, such as the "chesed of kelipa".

This is not the case with the kelipa of Amalek, the kelipa of brazen chutzpa; an insolent individual, as he himself is aware, is essentially a non-entity. The more degraded such people are, the less they retain their human aspect - the more they relate with insolence, in an animal-like fashion, to people more elevated than themselves.

(In fact, every individual can find a trace of this within himself as it relates to his spiritual service: During the time he indulges his physical cravings, for food and drink and the like, there arises within his mind a marked coolness toward more elevated things, i.e., toward things which relate to the inner essence of his divine service, such as the enhanced performance of mitzvot, or to observances that reflect the insights of the Kabbala.) Amalek thus resembles the waves of the sea that are lifted by the wind…

So, too, the kelipa of Amalek, whose whole being is insolence, is essentially a non-entity. Amalek thus resembles the waves of the sea that are lifted by the wind. While water, by its nature, descends, it is capable of being lifted by the wind and momentarily standing upright like a wall; however, as soon as the wind abates, the water collapses. So, too, kelipot in general and Amalek in particular derive their sustenance only from the encompassing level of divine life-force, and will thus "appear and disappear with the wind." This, then, is what is meant by the phrase, "[G-d] has set a limit to darkness": the darkness of the kelipot have an appointed end, after which they will be cut off and utterly destroyed, leaving no trace.

In this regard there is a difference between Mashiach's coming "at the appointed time" and his coming "in haste" before the "appointed time". (See Sanhedrin 98a, Zohar I: 117b.) If the kelipot are nullified "at the appointed time", they will be utterly annihilated. If, however, the Jewish people are found worthy and Mashiach comes "in haste" at an earlier than the appointed time, then the kelipot will be nullified by being rectified.

In either case there will be an increase in the light of holiness, but if the kelipot are nullified by being rectified, this holy light will radiate with far greater intensity.

This is the meaning of Achashverosh's command to Haman, "Make haste and take the garment…" (Esther 6:10) Why the haste? Achashverosh was simply giving him some sound advice. Ultimately Haman (as the epitome of evil) was sure to be nullified. If this were to take place "at the appointed time", then he would be utterly obliterated.

Achashverosh therefore advised him to be rectified by means of birur, by elevating the sparks of holiness embedded in the world - by serving as a garment to adorn Mordechai the tzadik. If this took place "in haste", he would not be totally nullified - but rather rectified. Besides, there would be a corresponding increase of illumination in the realm of holiness.

Adapted from Sichos in English (1998) from the discourse Reishit Goyim Amalek (1920)