A perfect and honest measure shall you have, so that your days shall be lengthened. (25:15)
Question: What is the connection between longevity and perfect weights and measures?
Answer: G-d's way with man is "measure for measure." Thus, when a person transgresses, He waits patiently until the person has filled his measure of transgression, and only then does He punish him.1 But when a cheater gives less than the full weight or less than the correct measure, G-d deals with him in a similar way and does not wait until his measure of sin is filled before He punishes him.
Hence, the Torah is telling us that a person should be meticulous with weights and measures and be careful to give the full amount, so that G-d will patiently wait for him to reach his full measure before punishing him. Consequently, the person will merit the blessing of long life.2
You shall wipe out the memory of Amalek from under the heaven. (25:19)
Question: Instead of "from under the heaven" should the verse not have said "from upon the earth"?
Answer: Heaven and earth represent the spiritual and material. Amalek, the arch enemy of the Jewish people, declared war with the endeavor to detach the Jewish people from G-d. The word Amalek has the numerical value of two hundred and forty, which is the same numerical value as the Hebrew word safeik -- "doubt." When the Jews came out of Egypt filled with awe and amazement at the miracles G-d had performed, Amalek attempted to instill a doubt in them that perhaps it had not been so miraculous.
The Torah describes the effort of Amalek with the words asher karecha baderech -- "how he met you on the way." The word karecha -- "met you" -- comes from the same root as the word kerirut -- "chill." This means that Amalek endeavored to chill your excitement and enthusiasm about G-d.
Throughout the generations, whenever someone begins to have doubts about G-dliness or suddenly feels a "chill" in his dedication to G-d, this is the work of Amalek. Hence, Amalek represents a blockage between Heaven -- spirituality -- and the Jew in the mundane world. Therefore, the Torah commands us to never forget to wipe out the memory of Amalek "from under the heaven" -- i.e., to remove any obstruction blocking your access to spirituality.3
The Lubavitcher Rebbe once related that for many years the Jews of Russia wore a kasket -- a cap with a very small brim. One time the government issued a decree that the brim on the caps be extended. Chassidim interpreted this as an attempt by the government to make it difficult for Jews to fulfill the words of the prophet, "Raise your eyes on High, and see Who created these [things]!" (Isaiah 40:26). The Chassidim were clever, so they decided to follow the government directive to make the caps with longer brims, but they turned the caps around so that they could still continuously look up to heaven.4
You shall wipe out the memory of Amalek from under the heaven, you shall not forget. (25:19)
Question: Why only in connection with the mitzvah to wipe out the memory of Amalek is it necessary for the Torah to also instruct, "you shall not forget"?
Answer: After witnessing the miracles G-d performed in Egypt, the Jews left Egypt permeated with excitement and awe of G-d. Amalek intended to chill their enthusiasm and ultimately cause them to forget G-d. Throughout history such attempts have been repeated by enemies of the Jewish people. In addition, there is an Amalek within us -- our evil inclination -- who is constantly trying to "chill" us and detach us from G-d.
The words "you shall not forget" are not a command, but a promise. The Torah is advising us that when you will make every effort to wipe out the memory of Amalek, both the one who wants to destroy the Jewish people as a whole, physically, and the Amalek within every one of us who wants to do spiritual harm, then you will always remain attached to G-d and you will not forget His greatness for one moment.
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