5/4/2017 AmalekWikipedia

Amalek
FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

Amalek(Hebrew: ,ModernAmalek,Tiberianmlq)occursintheOldTestamentoftheBibleandreferstoa
grandsonofEsau,thedescendantnationofAmalekites,andtheterritoriesofAmalekwhichtheyinhabited.

TheOldTestament,acceptedbyJewsandChristians,describestheAmalekitesasanomadictribewhichlivedin
ancientIsraelandinthelandcalledMoab,inwhattheRomanscalledArabiaPetraea(Moabandthedesertof
Sinai),aregiondepopulatedinthefourteenthcenturyBCandthenoccupiedbyEdomites.

AccordingtotheBookofGenesisand1Chronicles,AmalekwasthesonofEliphazandtheconcubineTimna.
TimnawasaHoriteandsisterofLotan.AmalekappearsinthegenealogyofEsau(Gen.36:121Chr.1:36)who
wasthechiefofanEdomitetribe(Gen.36:16).Amalekisdescribedasthe"chiefofAmalek"inGenesis36:16,in
whichitissurmisedthatheruledaclanorterritorynamedafterhim.InthechantofBalaamatNumbers,24:20,
Amalekwascalledthe'firstofthenations',attestingtohighantiquity.[1]Rashistates:Hewasthefirstofallof
them(theothernations)towaragainstIsrael(whentheycameoutofEgypt).[2]FirstcenturyRomanJewish
scholarandhistorianFlaviusJosephusreferstoAmalekasa'bastard'()inaderogatorysense.[3]

AccordingtotheOldTestament,theAmalekiteswereanomadic,orseminomadic[4]peoplewhoinhabitedthe
Negev.[5]TheyarecommonlyconsideredtobeAmalek'sdescendantsthroughthegenealogyofEsau.Thisis
probablybasedontheassociationofthistribalgroupwiththestepperegionofancientIsraelandtheareaof
Kadesh(Genesis14:7).Asapeople,theAmalekitesareidentifiedasarecurrentenemyoftheIsraelites.[6]

Contents
1 EtymologyofAmalek
2 AmalekitesintheHebrewBible
2.1 Amalekiteterritory
3 Exegesisoforigins
4 JudaicviewsoftheAmalekites
4.1 ExterminationoftheAmalekites
4.2 ArmeniansassociatedwithAmalekites
4.2.1 History
4.3 NazisassociatedwithAmalekites
4.4 ZionistsassociatedwithAmalekites
4.5 InKahanism
4.6 IraniansasAmalekites
4.7 ArabsasAmalekites
5 Crusades
6 Seealso
7 Footnotes
8 References
9 Externallinks

EtymologyofAmalek

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Amalekmaymeanpeopleoflek(,),or"dwellerinthevalley",[7]orpossibly"warlike","peopleofprey",
"cavemen".[8]Insomerabbinicalinterpretations,Amalekisetymologisedasapeopleam,wholickblood,[9]but
mostspecialistsregardtheorigintobeunknown.[10]

AmalekitesintheHebrewBible
Amalekiteterritory

TheAmalekiteshadanomadiclifestyle,whichledtowidespreaddistribution,mostlyalongthefringeofsouthern
Canaan'sagriculturalzone(Num.13:29,Judg.12:15,1Sam.15:730:12).Theyalsomadeextensiveuseof
camels(Judg.6:57:12).[4]GlenMillerstates,"TheAmalekiteswerenotpartofCanaan...butwereanomadictribe
ofmaraudingbands,livinginthesouthernNegev(desertregion).Thearchaeologicaldatawehaveofsitesinthe
Negevaroundthetimeofthiseventindicatesaverysporadicpopulationalthoughmostlyinthemidcentral
Negevalthoughwidelyspreadout.Wehaveevidenceofabout50'fortresses'atthistime,rangingindiameter
from2570meters..."[11]

Exegesisoforigins
ItisgenerallyacceptedthattheAmalekitesaredescendantsofAmalek,agrandsonofEsau,[6]whoderivetheir
originsfromEdom(Genesis36:1112,1516).InexegesisofGenesis14:7,theuseof"Amalekites"seemsoutof
placeinapassagethatconcernsthedaysofAbraham.BiblescholarDavidNoelFreedmanconsidersthe
anachronismtobeaneditorialinsertion.[4]Rashiexplainsthatthewriterwasmakingareferencetothecountry
whichwasafterwardsinhabitedbytheAmalekites.C.Knightelaboratesthisconceptbymakingthecomparison:
"CaesarwentintoFrance"becauseGaulwasafterwardoccupiedbytheFranks,asGaulispresentdayFrance.[12]

Alternatively,duringtheIslamicGoldenAge,certainArabicwritingsclaimedthattheAmalekitesexistedlong
beforeAbraham.[13]SomeMuslimhistoriansclaimedthattheAmalekiteswhofoughtJoshuaweredescendantsof
theinhabitantsofNorthAfrica.AlMasudisaidthattheAmalekitesoriginatedintheregionofMeccawellbefore
thedaysofAbraham.EbnArabshahpurportedthatAmalekwasadescendantofHam,sonofNoah.[12][13]Even
medievalJewishhistorianNachmanidesarguedthattheAmalekiteswerenotdescendedfromthegrandsonofEsau
butfromamannamedAmalek,fromwhomthegrandsontookhisname.Itis,however,possiblethatthename
Amalekmayhavebeengiventotwodifferentnations.TheArabiansmentionImlik,Amalik,orAmelekaamongthe
aboriginesofArabia,theremainsofwhichweremingledwiththedescendantsofJoktanandAdnanandbecame
MostarabsorMocarabes,thatis,Arabiansmixedwithforeigners.[12]

Bythe19thCentury,therewasstrongsupportbyWesterntheologiansfortheideathatthenationofAmalekcould
haveflourishedbeforethetimeofAbraham.MatthewGeorgeEastonadvocatedthattheAmalekiteswerenot
descendantsofAmalek,bytakingtheliteralapproachtoGenesis14:7.[14]However,themodernbiblicalscholar
DavidFreedmanusestextualanalysistogleanthattheuseofAmalekiteinGenesis14:7isactuallyan
anachronism,[4]achronologicalinconsistencyof(inthiscase)agroupofpeopleinamisplacedtime.Alsointhe
early19thcentury,RichardWatsonenumeratedseveralspeculativereasonsforhavinga"moreancientAmalek"
thanAbraham.[13]

IntheexegesisofNumbers24:20concerningBalaam'sutterance:"Amalekwasthefirstoneofthenations,buthis
endafterwardwillbeevenhisperishing",RichardWatsonattemptstoassociatethispassagetothe"firstoneofthe
nations"thatdevelopedpostFlood.[13]AccordingtoSamuelCox,theAmalekiteswerethe"first"intheirhostility
towardtheIsraelites.[15]
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ManynomadicgroupsfromtheArabiandesert,apparentlyincludingAmalekites,havecollectivelybeentermed
"Arab(s)".WhileconsiderableknowledgeaboutnomadicArabshavebeenrecoveredthrougharcheological
research,nospecificartifactsorsiteshavebeenlinkedtoAmalekwithanycertainty.[4]However,itispossiblethat
someofthefortifiedsettlementsintheNegevhighlandsandevenTelMasos(nearBeersheba)haveAmalek
connections.[16]EastonclaimsthattheBabylonianinscriptionSutereferstotheAmalekites,aswellasthe
EgyptiantermSittiu.EastonalsoclaimsthattheAmarnatabletsrefertotheAmalekitesunderthegeneralname
Khabbatti,or"plunderers".[14]

JudaicviewsoftheAmalekites
InJudaism,theAmalekitescametorepresentthearchetypalenemyofthe
Jews.InJewishfolkloretheAmalekitesareconsideredtobethesymbolof
evil.Thisconcepthasbeenusedbysomehassidicrabbis(particularlythe
BaalShemTov)torepresentatheismortherejectionofGod.NurMasalha,
ElliotHorowitzandJosefSternsuggestthatAmalekiteshavecometo
representan"eternallyirreconcilableenemy"thatwantstomurderJews,
andthatJewsinpostbiblicaltimessometimesassociatecontemporary
enemieswithHamanorAmalekites,andthatsomeJewsbelievethatpre
emptiveviolenceisacceptableagainstsuchenemies.[17]

DuringthePurimfestival,theBookofEstherisreadinthecommemoration
ofthesavingoftheJewishpeoplefromHaman(consideredtobean
Amalekite)wholeadsaplottokilltheJews.OnthebasisofExodus17:14,
wheretheLordpromisedto"blotoutthename"ofAmalek,itiscustomary GustaveDor,TheDeathofAgag.
fortheaudiencetomakenoiseandshoutwhenever"Haman"ismentioned, "Agag"mayhavebeenthehereditary
inordertodesecratehisname. nameoftheAmalekitekings.The
onedepictedwaskilledbySamuel(1
Samuel15).
ExterminationoftheAmalekites

Ofthe613mitzvot(commandments)followedbyOrthodoxJews,threerefertotheAmalek:torememberwhatthe
AmalekitesdidtotheIsraelites,nottoforgetwhattheAmalekitesdidtoIsraelites,andtodestroytheAmalekites
utterly.TherabbisderivedthesefromDeuteronomy25:1718,Exodus17:14and1Sam.15:3.Rashiexplainsthe
thirdcommandment:

Frommanuntowoman,frominfantuntosuckling,fromoxuntosheep,sothatthenameofAmaleknotbe
mentionedevenwithreferencetoananimalbysaying"ThisanimalbelongedtoAmalek".

AsenumeratedbyMaimonides,thethreemitzvotstate:

598Deut.25:17(http://www.mechonmamre.org/p/pt/pt0525.htm#17)RememberwhatAmalekdidtothe
Israelites
599Deut.25:19(http://www.mechonmamre.org/p/pt/pt0525.htm#19)Wipeoutthedescendantsof
Amalek
600Deut.25:19(http://www.mechonmamre.org/p/pt/pt0525.htm#19)NottoforgetAmalek'satrocities
andambushonourjourneyfromEgyptinthedesert

SomecommentatorshavediscussedtheethicsofthecommandmenttoexterminatealltheAmalekites,including
thecommandtokillallthewomen,children,andthenotionofcollectivepunishment.[18]Maimonidesexplainsthat
thecommandmenttodestroythenationofAmalekrequirestheJewishpeopletopeacefullyrequestthatthey
acceptuponthemselvestheNoachidelawsandpayataxtotheJewishkingdom.Onlyiftheyrefusemusttheybe

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physicallykilled.Somecommentators,suchasRabbiHayimPalaggi(17881869)arguedthatJewshadlostthe
traditionofdistinguishingAmalekitesfromotherpeople,andthereforethecommandmentofkillingthemcould
notpracticallybeapplied("...Wecanrelyonthemaximthatinancienttimes,Sennacheribconfusedthelineageof
manynations."[EyneiKolai,73,onSanhedrin96b])

ArmeniansassociatedwithAmalekites

ThisascriptionofArmeniansisseeninthecontextofindifference,whichwaswidelycriticizedbytheIsraeli
historianYa'irOroninhisbookTheBanalityofIndifferencethatdealtwiththeinactionofoverallmembersofthe
OttomanEmpireduringtheArmenianGenocideinthebeginningofthe20thcentury.[19]:124

ThisindifferencewasnotedinsidetheJewishcommunityoftheOttomanEmpire,duringthe1909massacreof
ArmeniansinAdana,byItamarBenAvi,thefirstnativespeakerofModernHebrewinthenewspaperHaZvi.Inan
editorialnamed"We",heintervenedtospeakabouttheattitudeoftheJewsduringtheupheavalandwidespread
carnagethatensuedduringtheOttomancountercoupof1909,whileprotestingthegeneralindifferencetocallsto
helpalleviatetheplightoftheArmenians.OutliningtheattitudeandloyaltiesoftheOttomanJewsatthetime,
withregardstoothersubjects,hewrote:"Wedidnothing,becauseweweretimid,becausethematterdidnotaffect
usdirectly,utterly.UnfortunatelytheseTurkswerenotJews.Unfortunatelywehadcovertsympathyfortheenemy
oftheTurkishParliament,AbdHamidII.SympathybecausewebelievethatAbdalHamidwouldalwaysbeour
friend,ourgenerousandmercifulsupporter.Thatiswhywestoodasidethatiswhywechosetobe,inthewords
ofthewisecommander,therearguardthatiswhywecontinuetoday,twoweeksaftertherevolutionandaweek
afterthevictoryofthe'YoungTurks'tobeindifferent.Wearewatchingfromthesideandwaiting.Wearea
peculiarpeople.Yeswe!"[19]:125RegardingtheattitudeoftheJewstowardstheArmenians,hewrote:"Aslight
grimaceontheirlips,ashortheartfeltsigh,andnothingmore.TheArmeniansarenotJews,andaccordingtofolk
traditiontheArmeniansarenothingmorethanAmaleks!Amaleks?Wewouldgivethemhelp?Towhom?To
Amaleks?Heavenforbid!".[19]:126

ItisveryimprobablefortheArmenianstobeAmalekites,asduringtheIronAgetheylivedintheareaofUrartuat
thenorthofAssyria.ThereisnogeneticrelationbetweenthehaplogroupsubgroupsoftheArmeniansandthe
populationaroundNegev.

TheJewishEncyclopediaof1906[20]doesnotmentiontheArmeniansasbeingAmalekites.

History

ThetraditionofidentifyingArmeniansasAmalekitesgoesbacktothe10thcentury,whenitwasfirstattestedin
theByzantineHebrewchronicleJosipponattributedtotheSouthernItalianJewJosephbenGorion.[21]:122[22]

TheItalianrabbiObadiahbenAbrahamofBertinorowrotetohisfatherofthesectsinJerusalem,towhichhehad
madealiyahlateinthe15thcentury,helistedamongtheChristians"theLatins,Greeks,Jacobites,Amalekites,
Abyssinians."ItmaybethatByzantineJewsmadetheidentificationofArmeniansandAmalekitestodistinguish
theformerfromtheGreekOrthodoxChristians,anditscontinueduseseemsprimarilyaimedtoregistertheidea
thattheAmalekitesstillexistedwithintherealmofChristendom.[21]:1223

TheByzantineEmperorLeoVtheArmenian,whoruledfrom813ADto820ADuntilhisassassinationbyoneof
histopgenerals,MichaeltheAmorian,wasknownas"theAmalekite"apparentlybecauseofhisapprovalofthe
Islamicprohibitionagainstthedepictionofsacredimages.[23]

In1839theBritishJewishChristianmissionaryJosephWolffwasstruckbywhathethoughtremarkable,namely

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'thattheArmenians,whoaredetestedbytheJewsasthesupposeddescendantsoftheAmalekites,are
theonlyChristianchurchwhohaveinterestedthemselvesfortheprotectionandconversionof
Jews.'[21]:10[24]

OthermissionariesvisitingtheHolyLandthatsameyear,namelytheScottishmissionariesAndrewBonarand
RobertMurrayM'CheynesuggestedthatwhattheysawasthepeculiarhatredwhichtheJewsbeartowardthe
Armeniansmayarisefromachargeoftenbroughtagainstthem,namelythatHamanwasanArmenian,andthatthe
ArmeniansweretheAmalekitesoftheBible,attributingthistothefactthatArmenianswerethefirstnationto
adoptChristianityin301AD.[21]:1011Lateinthenineteenthcentury,theRussiantravellerofJewishoriginJoseph
JudahChornyreportedhearingfromtheJewsofGeorgiathattheArmeniansweredescendantsofthe
Amalekites.[21]:124Inanotheranecdote,aJewishtravelerreportedthatamongArmenianswhotradedwithJewsin
easternGalicia,therewasapracticeofmourningHamansdeathonPurim,andlightingcandlesinhis
memory.[21]:124

NazisassociatedwithAmalekites

TheNazisandAdolfHitlerhavebeenreferredtoasAmalekites.[25]

Aprominent19thandearly20thcenturyrabbi,RabbiYosefChaim
Sonnenfeld,claimeduponKaiserWilhelm'svisittoPalestinein1898,three
decadesbeforeHitler'srisetopower,hehadatraditionfromhisteachers
thattheGermansaredescendedfromtheancientAmalekites.[26]

Samuel'swordstoAgag:"Asyourswordbereavedwomen,sowillyour
motherbebereavedamongwomen."(Samuel1:15:33)werequotedby
IsraeliPresidentItzhakBenZviinhishandwritinginresponsetoa
telegramsentbyNaziwarcriminalAdolfEichmann'swifepleadingfor
clemencyafterhewastakentoIsraelandsentencedtodeath.[27][28]

AccordingtotheHebrewBible,AmaleklivedinCanaan:"Amalekdwells
inthelandoftheNegev"(Numbers13:29).TheIsraeliteswereinstructed
"Davidster"(StarofDavid)byDick
tokillallthosewhodwelledinCanaan:"thoushaltsavealivenothingthat StinsisaWorldWarIImemorialin
breathes"(Deuteronomy19:16)otherwise"itshallcometopass,thatIshall
TheHague.Thetextattheside(in
dotoyou,asIthoughttodotothem"(Numbers33:56).TheHebrewBible
DutchandHebrew)isfrom
ascribesHaman,whotriedtocommitagenocideoftheJewishpeople,to Deuteronomy25:17,19
Agag,whomtheIsraelites,ledbySaul,failedtokill.Accordingtothese "RememberwhatAmalekhasdoneto
versesHitlermaybeseenasaresultofthisfailure.
you...donotforget."

ZionistsassociatedwithAmalekites

TheantiZionistHaredirabbiZalmanTeitelbaumdenouncedtheproposeddraftofHaredimenbytheIsrael
DefenseForcesbysaying"TheZionistscamefromtheseedofAmalek.Therehasneverbeensuchasectthat
causedsomuchdamagetotheJewishpeople."[29]AseniorrabbiinIsrael'sShasparty,ShalomCohen,publicly
labeledReligiousZionistsasAmalek,butlaterclarifiedthathisremarkswereaimedonlyatTheJewishHome
party,notallReligiousZionists.[30]AnotherrabbiassociatedwithShas,ShimonBadani,referredtoFinance
MinisterYairLapidandTheJewishHomepartyasAmalek.[31]

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TheNetureiKartaareaHaredigroupknownfortheirradicaloppositiontothestateofIsraelandextremewariness
withregardtononHarediJews.Historically,NetureiKartaequatedZionismwithAmalekandNazism.[32]For
someNetureiKartarabbistheveryword'amalek'isreadingematriyatomean'politics',whichintheirviewis
somethingpiousJewsshouldneverengagein,sincepoliticsforthemconstitutesgalut,orexile.[33]

InKahanism

InthereligiousteachingoftheJewishultranationalistMeirKahane(19321990),Amalekisamythicalenemyof
Israel,embodiedindifferentactualenemiesthroughoutJewishhistory.SinceGodandtheJewishpeople,
accordingtoKahane,areontologicallyrelated,thecontemporaryenemiesofIsraelareallegedlythreatening
existenceofGodhimself.Inthecontemporarymeaning,"Amalek"referstothehostileGentileswhoaretobe
revengedforthenearannihilationofJewsandtheirGod,orcallsfortheanalogousactionsinthefuture.
MetaphysicsofKahane,borrowedfromtheearlierJewishauthors(JudahHalevy,AbrahamIsaacKook),provided
justificationfortheradicalmovementknownasKahanism,presentlybannedinIsrael.[34]

IraniansasAmalekites

BenjaminNetanyahuPrimeMinisterofIsraelhascomparedIrananditsconflictwithIsraelasnewAmalekson
severaloccasions.[35][36][37]

ArabsasAmalekites

IntheHebrewBible,theAmalekiteswereapeople,inthelandcalled
Moab,inwhattheRomancalledArabiaPetraea(SouthernSyriawithMoab
andthedesertofSinai),aregiondepopulatedintheXIVBC(maybebythe
EgyptianAkhenaten,whointroducedaworshipcenteredinAtensolar
deity),andthenoccupiedbyEdomites.ThebriefBabyloniancaptivityof
theHebrewsthatbeganin586BCopenedaminorpowervacuuminJudah
andasEdomitesmovedintoopenJudaeangrazinglands,leaving
"Nabataean"inscriptions(in312/311BCintheThirdWaroftheDiadochi
aSeleucidofficer,mentionedtheNabataeansinabattlereport).The
NabateanareinsomedegreerelatedtoototheNabatuinArabia,Eastof
Edom.TheArabicalphabetitselfdevelopedoutofcursivevariantsofthe
Nabataeanscriptinthe5thcentury.TheEdomiteReligionwastoastone
cuberepresentationofGod.TheArabahEdomiteNabateanTradeRoute NabataeanEdomiteArabahAmalek
wascenteredintheMyrrhtradefromYementowardsEgypt(otherproducts Myrrhtraderoutesandothermain
werebitumenfromtheDeadSeaandcopperfromMoab),fromMain traderoutes.
(Yemen),toMecca,Yathrib(Medina),Dedan,Tayma,Hegra,Petra,Aqaba
andfinallytoEgypt.BalaamlistsMoab,Edom(Idumea),Seir(Horites),
Kedar,allwereArabahtribesincludedintheRomanprovinceofArabiaPetra,westofNabateitribe,alongterm
confrontasdescribedintheMeshaoftheMoabofthepeopleofChemosh.Kedar,Edom,Moab,Amalkiteswere
fortheRomantheArabah.

IntheArabicsources,theBiblicalAmalekcorrespondstoAlAmlq()whichmeanstheGiants.TheArab
genealogiesconsidertheCanaanites,AssyriansandEgypt'sPharaohsdescendedfromAmalek.[38]Accordingto
AliibnalAthirtheAmalekitekingGoliath(Gallt)waskilledbytheIsraeliteprophetDavid(Dawd)andthe
Israelitetribe(BaniIsrael)tookovertheHolyLand.[39]

"AmalekisthefatherofAlAmlqthoseareAlJabaabrah(mostpowerful)intheLevantwhocalledthe
CanaanitesandthePharaohsinEgypt"[39]
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Crusades
DuringtheCrusades,PopeUrbanIIreferredtoMuslimsasAmalekites.[40]Thepopesaid,"Itisourdutytopray,
yourstofightagainsttheAmalekites."[41]

Seealso
Agag
BattleofRefidim
Eglon(king)
Herem(warorproperty)
Judaismandviolence
NewChronology(Rohl)

Footnotes

1.J.Macpherson,'Amalek'inJamesHastings,(ed.)ADictionaryoftheBible:VolumeI(PartI:ACyrus),Volume1,(ht
tps://books.google.com/books?id=7ERSpLM4DZgC&pg=PA78)UniversityPressofthePacific,Honolulu,(1898)2004,
pp.7779,p.77.
2.Rashi[1](http://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/9952#showrashi=true)
3.LouisH.Feldman,'"RememberAmalek!":Vengeance,Zealotry,andGroupDestructionintheBibleAccordingtoPhilo,
PseudoPhilo,andJosephus,(https://books.google.com/books?id=MSl0S4G03YC&pg=PA8)HebrewUnionCollege
Press,2004pp.89
4.Eerdmans2000,p.48.
5.Numbers13:29
6.MercerDictionary1990,p.21.
7.Easton1894,p.35Amalek.
8.Z'evbenShimonHalevi,KabbalahandExodus(https://books.google.com/books?
id=m6aUjow7oAMC&pg=PA101),WeiserBooks1988p.101.
9.DavidPatterson,AGenealogyofEvil:AntiSemitismfromNazismtoIslamicJihad,(https://books.google.com/books?id=
lMLmKfmf8kC&pg=PA43)CambridgeUniversityPress,2011,pp.43,244.
10.M.Weippert,SemitischeNomadendeszweitenJahrtausends.Biblicavol.55,1974,265280,427433
11.Miller,Glen."Goodquestion...shouldn'tthebutcheringoftheAmalekitechildrenbeconsideredwarcrimes?".Christian
thinktank.Retrieved22November2015.
12.Knight1833,p.411.
13.Watson1832,p.50.
14.Easton1894,p.35,Am'alekite.
15.Cox1884,p.125126.
16.Eerdmans2000,p.49.
17. Masalha,Nur,ImperialIsraelandthePalestinians:thepoliticsofexpansion,PlutoPress,2000,pp129131.
Stern,Josef,"MaimonidesonAmalek,SelfCorrectiveMechanisms,andtheWaragainstIdolatry"inJudaismand
modernity:thereligiousphilosophyofDavidHartman,DavidHartman,JonathanW.Malino(Eds),Ashgate
Publishing,Ltd.,2004page360362

"TheexampleconcernsthesetofbiblicalcommandmentscenteredonAmalek,theancientnationthatambushed
IsraelduringtheExodusfromEgyptWhatdoesitmeanto'blotoutthenameofAmalek'?Wehaveevidenceof
whatthismeantforbiblicalIsraelwherethecommandmentistakenliterallytomean:destroybyactuallykilling
everyAmalekite,man,woman,andchild.SomerabbisallegorizeAmalek,takingitasaeupemismfortheevil
inclinationothershaveitsymbolizetheenemiesofIsraelthroughouthistoryyetothersmakeitthe
personificationofevil.TherearealsomorespecifichistoricalidentificationsofthepeopleofAmalek.Itiswell
knownthatinmedievalrabbinicliteratureEsau,andhislandEdom,aretypologicallyidentifiedwithRomeand,in
turn,withChristianity.ItislesswidelyknownthatAmalekalsocametobeconflatedwithhisancestorand
identifiedwithRomeandthenChristianity.Bytheearlymedievalperiod,thedescendantsoftheancientnationof
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AmalekwereidentifiedbysomeJewishauthorsastheArmenians.Jewishauthorscouldputabiblicalfaceon
thisoverarchingfoebyidentifyingitwithAmalekandfindhopeforultimatevictoryinthebiblicalpromisethat
'GodisatwarwithAmalekfromgenerationtogeneration'(Ex.17:16)."

Hunter,AlastairG."DenominatingAmalek:RaciststereotypingintheBibleandtheJustificationof
Discrimination"inSanctifiedaggression:legaciesofbiblicalandpostbiblicalvocabularies,Jonneke
Bekkenkamp,YvonneSherwood(Eds),ContinuumInternationalPublishingGroup,2003,page99105.

"TheAmalekitescouldwellberegardedasthearchetypalvictimsinthePentateuch,inthatdivineinstructionsto
disposeofthispeoplearegivenonmorethanoneoccasionTheyalsosymbolizeafurtherclassicdevice:the
rhetoricalmoveofportrayingthevictimasaggressorinordertojustifyhis/herelimination.FormostJews..
.thedenunciationofHamantheenemyispartofthelightheartedcelebrationofarather'laidback'festival.But
therearemoresinisterimplicationswhichhaveinrecentyearsemergedonthepoliticalscene.Intheearly
1900sRabbiHayimSoloveitchikofBriskarguedthattherewasapossibilityofcontemporarywaragainst
AmalekRabbiYosefDovSoloveitchikusedthispositionintheearly1940stocontendthattheAlliedwar
againstNaziGermanycouldbeunderstoodinJewishlawasawaragainstAmalek[regardingtheSept11
attacks]acoupleof'positionpieces'drawdisturbingparallelsbetweenthesuicideplotsandtheenemyAmalek.
Thefirstis..writtenbyRabbiRalphTawil,inwhichthewritercomesperilouslyclosetoequatingPresident
GeorgeBush'swaragainstterrorismwithIsrael'scommandtoeradicatetheirtroublesomeenemy."

18.*DivineCommandEthics:JewishandChristianPerspectives,MichaelJ.Harris,pp137138
TheBible'sTopFiftyIdeas:TheEssentialConceptsEveryoneShouldKnow,DovPeretzElkins,AbigailTreu,pp
315316
TheEthicsofWar:SharedProblemsinDifferentTraditions,RichardSorabji,DavidRodin,p98
TheoryandPracticeinOldTestamentEthics,JohnWilliamRogerson,M.DanielCarrollR.,p92
19.Ya'irOron,TheBanalityofIndifference:ZionismandtheArmenianGenocide,(https://books.google.com/books?id=nnUR
4hSTb8gC&pg=PA126)TransactionPublishers,London,2002,p.126.
20.http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/1351amalekamalekites
21.ElliottS.Horowitz,RecklessRites:PurimandtheLegacyofJewishViolence,(https://books.google.com/books?id=_kBJF
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Aspect,'inStevenT.Katz(ed.),TheImpactoftheHolocaustonJewishTheology,(https://books.google.com/books?id=2
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37.https://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/17/opinion/17goldberg.html
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Externallinks
WipeOutAmalek,Today?(http://www.chabad.org/library/article.as
p?AID=267677)chabad.org WikimediaCommonshas
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Latznu:PopularCultureandtheDisciplesofAmalek(http://ohr.edu/yhiy/article.php/1170)
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TheJewishEncyclopedia,19016:Amalek(http://jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=1351&letter=A&
search=Amalek)
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Amalec(http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01377c.htm)CatholicEncyclopediaarticle
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