Taking it With You-Purim-Vengeance-Psalm of Wednesday

The Zohar states that the war against Amalek was a difficult war (Zohar 2:65b). It is obvious that there is nothing that is difficult for the One Who created all universes with a single word. He can do any miracle, and there is nothing that is difficult for Him.

The meaning of this, however, is that God does everything for good. We therefore find in the Likkutei Torah of the Ari (Shemot, Page 130), that it is difficult for God to create miracles to do bad, even to the nations of the world.

This is true even though this is ultimately good for them. When they are punished through God’s miracles, they become vessels for the sanctification of His Name. They then can recognize the Master of all and worship Him. As a result, their offspring can eventually convert to Judaism.

In the case of Amalek, however, they would not submit to God even when they saw His miracles and wonders. As Rashi says, they “jumped into a boiling cauldron (Deuteronomy 25:18).” Even though God may bring about many more miracles and wonders, and many acts of punishment and revenge, Amalek would still never submit to God.

Since Amalek would never return to God anyway, nothing is lost if he is killed. The destruction of Amalek is therefore an act of revenge, and not one of love. It is therefore difficult for God, for “He desires love (Micah 7:18).”

Therefore, when after all the plagues Amalek would still not submit to God, He commanded that we should wage war against him. War is a human undertaking and does not involve wonders and miracles, which come only from God. (Kedushat Levi, Beshalach)

“O Lord of vengeance, God; O Lord of vengeance, appear! Arise, O Judge of the earth, render recompense to the haughty. How long shall the wicked, O God, how long shall the wicked exult? (Psalms 94:1–3; Psalm of the Day for Wednesday).” There are two forms of vengeance: there is the regular vengeance which is to punish the evil through God’s miracles so that they can eventually become vessels for the sanctification of God’s Name. However, there is a separate form of vengeance targeted specifically against Amalek, against all those who will never submit to God.

This is why the phrase “Lord of vengeance,” appears twice in this verse: the former refers to regular vengeance, and the latter to vengeance against those who like Amalek stubbornly refuse to submit to God.