Terumah 5781: Shabbat Zachor, the Mitzvah of Genocide

Posted by David Levin-Kruss on February 14, 2021
Topics: Pardes from Jerusalem, Torah, Shemot (Exodus), Terumah

The obligation to destroy Amalek and their descendants, which is read of Zachor, is one of the most problematic commandments in the bible. See how medieval commentators explained it away and how modern commentators honed even this difficult mitzva for contemporary meaning.

Sponsored by Zara 4.5, Jules Scarlett 2.5, and their parents Sacha Litman and Rochelle Behrens
in memory of their grandfather, Jack T. Litman, Z”L on his 11th Yahrzeit.
His only regret was to not have had the opportunity to meet his grandchildren.

Download the Source Sheet

Sources include: Deuteronomy 20:16-18 / Deuteronomy 24:16 / Deuteronomy 25:16-19 / Isaiah 2:4 / Psalms 97:10

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Credits
Rabbi David Levin-Kruss – Pardes Faculty and Host for Pardes from Jerusalem
Rabbi Adam Titcher – Lead Consultant and Producer
Arlene Harel – Faculty Coordinator

About David Levin-Kruss

David is an adjunct faculty member at Pardes. He is the Director of Education, Europe for the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee. David holds a B.A. and Teachers' Certification in English Literature and Jewish Thought from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He himself attended Pardes as a student. Following that he spent a number of years in yeshiva and received rabbinic ordination from the Joseph and Gwendolyn Straus Rabbinical Seminary. Previous to working at Pardes, David served as the director of the overseas department at the Melitz Centers for Jewish Zionist Education. He also taught on a number of year long programs including Young Judea and Otzma. David spent four years in the United Kingdom where he served as the community director and family educator of Stanmore and Canons Park Synagogue, in northwest London, the largest orthodox synagogue in Europe. David hails from South Africa, loves cooking in his spare time and sees himself as a bridge between Jewish heritage and those seeking to connect or reconnect to that tradition. David founded and directs "My Open Book Life Coaching" which uses general and Jewish texts as well as life coaching techniques to achieve personal breakthroughs. He is married and the proud father of three boys. Contact: dlk@pardes.org.il

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