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[Nooch]

Hakoras Hatov and Mechiyas Amalek
A Torah essay by N. Langsner


In Sefer Shmuel I (15:6) it is written:

And Shaul said to the Keini, "Turn away and go down from among the Amaleki, lest I destroy you with them, and you did kindness with all the children of Israel, when they went up out of Egypt." And the Keini turned away from amidst Amalek.
Rashi:
…to the Keini: the descendants of Yisro, who were residing in the wilderness of Judea, in the south of Arad, who went to Jabez to learn Torah, Arad being Amalek. The Canaanite king of Arad was Amalek, for it is stated: “the dweller of the South” (Num. 21:1), and “Amalek dwells in the Southland” (ibid. 12:29).
…with all the children of Israel: for Moshe, Aharon, and all the elders of Israel partook of his (Yisro’s) seudah (Ex. 18:12). (The Scripture, therefore) considers it as though he had done kindness with all the children of Israel.

When reading this passage and Rashi’s explanation a few questions come to mind.

1a. Of all the examples of kindness that Yisro did for Klal Yisrael, why was this example chosen by Shaul to demonstrate our hakoras hatov to the descendants of Yisro?The much more obvious example would be the institution of the tiered court system which actually benefited all of Klal Yisrael immediately! Yet for some reason Shaul saw fit to repay the Keini for a much more obscure chesed.
1b. The gemorah in Berachos 63b brings down:
R. Nechemiah began to speak in praise of hospitality, expounding the text, “And Shaul said unto the Keini, Go, depart, get you down from among the Amaleki, lest I destroy you with them; for you showed kindness to all the children of Israel when they came up out of Egypt” Have we not here a kal v’chomer argument : if such was the reward of Yisro, who befriended Moshe only for his own benefit, how much more will it be for one who entertains a scholar in his house and gives him to eat and drink and allows him the use of his possessions!
R’ Nechemiah is telling us that Yisro used this seudah as a way to give himself instant credibility and honor amongst Klal Yisrael, and had no real intentions of doing chesed towards Moshe, Aharon and the Ziknei Yisrael, much less all of Klal Yisrael! If so, why does this warrant recognition of hakoras hatov at all!? Much less to the extent that Shaul HaMelech demonstrated to them!

2. Even if we accept this premise was worthy of our hakoras hatov, why now?
To elaborate: Shaul Hamelech was charged with one of the most important of all mitzvos a Jewish king can be mekayem – mechiyas Amalek. Yet by forewarning the Keini of the impending battle, he jeopardizes his entire mission! Imagine what the reaction of the Amaleki people would be when an indigenous tribe just ‘out of the blue’ just picks up and leaves. It would not be to long before the Amaleki realize the true meaning behind their departure. So even if most of the Amaleki population reacts with girding themselves for war, all you need is for one to flee and the Amaleki live to see another day! Mission Failed! Yet we never find that Shaul HaMelech is criticized for doing this. He is called out and held accountable for not killing all of the animals and for leaving Agag alive longer than necessary, but not this! Why isn’t this considered a tactical error on Shaul HaMelech’s part?

Rav Henoch Leibowitz z”l, in the sefer Chidushei Halev,(on Parshas Yisro) answers the first question by saying that based on the gemorah in Berachos you see how far the chiyuv of hakoras hatov actually goes! Even if the giver does not have your best intentions in mind but rather his own, at the end of the day, if you are the beneficiary of chesed, both you and your descendants have an obligation of recognizing the good and demonstrating your gratitude to that person and their descendants!!
Further more, even if the chesed is not an outright obvious one but is obscure in nature, none the less, the chiyuv of hakoras hatov remains! Incredible!

However, even with this understanding, we still need to address our second question as to why does Shaul HaMelech feel that this juncture is the proper time actually repay this kindness?
To answer this question, I believe we need to dig deeper into what is the essence of this eternal battle against Amalek.
The entire purpose of the shibud of Klal Yisroel in Mitzrayim, the esser makos, yetziyas Mitzrayim, krias Yam Suf and ma’amad Har Sinai was primarily to do one thing. To establish Hakadosh Baruch Hu (Yud-Hey & Vav-Hey) as the only force in the universe - “ein ohd milvado”- and to have Klal Yisrael disseminate and propagate this message to the world.
Ultimately to realize the tachlis habriah.
Before Moshe Rabeinu came onto the scene as Hashem’s emissary, this concept of G-d’s existence was not known to the world. (Not even the Avos had the zechus to interact with Hakadosh Baruch Hu in this capacity. They interacted with Hashem b’geder of Shakkai. See Bereishis 17:1.) We see that demonstrated in the Targum Yonason Ben Uziel on the pasuk in Shemos 5:2, where Pharaoh doesn’t recognize the name of Hashem as it is not in his ‘registry of the gods’. We see that every single makoh demonstrated another level of Hashem’s complete and utter dominion over every level of existence on this world. Each one building on the previous one to further demonstrate “ein ohd milvado” (see the Sefer Chayei Olam chelek 1 chapter 15 fo further elaboration). By Kriyas Yam Suf the entire world was made keenly aware of Hashem’s dominion so much so that the nations of the world feared Klal Yisrael and their god Hashem.
The world was primed for Hashem’s dominion and Klal Yisrael’s propagation of his message. There is no other god. No other force in the universe. Everything is but a manifestation of Hashem’s will. Ein ohd milvado!
However, Amalek could not accept this premise. As the Sifri in Devarim 25:18 says on the words “asher korchah baderech..” lashon mikreh - happenstance and randomness. There is no hashgachah pratis, there is no one unifying force in the universe controlling and directing all. Things ‘just happen’. Because as this notion suggests, if Hashem is ein ohd milvado, we are indebted to him and must follow his ways. Amalek can’t allow for this to be recognized as the reality of creation and the universe. (Which is why they embrace the ideology of 'kochi v'otzem yadi'.) To do so would be admitting that Klal Yisrael is the ‘ahm hanivchar’ that the brachos Yaakov Avinu received from his father Yitzchok are truly his birthright and are necessary to enable B’nei Yisrael to be the disseminators of Hashem‘s emes in the world.
This concept is further demonstrated by the words of the pasuk in Shemos 17:16.
“Vayomer ki yad ahl keis kah milchama laHashem (yud kay vav kay) ba’Amalek midor dor.”
Hashem swears by his throne that both his malchus and his name (yud kay vav kay) are incomplete from the world’s perspective so long as Amalek and their ideology continues to exist in this world. It is a milchama laHashem – for the establishment of yud kay vav kay; the ein ohd milvado, against the ideology of Amalek.
The Chovos Halevavos explains (in Shaar Cheshbon Hanefesh) that hakoras hatov is critical to ones perfection and shlemus in becoming a true eved Hashem. The constant exercising of this concept of recognizing the good that is done for you will help you ultimately recognize the magnitude of your chiyuv of hakoras hatov one has to Hashem. It is with this recognition that a person can come to understand that there is nothing else but Hashem. Ein ohd milvado!

Based on all of what we’ve stated above, I think that we can finally understand the episode with Shaul HaMelech and the Keini and answer all of our questions with the following chidush.
Shaul HaMelech understood fundamentally, that mechiyas Amalek was much more than an obligation to wipe out the physical manifestation of Amalek. It was an ideological battle. To wipe out the ideology of Amalek and all those who adhered to it. To re-establish Hashem as the one singular force in the universe –Ein ohd milvado! To accomplish this task and most sacred of mitzvos requires much more than a physical battle, but to fight it ideologically.
Hakoras hatov is the exercise that accomplishes this goal more than any other method!
So what Shaul HaMelech is teaching us all, is that the mitzvah m’De’oraisah of mechiyas Amalek is accomplished by being makir tov!!
So when he identifies the chesed of Yisro to Klal Yisrael as the seuda that he gave to primarily honor himself, he is showing us how far reaching is the chiyuv of Hakoras hatov and even such a weak example is worthy of thanks and gratitude. Shaul HaMelech bedavka chooses this time to accomplish this obligation, because being maker tov IS mechiyas Amalek!!!!

Hayotzeh midivreinu is that each and every one of us has the ability to be mamlich the Kusha Berichu as Yud Kay Vav Kay and be yotzeh our chiyuv d’Oraisa of mechiyas Amalek by being maker tov to anyone and everyone who ever did us a chesed.
May we all be zoche to see the final geula and see both the shem Hashem and his throne complete with the eradication of Amalek and all they represent. Amen!

[Nooch]

This is a chidush I came up with a couple of years ago and was finally encouraged to write it down.
Enjoy!
Any and all ha'oros are appreciated.
Please note this was a rough draft...

[LoveToLaugh]

Very nice Nooch.

I think I learned a similar idea years ago in HS but am forgetting the details.

I think it had to do with the middah of leitzanus of amalek. But I like this idea of makir tov (or at least being makir that there is a God who is in charge of the world).

[Nooch]

Very nice Nooch.

Thank you!