Parashat Ki Teitzei: Two Zakhors and Jewish History

This week's Parashat Ki Teitzei, as explored by Rabbi Meir Soloveichik, delves into the profound theme of memory within Jewish tradition, drawing parallels with Shakespeare's "Hamlet" and Arthur Conan Doyle's "Sherlock Holmes." The parashah emphasizes the biblical commandment to "remember" (zakhor), particularly the memory of Amalek's attack, which serves as a cornerstone of Jewish identity and faith. Rabbi Soloveichik highlights how memory is not just a passive recollection but an active, organizing principle of the mind, akin to Hamlet's focused remembrance of his father and Holmes's selective "mind attic." This selective memory is crucial, as it shapes our purpose and guides our actions. The dual zakhors—remembering the Sabbath and the malevolence of Amalek—illustrate how the Jewish people balance the memory of divine providence with the recollection of adversities, ensuring that the memory of evil does not overshadow the faith in God's providential plan.