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The real anti-Semitism: Benjamin Shapiro: When men act to stop evil in its tracks...
WorldNetDaily.com ^ | Friday, March 12, 2004 | Benjamin Shapiro

Posted on 03/12/2004 1:51:44 AM PST by JohnHuang2

The real anti-Semitism


Posted: March 11, 2004
1:00 a.m. Eastern

© 2004 WorldNetDaily.com

On Sunday, Jews the world over congregated to read the story of Purim from the Megillah (scroll). For those who don't celebrate Purim, and those Jews who don't know what they're celebrating, the story of Purim sounds like a fairy tale: The monarch of Persia, King Ahasuerus, kills his first wife, Queen Vashti, and takes a second wife, Queen Esther, a secret Jewess. Ahasuerus' chief adviser, Haman the Amalekite, convinces Ahasuerus to exterminate the Jews. Mordechai, Esther's uncle, advises Esther to use her position to prevent Haman from realizing his evil plans. Esther convinces Ahasuerus to execute Haman, and the Jews are saved. Let's eat.

But this is only half of the story. The point of Purim is not to commemorate the wisdom of Mordechai or the heroism of Esther. The real essence of Purim revolves around what happened after Esther changed Ahasuerus' mind: Ahasuerus issued a decree allowing Jews to kill any anti-Semite seeking to destroy them, and the Jews did so. During a two-day period, Jews killed over 75,000 Jew haters throughout the Persian Empire, 800 in the capital city of Shushan alone.

Purim is certainly the most modern Jewish holiday in the intellectual sense. God's hand is revealed only through the actions of men – in fact, God's name is not mentioned once throughout the entire Megillah. Haman, the villain of the story, is far more the subject of Purim than Esther or Mordechai; Jews are told to boo, to drown out, Haman's name each time it is mentioned in the Megillah.

Why this focus on the bad guy? Because Judaism realizes that we live in a world where God does not regularly act through open miracles. Judaism recognizes that it is the job of all good people to stand up and fight evil. The focus must be on removing evil, both spiritual and physical, from this world. God approves of such action and facilitates its success in hidden ways.

This is why every year Jews are required by the Torah (Old Testament) to read the following passage on the Saturday before Purim: "It shall be that when God, your God, gives you rest from all your enemies all around, in the land that God, your God, gives you as an inheritance to possess it, you shall wipe out the memory of Amalek from under the heaven – you shall not forget!"(Deuteronomy 25:19)

Who is Amalek? Amalek refers to spiritual evil, but it also refers to a real, physical nation. Jews are enjoined to kill descendants of that nation. Haman was an Amalekite. Hitler was an Amalekite. An Amalekite is someone who fears neither man nor God, who destroys the world through moral degradation, who wishes to exterminate every last Jew.

Clearly, there are members of Amalek alive today. One of them is named Obeida Khalil, a failed female suicide bomber and member of Islamic Jihad. In her own words: "For me, all the Jews are soldiers, and I wanted to kill as many as I could ... As long as I am alive, I will never leave the Jews alone." That's Jews, not Zionists or Israelis. No code words here.

Khalil and Haman aren't alone. If you read Haman's words in the Megillah, it becomes all too clear how many Amalekites live on: "There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the countries of your kingdom," Haman tells Ahasuerus. "Their laws are different from every other people's. They do not observe even the King's laws; therefore it is not befitting the King to tolerate them. If it please the King, let it be recorded that they be destroyed; and I will pay 10,000 silver talents into the hands of those who perform those duties, for deposit in the King's treasuries."

Substitute "United Nations" for "King," and "barrels of oil" for "10,000 silver talents," and these words are mouthed today by all-too-many people in all-too-many nations. The Jews – and their national manifestation, the state of Israel – are accused of living by their own law, of refusing to bow to the sanctity of world opinion.

Purim reminds Jews, and the world, of the ever-present threat posed by today's Amalekites. Purim is not about dress up or drinking, noise making or gift giving. It is about recognizing that evil still exists and that God obligates mankind to obliterate it. When men act to stop evil in its tracks, God fights on their side, from the beaches of Normandy to the hills of Judea to the streets of Baghdad.





TOPICS: Editorial; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: antisemitism
Friday, March 12, 2004

Quote of the Day by highlander_UW

1 posted on 03/12/2004 1:51:45 AM PST by JohnHuang2
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To: JohnHuang2; yonif; MarMema; ATOMIC_PUNK; Airborne Longhorn; cyncooper; SJackson
Purim reminds Jews, and the world, of the ever-present threat posed by today's Amalekites. Purim is not about dress up or drinking, noise making or gift giving. It is about recognizing that evil still exists and that God obligates mankind to obliterate it. When men act to stop evil in its tracks, God fights on their side, from the beaches of Normandy to the hills of Judea to the streets of Baghdad."

And john kerry said he does not believe GOD is on our side. But he believes he was annointed to be our next President. By whom... satan?

Oh, LORD have mercy on the U.S.A. And save us by THY STRENGHT.

2 posted on 03/12/2004 3:00:04 AM PST by Lion in Winter
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To: dennisw; Cachelot; Yehuda; Nix 2; veronica; Catspaw; knighthawk; Alouette; Optimist; weikel; ...
If you'd like to be on or off this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.
3 posted on 03/12/2004 5:16:51 AM PST by SJackson (The Passion: Where were all the palestinians?)
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To: Lion in Winter
And john kerry said he does not believe GOD is on our side. But he believes he was annointed to be our next President. By whom... satan?

No, the DNC. Same thing, actually...

4 posted on 03/12/2004 5:49:33 AM PST by NYC GOP Chick ("This situation absolutely requires a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody's part!")
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To: Lion in Winter
Thanks for the ping, amigo. This is a wonderful story, full of relevant meaning...
5 posted on 03/18/2004 3:21:33 PM PST by Airborne Longhorn
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To: Lion in Winter
"It is about recognizing that evil still exists and that God obligates mankind to obliterate it."

I have a question.

How do I reconcile this with the Commandment: Thou Shall Not Kill, and with the teaching of Jesus to love my neighbor as I love myself?

I want to learn and understand.

6 posted on 03/18/2004 3:41:06 PM PST by Momaw Nadon (Goals for 2004: Re-elect President Bush, over 60 Republicans in the Senate, and a Republican House.)
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To: Momaw Nadon
That's up to you bub. NOW, TAKE A HIKE... I luv ya, bud.... hahhahahaha!

Yawn... you are soooooooooooo boring.

7 posted on 03/18/2004 4:28:49 PM PST by Lion in Winter
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To: Airborne Longhorn
Glad to oblige, my airborne friend.
8 posted on 03/18/2004 4:29:46 PM PST by Lion in Winter
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To: Lion in Winter
I just asked an honest question.
9 posted on 03/18/2004 4:31:21 PM PST by Momaw Nadon (Goals for 2004: Re-elect President Bush, over 60 Republicans in the Senate, and a Republican House.)
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To: Momaw Nadon
You are a condescending twit. But we luv ya bozo. hahahahaha
10 posted on 03/18/2004 4:42:21 PM PST by Lion in Winter
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