The Book of Deuteronomy is nearing its end, and the Kadoorie Synagogue continues to maintain its minyan strength. It will be about a month before they complete 11 consecutive years of minyan service, which is an incredible benefit for the city and the country.
When read on August 22, 2026, Parashat Ki Teitzei will offer timeless framework lessons directly applicable to Portugal's most pressing contemporary structural crises, including the Jewish question. The most extraordinary Jewish historical event integrated directly into this parashah is the unprovoked attack by Amalek on the vulnerable Israelites wandering in the desert.
After the Exodus from Egypt, as the weary Jewish people traveled through the wilderness, the tribe of Amalek launched a surprise ambush. Rather than fighting a standard military battle, Amalek intentionally targeted the "stragglers"—the elderly, sick, faint, and exhausted traveling at the rear of the nation.
This event reshaped Jewish historical consciousness and divine law in three profound ways:
The Mitzvah of Collective Memory: This narrative serves as the historical anchor for the rare commandment to Zachor (Remember). The Jewish people are explicitly commanded to never forget what Amalek did and to "blot out the memory of Amalek" once they find safety in the Promised Land.
Shabbat Zachor Connection: Because of this specific passage, the concluding section (maftir) of Ki Teitzei is read globally on the high-profile Shabbat immediately preceding Purim. This explicitly links the historical ambush in the desert to the later plot by Haman (an Agagite, descended from the Amalekite king) to annihilate the Jewish people.
The Standard of Pure Evil: In Jewish tradition, Amalek’s ambush is remembered as the ultimate historical archetype of baseless hatred and cruelty. They did not fight for land or resources; they attacked simply to destroy newly freed, exhausted people.
