וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֗ל הַגִּ֤ישׁוּ אֵלַי֙ אֶת־אֲגַג֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ עֲמָלֵ֔ק וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ אֵלָ֔יו אֲגַ֖ג מַעֲדַנֹּ֑ת וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲגָ֔ג אָכֵ֖ן סָ֥ר מַר־הַמָּֽוֶת׃ (ס)
Samuel sprach alsdann. Bringet her zu mir den Agag, König von Amalek! Agag ging zu ihm leichten Schrittes, denn [Agag] sprach: Fürwahr, gewichen ist das Bittere des Todes.
Sippurei Maasiyot
[Notes Following the Story]
Rav Nosson adds the following:] Regarding this story [Rebbe Nachman] gave over the teaching (Likutei Moharan Tinyana #12) which discusses khakhmoth (wisdoms/sophistication/cleverness) and temimuth, (innocence)--that the essence of personal wholeness is only temimuth v'pshituth (innocence and simplicity). [It further discusses] the matter of Amalek who was [the epitome of] a "khakham" [casting doubt through constant clever over-analysis], who heretically denied the main point [i.e., Hashem and the True Purpose of life] etc. (See there on the verse in Mishlei (Proverbs) 24, "ShevA` yipoL tzaddiK wekaM/ Seven [times] the tzaddik falls, but rises" — the end-letters of each word spell out `AMaLeK. For the main reason for spiritual falls is khokhmoth [cleverness--always trying to be smart in analyzing and figuring out everything]. Likewise, King Agag, who was a descendant of Amalek, even though he could see his imminent downfall when Samuel arrived...to execute him, he still did not believe, as it says (1 Sam. 15:32), "Agag went ma'adanoth" which Targum Yonatan translates as "went in a self-indulgent manner." For he still did not believe in his immanent demise. Not until the the very end did he see his vanquishment with his eyes, as then [he says], "Has the bitterness of death indeed turned unto me?" For until then, he still did not believe.
Rav Nosson adds the following:] Regarding this story [Rebbe Nachman] gave over the teaching (Likutei Moharan Tinyana #12) which discusses khakhmoth (wisdoms/sophistication/cleverness) and temimuth, (innocence)--that the essence of personal wholeness is only temimuth v'pshituth (innocence and simplicity). [It further discusses] the matter of Amalek who was [the epitome of] a "khakham" [casting doubt through constant clever over-analysis], who heretically denied the main point [i.e., Hashem and the True Purpose of life] etc. (See there on the verse in Mishlei (Proverbs) 24, "ShevA` yipoL tzaddiK wekaM/ Seven [times] the tzaddik falls, but rises" — the end-letters of each word spell out `AMaLeK. For the main reason for spiritual falls is khokhmoth [cleverness--always trying to be smart in analyzing and figuring out everything]. Likewise, King Agag, who was a descendant of Amalek, even though he could see his imminent downfall when Samuel arrived...to execute him, he still did not believe, as it says (1 Sam. 15:32), "Agag went ma'adanoth" which Targum Yonatan translates as "went in a self-indulgent manner." For he still did not believe in his immanent demise. Not until the the very end did he see his vanquishment with his eyes, as then [he says], "Has the bitterness of death indeed turned unto me?" For until then, he still did not believe.