2. Like an evil serpent that lurks in ambush on the crossroads, so was Amalek an evil serpent before Yisrael, that lurked in wait to ambush them on the crossroads, as written: "how he laid in wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt" (I Shmuel 15:2). And he lurked in ambush up above to defile the Temple, WHICH IS MALCHUT, and lurked down below to defile Yisrael. Whence do we know that? From the verse, "met you by the way" (Devarim 25:18). It is written here: "how he met you (Heb. karcha) by the way," and there: "If there be among you any man, who is not clean by reason of uncleanness that chances (Heb. mikre) by night" (Devarim 23:11). IN BOTH VERSES THE WORDS RELATE TO UNCLEANNESS.
2. מָה חִוְיָא בִּישָׁא כַּמִין עַל פָּרָשַׁת אָרְחִין, אוּף הָכָא נָמֵי עֲמָלֵק, חִוְיָא בִּישָׁא הֲוָה לְגַבַּיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּכַמִין לוֹן עַל פָּרָשַׁת אָרְחִין, דִּכְתִּיב אֲשֶׁר שָׂם לוֹ בַּדֶּרֶךְ בַּעֲלוֹתוֹ מִמִּצְרָיִם. כַּמִין הֲוָה לְעֵילָּא, לְסָאֳבָא מַקְדְּשָׁא. וְכָמִין הֲוָה לְתַתָּא, לְסָאֲבָא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל. מְנָלָן, דִּכְתִּיב אֲשֶׁר קָרְךָ בַּדֶּרֶךְ. כְּתִיב הָכָא אֲשֶׁר קָּרְךָ, וּכְתִיב הָתָם כִּי יִהְיֶה בְךָ אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר לָא טָהוֹר מִקְרֵה לָיְלָה.