I
"Zachor es asher asa lecha Amalek...asher karcha baderech - Remember what Amalek did to you...that they happened upon you" (Devarim 25:17-18). Rashi explains "karcha" to indicate something happening by chance - mikreh. Amalek represents the idea of chance happenings which are devoid of Divine Providence. "Va'ye'sa'per Haman l'Zerech ishto u'l'kol ohavov es kol ahser karahu - Haman told his wife and friends all that had happened to him" (Esther 6:13). Haman was the descendant of Amalek who happened upon you (Esther Rabbah 8:5). He attributed everything to chance sued the casting of lots, a random selection method, to choose the date on which to destroy us. The holiday of our victory, aptly named Purim - Lots, resulted from our realization that Hashem guides world events and as such our cries and repentance can save us.
In the Sinai desert Am Yisrael doubted if Hashem was in their midst and determining whether they would have water to drink (Shemos 17:1-2). After recording Hashem's revealing to us the miraculous well which provided water to us throughout our sojourn in the desert, the Torah relates the attack of Amalek - "va'ya'vo Amalek va'yi'lachem b'Yisrael - Amalek came and battled Yisrael" (Shemos 17:8). Rashi explains that the juxtaposition of pessukim teaches us that the attack of Amalek, who denies Hashem's involvement in daily life, was a result of our lack of faith. "I am always among you and prepared to address all of your needs, and you say (17:7) 'Is Hashem in our midst or not?' By your life, the dog (i.e. Amalek) will come and bite you causing you to cry out to me and you will know where I am" (Rashi).
Unlike Amalek, Am Yisrael never denied Hashem's presence, they merely doubted it. However, in matters of fundamental faith there can be no room for doubt. Indeed, the gematria of Amalek is safek - doubt. Eliminating doubt regarding principles of faith is, thus, a fulfillment of the mitzvah (25:19) of wiping out Amalek.
Kar'cha, which we translated before to mean "happened upon you" also means "cooled you off" (as in kar - cold). Rashi (25:18) explains that until Amalek attacked we were viewed by potential enemies as "too hot to touch", but once Amalek attacked, the other enemies felt able to attack as well. Alternatively we can understand this "cooling" to mean that our boiling heat, i.e. our fiery "bren" and passion in the service of Hashem, was cooled by their attack. As such, restoring that passion is a fulfillment of wiping out Amalek as well.
II
The two dangers of Amalek, casting doubt and reducing passion, are closely related. It is impossible to be passionate about a doubtful premise. Theological weakness inevitably leads to laxity in observance.
Hashem instructs us: Beware lest you forget the day that Hashem spoke to you from the midst of the fire. It may not be removed from your heart all your days, and you must inform your children and grandchildren (Devarim 4:9-12). The Ramban understood this charge to include not forgetting the revelation at Sinai, Hashem's greatness, and the words that we heard from the midst of the fire, and also transmitting it to our descendants forever. He further explains that Hashem revealed Himself in order that we fear Him and teach this all to our children for all generations.
Hashem said to Moshe "I will appear to you in a thick cloud, so that the people will hear as I speak to you, and they will also believe in you forever." (Shemos 19:9) The Ramban (ibid) explains: when we teach the revelation to our children, they will know it is true without a doubt as if they saw it themselves, for we will not testify falsely to our children. They will believe with certainty a) that we all saw [the revelation] with our own eyes and b) all that we tell them.
Certain and everlasting faith does not emerge from philosophical inquiry. It requires the belief that our fathers and mothers are telling the truth which they received from their parents (see Family Redeemed by Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik, p. 58, 115). Torah's principles are articulated by our Torah leaders in every generation, from Moshe until today, who transmit them to their disciples. Its passion is rooted in the fire of Sinai and has, and must continue to be, passed from one generation to another.
For hundreds of years the accepted fundamentals of faith have been the thirteen principles of faith articulated by the Rambam (for further discussion of the indispensability of these principles, see What Must a Jew Believe? Foundational Beliefs and Their Practical Implications, by Rabbi Michael Rosensweig). In the siddur these principles are prefaced by the words, "I believe with complete faith," emphasizing the aforementioned need for absolute and unconditional faith. Such complete faith is a prerequisite for the passionate self-sacrifice required for proper religious observance. Furthermore, historically, the capacity to make the ultimate sacrifice of kiddush Hashem, forfeiting one's life to sanctify Hashem's name when called upon to do so, is linked to, and accompanied by, pure and simple faith. (Chasid Yaavetz, Or Hachaim Chapter 5).
III
Recently, some have doubted the substance and normative nature of the Rambam's principles. The principles they question include the Divine authorship of the entire Torah, the institution of prophecy, and the coming of a human messiah. Not unexpectedly, significant controversy has ensued.
Some of these doubts are expressed in the spirit of modernity or openness. These popular notions resonate in a world of post-modernism and non-judgmentalism. However, principles of faith require certainty and passion. The term Orthodox, which literally means "straight knowledge", requires its adherents to unquestionably affirm all of its time-honored principles of faith. Abandonment of this certainty affects religious observance as well.
"Milchama la'Hashem ba'Amalek mi'dor dor - Hashem maintains a war against Amalek, from generation to generation" (Shemos 17:16), meaning forever. Rav Hutner (Pachad Yitzchak, Purim p. 65) interprets that Amalek causes a "generation gap", seducing children to scoff at the traditions of their parents and teachers. To overcome Amalek, we must close that gap by seamlessly transmitting absolute and passionate faith to the next generations of Orthodox Jews.