There is a requirement for each Jew to wipe out the nation of Amalek. Along with this commandment is to remember and verbalize what Amalek did to us, and our requirement to annihilate them. Chazal decided that we should read parshas zachor before Purim because Haman was a descendant of Amalek. Therefore we first read about our commandment to wipe out Amalek, and afterwards we read about how we overcame and destroyed Haman.
When reading parshas zachor, we must have in mind that we are fulfilling the mitzvah of remembering what Amalek did to us. There are differences of opinion whether women are required to hear parshas zachor.

Rabbi Tzvi Aryeh Hyman, Mir Yeshiva
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