Vayikra

B”SD

 

Parshas Vayikra Ch 1 v 1

"Vayikra - And He called to Moshe and Hashem spoke to him from the Ohel Mo'ed (the Tent of Meeting)

Rashi teaches us Vayikra means to be called, but in a loving way, as opposed to the words used when speaking to the prophet Bilaam, that was more impersonal a way of happening on him for a reason, but not a calling with love. This sedra deals with purity, the laws of the Kohanim (Priests) and the offerings, to give of ourselves, something material in doing so we achieve closeness to Hashem.  

Do we hear when G-d calls us, we learn only Moshe heard the calling he had a finely tuned spiritual receptor!

http://ohr.edu/5112

Why Can’t I Hear G-d Talking To Me?

“And He called...”(1:1)

The London Symphony Orchestra takes its place on the podium of the Royal Albert Hall. The large double basses mournfully tune up. The piccolos prance from one octave to another. The dull dooming thud of a muted timpani is heard. Two swift taps of the baton on the lectern. The cacophony ceases, replaced by a mighty chord played by eighty instruments. The chord grows longer and longer and louder and louder. The entire audience is enthralled in rapt attention. The entire audience, that is, except a rather eccentric gentleman leaning over the balcony. He seems somewhat distracted. He keeps looking this way and that. His concentration is anywhere except on the music. It’s not surprising, however, for covering his ears are a large pair of canary yellow plastic sound-excluders. The sort that you see ground crews use when they refuel airplanes.

After a couple of minutes the next-door neighbor to this fellow cannot contain himself any longer. He leans over the balcony and starts gesturing to the fellow, pointing at the sound-excluders and miming “Your ears are blocked! You can’t hear anything because your ears are blocked!” The other fellow scrunches up his brow, cocks his head to one side as if to say, “What are you saying?” So once again the other points to the sound excluders and mimes even more loudly than before, “You can’t hear anything because your ears are blocked!”

The other fellow finally realizes that someone is trying to communicate with him and so he takes off his canary yellow sound-excluders and says blithely to the other, “I’m sorry. I can’t hear you. You see, my ears are blocked.”

Look at the world. It’s not a pretty picture. I don’t want to spoil your Shabbat, but I’m sure it comes as no surprise to you that world-wide poverty is on the increase, that our natural resources are dwindling at an alarming rate and that selfishness, greed and intolerance are as popular as ever.

Where is G-d? Is this a G-dly world?

No. This is not the world that G-d wants. It’s the world that man wants. G-d has created man as the being that chooses. This is man’s unique privilege — and his responsibility. There can be no choice without the potential to choose incorrectly. A world where choice has no consequences is, effectively, a world without choice. The world looks like it does because man chooses it to be this way, and most of the time man’s choices are dominated by his own selfishness.

The spiritual Masters teach that when G-d spoke to Moshe He spoke in voice that was overpoweringly loud, a voice that was vast enough to pulverize mighty trees. Nevertheless, the only one person who heard the voice was our Teacher, Moshe. And when Moshe heard that voice it sounded to him like a loving and gentle summons: “Moshe, Moshe...”

G-d’s voice is the loudest thing in this world. If we can’t hear it that’s because our ears are plugged with the wax of our own selfishness and egos, the detritus of ignoring the Designer and His design for this world.

• Sources: Rashi; Sifra

We are taught this Parsha is a good place to start teaching our kids Chumash Vayikra where the purity of a child meets the laws of purity and achieving closeness in service to Hashem.

http://ohr.edu/2117

Root And Branch

"And he called" (1:1)

If you look at a tree and see healthy branches, you can be sure that its roots are strong.

When a young child takes his first steps in learning Torah, you would think that he starts by learning "In the beginning of G-ds creating the heavens and the earth" and from there he slowly works his way to the end of the Five Books.

However, many Torah education experts start not with the Book of Bereshet but with the volume that we start reading in synagogue this week, the third of the Torahs volumes, Vayikra.

What is the reason to start with Vayikra?

Firstly, its easy to misunderstand the opening chapters of the Torah. They contain many deep mystical ideas which are understood only by the wisest and holiest people in each generation.

However, there is another reason. The Book of Vayikra is principally concerned with sacrifices. By teaching our children the book of Vayikra first, we are inculcating the knowledge that Torah can only thrive in someone who is prepared to sacrifice his time, his ego, and his pursuit of worldly pleasure to achieve its crown.

In a similar vein, Rabbi Meir Shapiro of Lublin (the founder of the Daf Yomi cycle of Torah study that recently completed its 11^th seven-year cycle on March 1^st) explains the saying of our Sages "Be watchful of the children of the poor, for from them the Torah will come forth."A Torah education does not come cheaply. For someone who has trouble making ends meet, the self-sacrifice required to give ones children a good Torah education is considerable. The Torah of these children comes through difficulty, from self-denial. Because the Torah of the "children of the poor" is earned through hardship and self-sacrifice, it has a staying power which lasts for generations.

If the branches look strong, the roots must be stronger.

• Based on the Avnei Ezel in Mayana shel Torah

The small Aleph in VAYIKRa

Many commentators discuss why the first word to call has a small Aleph, many claiming it is indicative of Moshe’s humility, he did not want to show off how lovingly Hashem had approached him, so he wrote the Aleph small.

http://ohr.edu/3429

The Big A

“And He called…” (1:1)

Scene One. The bridge of the USS Lincoln, one stormy night off the coast of Newfoundland; a dim green blip suddenly appears on the radar screen.

USS Lincoln (to Canadian Naval authorities): Please divert your course 15 degrees to the North to avoid a collision.

Canadians: Recommend you divert YOUR course 15 degrees to the South to avoid a collision.

USS Lincoln: This is the Captain of a US Navy ship. I say again, divert YOUR course.

Canadians: No. I say again, you divert YOUR course.

USS Lincoln: THIS IS THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS LINCOLN, THE SECOND LARGEST SHIP IN THE UNITED STATES’ ATLANTIC FLEET. WE ARE ACCOMPANIED BY THREE DESTROYERS, THREE CRUISERS AND NUMEROUS SUPPORT VESSELS. I DEMAND THAT YOU CHANGE YOUR COURSE 15 DEGREES NORTH, THAT’S ONE FIVE DEGREES NORTH, OR COUNTER-MEASURES WILL BE UNDERTAKEN TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THIS SHIP.

Canadians: This is a lighthouse. Your call…

A little humility goes a long way.

If you look at a Torah Scroll you will see that the first word of the Book of Vayikra (Leviticus) is written in an unusual fashion. The last letter of Vayikra — the aleph — is written much smaller than the rest of the word.

Why is the aleph small?

When G-d told Moshe to write the word Vayikra “And He called”, Moshe didn’t want to write that last aleph.It seemed to Moshe that it gave him too much importance.How could he write that G-d called to him?Who was he, after all? A mere man. Moshe would have preferred to write Vayikar — “And He happened (upon him).”In other words G-d just “came across” Moshe, He didn’t “go out of His way” to appear to him.

In spite of Moshe’s protestations, G-d told him to write Vayikra — “And He called”.Moshe put the aleph at the end of the word as G-d had commanded him — but he wrote it small.

What’s in a small aleph?

The aleph is the letter that represents the will, the ego. It is the first letter of the word for “I” — ‘Ani’. When a person sees himself as the Big A, the Big Aleph, Number One, he is usurping the crown of He who is One.

When a person sees himself as no more than a small aleph, then he makes room for the Divine Presence to dwell in him. His head is not swollen with the cotton candy of self-regard.

Moshe was the humblest of all men. Moshe made himself so little that he was barely in this world at all. He didn’t even want to be a small aleph. He, as no man before or since, saw that there is only one aleph in all of Creation, only one Number One — G-d.

Moshe made his own aleph — his ego — so small, that he merited that the Torah was given through him.

When Moshe had finished writing the Torah, some ink was left in his pen. As he passed the pen across his forehead the drops of ink became beams of light shining from his visage.

That extra ink that was left in Moshe’s pen was the ink that should have gone to write the Big Aleph; instead it became a corona of shining light to adorn the humblest of men.

• Sources: Ba’al Haturim, Midrash Tanchuma Ki Tisa 37, MiTa’amim in Iturei Torah

As stated above Rashi states Vayikra is to call lovingly reflecting the warm relationship Hashem had with Moshe, with Bilaam the encounter with Hashem is not loving a need arose and G-d appeared, – i.e. he happened on him, Rashi Ztl. points out to us that the cold encounter word is the same type of encounter as when Amalek happened upon Israel, but it was not in love and purity, Rashi points out the “Kr” without an Aleph is the same root as for Keri – Keri is a type of impurity!

The Value of an offering according to affordability:

Animals or birds or flour according to what a person could afford, Hashem teaches us that both the bird offerings (offered by poorer man) and the animal offerings (by those who could afford more) are a sweet and savour to him, highlighting the importance is the purity and desire of the giver’s heart – in this case value and size does not matter, you give according to your means.

Despite what you can afford Hashem looks to the hearts intent of an offering:

http://ohr.edu/1519

A LITTLE IS A LOT

"A satisfying aroma to Hashem." (1:9)

The Rema in his gloss to the Shulchan Aruch says that when a person drinks on Purim, he doesn't need to enter a binge that will leave him with fuzzy edges for days afterwards. Quite the reverse: "It is the same whether one does much or whether one does a little, provided the intention of his heart is for our Father who is in Heaven."

There is an interesting parallel to this idea in this week's Parsha: When a person brings an elevation offering, he may bring either cattle, sheep, birds or fine flour. After each of these categories, the Torah uses the phrase "a satisfying aroma to Hashem." Obviously, cattle are more expensive than sheep, which are more expensive than fowl, which are more expensive than flour. If the Torah wanted to tell us that G-d views all these offerings equally, wouldn't it have been enough to say that fine flour is "a satisfying aroma," and we would make the logical inference that fowl, sheep and cattle are certainly "a satisfying aroma?"

The answer is that, had the Torah left this lesson to a fortiori logic, we might have mistakenly assumed that fine flour is "satisfying" and fowl all the more so; sheep are yet more acceptable, and cattle, most of all.

Thus, the Torah writes after each category "a satisfying aroma" to teach that whether our offerings are large or small, G-d looks at them absolutely equally provided our intentions are for the sake of Heaven.

"It is the same whether one does much or whether one does a little, provided the intention of his heart is for our Father who is in Heaven"

Heard from Rabbi Mordechai Perlman

Thoughts and Insights into the Offerings

We learnt in a prior post that Kidney’s and Livers are removed, the Kuzari Yehuda Ha Levi wrote these organs detoxify the body, I read and interesting insight into the blood and fats that were also removed from the Korban:

http://ohr.edu/3060

“…and throw the blood on the Altar…” (1:5)

Of the great battles of history, the struggle to get out of bed in the morning ranks with El Alamein and Gettysburg.

Many early-morning Napoleons have met their Waterloo when faced with the supreme effort of raising themselves from the torpor of slumber into the harsh light of day.

In 1858, the Russian writer Ivan Goncharov published the novel Oblomov . The eponymous central character famously fails to leave his bed for the first 150 pages of the novel, and Oblomov has become a Russian archetype of sloth and inertia.

On the other hand, we need no wake up call on the first day of our vacation. We spring out of bed with all the alacrity and enthusiasm of an athlete. Similarly, our self-sacrifice in being the first in the lunch queue or the opening morning of the spring sales is legion.

Once there was a certain scribe who went off to learn Torah in the Beit HaMidrash. While he was gone, someone came to buy a pair of tefillin from him. His children said that their father wasn’t home, and so the would-be buyer went and bought from someone else. When the scribe returned and found out what had happened he was furious that no one had come to fetch him from the Beit HaMidrash.

A few days later, the scribe was again learning in the Beit HaMidrash when a tax inspector came knocking at the door of his home. Remembering their father’s previous wrath, the children hastened to summon him to the house. His reaction when confronted with this unwelcome visitor needs no description.

“…and throw the blood on the Altar…” (1:5)

In Judaism, we have “do mitzvot” and “don’t-do mitzvot”, and G-d has given us the character traits to accomplish both.

Every korban (offering) required that both the blood and the fat be placed on the altar. Blood represents alacrity, and thus it atones for running to do a “don’t-do”mitzvah — for example when we rush to say a juicy piece of gossip rather than tarry and avoid it.

Fat symbolizes lethargy, and it atones for indolence and non-performance of “do mitzvot” — when we wear the snooze button down on our alarm clock instead of getting out of bed to go to shul.

“Do mitzvot” require alacrity to begin and finish them. “Don’t-do mitzvot” need all the sluggardliness of a bed bug to keep us far from trouble.

Salt – The Lower water’s complaint was appeased by offer to use salt on the Alter!

A few year’s ago it was Seudah Shlishis and during this holy zman after singing beautiful Zmirot Rabbi Aurbach rose and spoke a vort in the name of the late Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky ztl.

Rashi brings down that on the second day of creation, there is no mention of it being Good, we learn out it is because on this day there was a splitting of the waters, an argument occurred that is the lower waters complained that the upper waters in the sky and heavens were close to the heavenly throne, and that it was unfair they would be so far removed from the Heavens and reside in a lowly place, and Hashem appeased them by telling them not to fear, that when the Mishkan and Temple will be built, and the sacrifices will be brought the service would be done with the salt of the lower waters.  This is quite a well-known Rashi, but what is it coming to teach us?!… This is where Rabbi Yaakov of blessed memory opens up our eyes…

The Salt of the lower water’s, was obtained by digging pits near the edge of the ocean, as the tides approached the water filled into the pits, when the tides receded the water in the pits evaporated leaving the salt residue.  The Salt was actually found in the lowest part of the lowest waters, Rav Yaakov ztl is telling us the vort is teaching us that we should not judge other people who appear lowly, because humble lowly people are suitable receptacles, vessels that have the potential to hold and contain or house the holy Shechina, yes Rabbi Yaakov is telling us be very careful not to judge a lowly person as that soul may be unbelievably high up in a spiritual sense!   We see this concept in the Torah where it teaches us to be gentle with widows and orphans, and strangers these are vulnerable people, in their fears they communicate and come close to Hashem – for if they cry out against you I will surely listen to them!  I was thinking Kal ve Chomer what if these souls bless you for your kindness to them, Hashem will heed their calls and what Blessing may come your way - just a thought.

"Rabbi Yochanan said, 'Wherever you find mention of the greatness of the Holy One, Blessed Be He, there you will also find mention of his humility. This phenomenon is written in the Torah, repeated in the Prophets, and stated a third time in the Sacred Writings.'

"It is written in the Torah, 'For Hashem, your G-d, is the G-d of heavenly forces, the Master of masters, the great, mighty and awesome G-d, Who shows no favouritism and accepts no bribe' (Devarim 10:17). "And afterwards it is written, 'He performs justice for the orphan and the widow, and loves the stranger, to give him food and clothing. (Devarim 10:18)…."

Prophets Isaiah 57 v15

“So says the High and Exalted One, who lives for ever and whose name is Holy: I live in a high and holy place, but also with the contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.”

Writings Psalm 68:4-5

Sing to G-d, sing praises to his name; Lift up a song for Him who rides in the deserts, Whose name is the L-rd, and exult before him; Father of the fatherless and a judge of widows is G-d in his holy habitation.

More on humility and the offerings:

Our sedra teaches us the deep fried offering was not to include Leaven (similar theme to the Chometz we rid of ourselves of as we approach Passover, Chometz represent something inflated and haughty that is why we clean out our houses of Chometz, We are not even seen with it, we disown any semblence of bread and substitute it for the flat uninflated Matzah – the poor man’s bread. 

It is a great Mitzvah to invite those who cannot afford a good passover meal to join our Seder night. This is an opening remark in the Haggadah of Pesach. If there are any poor men let them come in and eat!)

http://ohr.edu/1612

"When a man from among you brings an offering to G-d"

I remember, as a child, walking home one night from the underground station. It was a long twenty-minute walk. The misty night and the yellowish-orange street lamps made those chill London streets a bit like something out of an old Ealing movie.

Over my shoulder, I could see my reflection shorten as I got nearer to each street lamp, and then begin to lengthen in front of me as I moved away from it. At some point in the middle, the competing light from both lamps would extinguish my shadow altogether for a second or two. The sound of my shoes clicking on the concrete echoed through the empty streets. I was quite alone.

I thought to myself the only person who can see me is me. I began to imagine myself in a film. I was the cast, the crew, the writer and the director all rolled into one.

I suppose that most of us at some point have had a similar daydream, the feeling that our existence is perceived by no one but ourselves.

The nature of a child is that he sees himself as the center of existence. The minimum definition of adulthood is that I no longer see myself as the center of all things. I know that G-d is the center. (According to this definition, not too many of us escape puberty.)

At the center of our lives there is a battle, a battle between the ego on the one hand, that sees itself as the essential existence around which all else revolves, and the neshama, the soul, that knows that it is a piece of G-dliness, of holiness from on High.

This is the essential battle of our lives: to wean ourselves away from ourselves and return ourselves to the One, to the true Center of all.

"When a man from among you brings an offering to G-d"

The only true offering that we can bring to G-d is us ourselves, our egos. That is the offering that is truly "from among you".

 

May we get rid of the Ego the Chometz, and use this holy time to come closer and renew with vigour our service and love of Hakodesh Baruch Hu,  Have a peaceful and blessed Shabbos!

Michael