Parshat Vayikra
This week we began studying the new book of Vaykira-Leviticus. This third book of the Torah, called "Torat Kohanim-The Book of the Kohanim", begins with the words " ויקרא - Vaykira Hashem El Moshe-And G-d called to Moses" (Vayikra 1:1).
What is so unique about this verse is that the letter "Aleph" in the word "Vayikra" is small, one of the very few instances in the entire Torah, where a letter is written either larger or smaller than the rest.
The question is why?
The small Aleph represents humility and our recognition that we must connect to the one true identity -almighty G-d.
As an educator in a Jewish Day School, one of my favorite events of the year is the Siddur Dedication. This ceremony marks when the 1st Grade students receive their very own Siddur-prayer book. At this point in their education, the students have achieved a basic level of mastery of Hebrew reading and the prayers that enables them to graduate from a "baby Siddur" to the "big kid Siddur". They are able to read the Hebrew prayers and participate in the daily prayers, using a Hebrew Siddur. The songs, cute outfits and most of all, the excited look and joy on the faces of our precious students, is something I look forward to all year.
In the Jewish tradition, every day begins with Teffilah-Prayer. These precious morning moments, enable us to connect with Hashem and our 4000 year journey in Jewish history. They are arguably, the most important moments in our day, hence taking our first precious minutes of the day. Throughout our lives, in our happy moments and sad times, we continue to sail on the course charted. Regardless of the heavy rains or fog, we continue our journey to the "Promised Land".
A Siddur is similar to a compass or GPS. It allows us to connect, communicate and feel connected. But in order for the compass to work it must have humility. When we reach out to Hashem with humility and the understanding that we are dependent on His blessing, it creates the proper channel to receive the Almighty's holy blessings and it keeps us steady through thick and thin.
Hence the small Aleph in the word Vayikra. Its all about the humility.
Shabbat Shalom,
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