Vayikra - "Can You Hear It?"
By Rabbi Aron Tendler
We all started as one and in the end we all end as one. In the beginning,
G-d created one human called Adam. That human creature was then divided
into the two components of Adam and Chava - male and female. Following that
fundamental division the rest of the countless individuals emerged onto the
stage of history. Each one was born alone and each one died alone. The way
humanity began is the way each of us meets our end - alone and as one.
There are other references in the Torah to the concept of being one and
alone. When G-d decided to destroy the world he saved humanity in the
merits of one man - Noach. "Because in this entire generation I have found
only you to be righteous." (Ber. 6:1)
Avraham was the one-person in his generation to undertake the
responsibility of emulating G-d's Chesed (kindness). In his merit the
Jewish nation was born.
As a nation the evil Bilam described us as, "A nation that dwells alone."
(Bamid. 23:9)
Yitzchak was described by G-d as, "Your son, your only son…" (Ber. 222:2)
Yakov was chosen from among two to be the third of the Avos.
Yoseph was chosen from among the twelve sons to be enslaved first.
Moshe emerged as the one person to lead the Jews out of bondage. He argued
with G-d to choose his brother Aharon, but in the end it was Moshe who
ascended Sinai to receive the Torah, not Aharon.
Following the sin of the Golden Calf Aharon was the one person chosen to be
the Kohain Gadol (high priest)l. The Kohain Gadol is the one and only
person who can enter the Holy of Holies on the single most holy day.
I think you get my point.
At the beginning of this week's Parsha, G-d "called to Moshe and spoke to
him from the Ohel Moed." Rashi referenced Torahs Kohanim that explained
that the voice of G-d was loud enough to be heard by the entire world, yet
it was restricted to within the four walls of the Meeting Tent. In theory
every person in the world should have heard G-d speak, instead, only Moshe
heard the voice of G-d.
My Grandfather Zt'l questioned why G-d did not just speak in a voice that
only Moshe could hear? Why speak in a voice that was loud enough to be
heard by the entire world yet make sure that only Moshe could hear it. I
would like to share with you one of his answers.
My Grandfather explained that there is a tremendous power in being
commanded. Contrast in your own mind the difference between being asked to
do something by the President of the United States with being asked to do
something by the President's Chief of Staff. In either situation being
personally identified by the office of the President would be a compliment.
However, a direct meeting or phone call from the President would be a far
more powerful motivator than the same request delivered by the President's
Chief of Staff.
In the aftermath of Matan Torah, the Jews were on the level of prophets.
Each person was worthy of being the direct recipient of G-d's wishes. Had
they not sinned with the Golden Calf, G-d would not have restricted His
manifest presence to "between the wing span of the two Keruvim." However,
after sinning, G-d withdrew from within the being of each Jew and secreted
Himself within the Holy of Holies. Thereafter, G-d's words would be only be
heard by Moshe Rabbeinu.
Although Moshe was the only person worthy of hearing the voice of G-d, the
truth was that the voice of G-d was loud enough to be heard by the entire
world, if only they had been worthy. Therefore, Rashi explained that G-d's
voice was powerful enough to shatter the great cedar trees of Lebanon but
G-d stopped it at the door of the Ohel Moed.
My Grandfather explained that knowing that the voice was loud enough to be
heard if only we had been worthy obligates each of us as if we had heard
the commandments from G-d's own voice.
Imagine if a foreman had difficulty hearing because the noise at the
job-site made it impossible to hear normal speech from a normal distance.
The boss shows up with his personal secretary to give some instruction. Due
to the noise, the foreman can only see the Boss's lips moving but his voice
is unintelligible. Recognizing that his foreman had not heard his
instructions he sends his secretary to speak directly into his ear. As far
as the foreman is concerned, the voice of the secretary is the voice of his
Boss. Regardless of the fact that he did not hear the actual voice of the
Boss, he knows that the Boss was the one who gave the instructions, not the
secretary.
Knowing that G-d's voice was loud enough to be heard if only we were
deserving was the same as hearing the instructions from the secretary with
the Boss standing there. The knowledge obligated each Jew as if hearing it
from G-d Himself.
The book of Vayikra is a compendium of laws intended to create the ideal
relationship between G-d and human. It frames every expression of devotion,
thanksgiving, atonement, subjectivity, elation, and hope in detailed
service and ceremony. It presumes a Mishkan or Bais Hamikdash, the various
vessels and religious appointments, the Kohanim, Leviyim and a united nation.
However, central to the entire process is the individual. It is the
individual who is born into the world crying and kicking. It is the
individual who struggles to understand his or her place within the limited
society of family and the far more complex society of community. It is the
individual who battles the natural dichotomy of freewill within the
ever-challenging demands and pressures of self and conscience. It is the
individual who must ultimately stand alone before G-d in final judgment.
The G-d of the Jews - our G-d, is a personal G-d. As individuals we have
the right and the ability to engage Him in personal dialogue. Three times a
day we stand alone before G-d and confront our choseness. Much of our
identity is tied up in family, community, and nationality. In fact, our
eternal quality is the indisputable result of our nation's Divine
protection; however, the individual must still stand-alone. We cannot hide
behind the greatness of the past or the miracle of our historic survival.
It is the consequences of our own personal relationship with G-d that is
the final arbitrator of our success or failure.
Many sub-cultures within Judaism have attempted to replace individual
devotion with communal commitment. Unfortunately, they have disappeared
within the pages of history and the cultures of many foreign lands. The
greatness of our continuity has always been, "When a man among you brings
an offering to G-d… (1:3)
Individuals have always been the backbone of our existence. It was the
courage of Nachshon that parted the sea, and the infinite value of every
human that dictates the dignity of life. It was Aharon's love that saved
the Jews at the time of the Golden Calf and his same love that effected
forgiveness in the Holy of Holies. One man brought Torah to us, and the
transmission of those same Divine truths have passed from individual to
individual, from parent to child, from teacher to student for over 3,000
years.
In the final analysis, we truly stand alone before G-d. In the final
analysis we are each held responsible for our personal relationship with
the Creator. In the final analysis, through the power of our love for each
other we must become a nation of individuals molded into a single cohesive
whole. In the final analysis we are judged by how clearly we each heard the
voice of G-d.
Parshas Zachor
This week, in addition to the regular Parsha, we read Parshas Zachor.
Parshas Zachor is the 2nd of the four special Shabbosim preceding Pesach
when additional portions are read from the Torah. The first special Shabbos
was Parshas Shekalim. This week we read Zachor, and in a few weeks we will
read Parah and Chodesh. There are set rules which determine when each of
these additional Parshios is to be read. Parshas Zachor is always read on
the Shabbos before Purim.
On Parshas Zachor, we read the additional Parsha found in Divarim, 25:17.
As a nation, we were commanded to destroy the nation of Amalek. This nation
came into existence at the same time as we did. Eisav's son Elifaz had a
son Amalek. Eisav and Elifaz's legacy to Amalek was an undying hatred
against the children of Yakov.
At the time of the exodus from Egypt, Amalek traveled hundreds of miles to
ambush the newly freed nation in the hope of destroying them. We, as a
nation, did not pose any threat to their sovereignty. They lived to the
east of Canaan and were not among the Seven Nations occupying Eretz
Yisroel. Nevertheless, their irrational hatred against Hashem and us
compelled them to attack a harmless and seemingly defenseless nation. In
the aftermath of their attack we were commanded to always remember the evil
that is Amalek. It is the reading of this Parsha that is the fulfillment of
this Biblical commandment. This mitzvah, according to most authorities, is
not restricted by time and must be fulfilled by men and woman.
The Rabbi's selected the Shabbos before Purim for the fulfillment of this
Mitzvah because Haman was a direct descendent of Amalek, and Mordecai was a
direct descendent of King Saul. The entire story of Purim is directly
linked to this Mitzvah and the missed opportunity of King Saul that we read
about in the Haftorah.
Copyright © 2003 by Rabbi Aron Tendler
and Project Genesis, Inc.
The author is Rabbi of Shaarey Zedek Congregation,
Valley Village, CA.
