Parshas Vayikra
Moshe Did Not Intend To Drop A Letter From The Torah
These divrei Torah were adapted from the hashkafa portion of Rabbi Yissocher
Frand's Commuter Chavrusah Torah Tapes on the weekly Torah portion: Tape
#410, The Obligation to Testify. Good Shabbos!
The last letter of the opening word in the book of Vayikra is a
small-sized Aleph. Rashi cites the Medrash that Moshe Rabbeinu really
desired to write the word "VaYikar" rather than the word "VaYikra." The
two words have vastly different connotations. G-d's conversations with
Bilaam are described using the verb "VaYikar," indicating a nonchalant,
"by the way," type of approach. "Vayikra" introduces a conversation based
on endearment, calling a person directly by their name.
In his modesty, Moshe did not want to make himself look better than Bilaam
and wanted the pasuk [verse] to give the impression of "VaYikar."
Consequently, the word "Vayikra" appears with a small Aleph.
The Chasam Sofer is troubled by this Medrash. Moshe Rabbeinu was not the
General Editor of the Torah, with literary license to change words or
change spellings of the text dictated to him by G-d. G-d alone was the
Author and Editor of the Chumash. The Chasam Sofer interprets the Medrash
based on the Ramban's introduction to his commentary on Chumash. The
Ramban writes that the pristine Torah in its original form had no spaces
between the words -- it was just a string of letters which could be broken
up and interpreted in an infinite variety of ways.
Therefore, Moshe did not wish to remove the letter Aleph. He just wanted to
separate it from the rest of the word (so that the opening pasuk would read
"Vayikar 'Aleph.'" There is in fact a precedent in the Torah for a one
letter word. In Parshas Ha'Azinu, the prefix "Hay" is separated from the
rest of the word in the question "Ha - L'Hashem Tigmilu Zos?" (Is this the
way you treat G-d?) [Devorim 32:6]. Therefore, find such a construction
already occurs in the Torah. Heaven forbid that Moshe intended to drop a
letter from the Torah. He merely had wanted the word Vayikra to be broken
up, such that a space appears before the Aleph.
Mincha Offering: Leavening Agents and Honey: No. Salt: Yes
"All meal offerings brought near before Hashem should not be prepared
leavened for you shall not cause to go up in smoke from any leavening or any
honey as a fire-offering to Hashem" [Vayikra 2:11]. The lesson of this pasuk
is that the Mincha offering must be pure flour -- no foreign ingredients can
be added to enhance the basic requirement of the meal offering.
Nevertheless, two pasukim later, the pasuk says that there needs to be an
additive that accompanies the offering: "You shall salt your every meal
offering with salt..." [2:13]. Not only CAN salt be added, it MUST be added.
Rav Mordechai Gifter explains the difference between the leavening agent
and the sweetening agent on the one hand -- that are forbidden -- and
salt, that is required. Rav Gifter explains that extraneous elements are
forbidden from offerings. The recipe for a Korban can not be improved upon
-- neither by the use of a leavening agent to make it rise nor by the use
of a sweetening agent to improve its taste. Salt is different, however,
because salt brings out the taste which pre-exists in the flour offering.
Salt enhances the natural taste that already exists in the food.
Some people salt watermelon. They claim that it "brings out the
sweetness." When we salt our food, we are not adding an extraneous taste;
we are enhancing the pre-existing taste.
Rav Gifter says that this is the nature of spirituality. In seeking
spirituality, a person should not introduce extraneous additives. A person
should not try to be someone that he is not or act in a way that does not
really represent his real self. In developing one's spirituality, a person
needs to work on bringing the essence of his own real spiritual personality
to the fore.
When a person brings sacrifices as a form of Service of G-d, he is trying to
develop his spiritual personality by becoming a Servant of G-d (an 'oved').
When engaged in a quest for spirituality, a person should not try to take on
foreign practices that do not represent his real soul. The goal should
always be to try and bring out the best of your own self within the context
of who you really are.
Rav Naftali Amsterdam was a disciple of Rav Yisrael Salanter. He once came
to his teacher and said, "Rebbi, if I had the head of the Shagas Aryeh and
if I had the soul of the author of the Yesod v'Shoresh haAvodah and if I had
your personality traits (midos) -- then I could truly be a Servant of G-d."
Rav Yisrael responded to him, "Naftali -- with your head and with your heart
and with your personality traits you can be Naftali Amsterdam. That is all
you have to be. You do not need to be the Shagas Aryeh or Reb Yisroel
Salanter or anybody else."
This is the idea of "Salt it with salt": One must be who he is. Adding
sweeteners or leavening agents changes the nature of a substance. "That's
not you!" But salt, brings out the true flavor. This is what we are supposed
to strive for in our Service of G-d.
Nothing To Pray For?
The Book of Vayikra is the book of Korbonos [Sacrifices]. Nowadays, due to
our sins, we no longer have the Bais HaMikdash [Temple] and we are no longer
able to offer sacrifices. But in lieu of sacrifices we have an alternate
form of Service to G-d -- namely, our prayers. This is unfortunately a pale
facsimile. But, we are fortunate that G-d granted us the medium of prayer to
reach out to Him and serve Him in lieu of sacrifices.
A student told me the following story. There was a Shabbaton sponsored by
Camp Simcha Chai Lifeline (a camp for children with cancer). The Shabbaton
was for the campers as well as their siblings, parents, and family members.
There were sessions with Rabbis and psychologists to help the attendees deal
with their, often desperate, situations.
My student was sitting with a man who unfortunately has a daughter with
cancer. She was undergoing chemotherapy and had lost all her hair. My
student happened to mention that he was looking for a position in Jewish
education and the gentleman tried to convince him to move to his
community.
He began reciting the praises of his community. "The people are friendly,
the rents are reasonable." He went on and on describing a wonderful
community. Finally he said, "There is only one problem with our community.
It is a one shul town and people talk during davening [prayers]."
My student told him, "Well, unfortunately that's the way it is in many
places. In that sense, your community is not unique."
The father looked down at his daughter and then complained to my student,
"I guess some people have nothing to daven [pray] for. That is why they
can talk during davening."
This write-up was adapted from the hashkafa portion of Rabbi Yissocher
Frand's Commuter Chavrusah Torah Tape series on the weekly Torah portion.
The complete list of halachic topics covered in this series for Parshas
Tezaveh are provided below:
Also Available: Mesorah / Artscroll has published a collection
of Rabbi Frand's essays. The book is entitled:
