Parasha Vayikra 5782
"The mezuzah doesn't complain either"
“He called Moses” (Vayikra 1:1)
As we have explained previously in the Sefer Torah the final letter "Alef" of the word "Vayikra" (I call) is written smaller than the other letters. This is known as an Alef zeira or small Alef, in Aramaic the word "Alef" means "to teach" and zeira also connotes "young" or "small", so Alef zeira can be read as "teach the little children" What the sages explain is that we should begin teaching Torah to our children starting from the book of Leviticus.
Rabbeinu Yaakov Baal HaTurim mentions "that the letter aleph in the word Vayikra (and he called) is
It is written smaller than the rest of the letters because Moshe wanted to write Vaikar, as it is written regarding Bilam, that is, the Creator only appeared to him through
chance (mikreh). But God told him to write the aleph, and Moses added a smaller one.
The Kli Yakar says that the small aleph refers to learning, as in “alfecha chochma” (I will teach you wisdom) (John 33:33). This teaches that learning only endures in one who diminishes himself.
The importance of humility is expressed in the quality of "equivalence," as the great work Chovot HaLevavot says, that the praise and criticism one receives should be considered equivalent. This was the quality
that Moshe Rabbeinu had. Therefore, if we see a person who is suspicious of honor and runs away from it, that is proof that he has not yet reached the true level of humility, because if he did not attach any importance to honor, he would not have to run away.
of the same.
In the book Chasidim Mesaprim, it is told that the tzadik Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu of Zvolin ztzk”l was sitting at his Shabbat table. His students came and told him that a certain Chasid, a talmid chacham (wise student), was in the Bet HaMidrash (house of study), complaining that he had not been invited to spend Shabbat in an honorable place…
The Rabbi told them: “There’s no reason to get angry. Tell him that the mezuzah, which is obviously full of Torah and holiness, doesn’t complain about being left next to the door.”
Dedicated to peace throughout the world, especially to all those affected by the war in Ukraine and Russia. Health to the sick in Israel and throughout the world, and for success and good sustenance to all those in need.
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