Vayikra | "And the Lord Called to Moshe"

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Dedicated in memory of Edith Horowitz z"l
Esther Bluma bat Elimelech Shimon
whose Yahrzeit is 13 Adar Bet
by the Horowitz Family
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In memory of Rabbi Dr. Joseph I. Singer z"l
Rabbi Emeritus of Manhattan Beach Jewish Center
and son-in-law of Dr. Chaim Heller z"l
whose yahrzeit falls on 12 Adar
by his daughter, Vivian Singer
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Summarized by Nadav Shultz, Translated by David Strauss
 

Introduction

Parashat Vayikra, which opens the book of Vayikra, begins with God calling to Moshe:

And the Lord called to Moshe, and spoke to him out of the Tent of Meeting, saying. (Vayikra 1:1)

Rashi explains the significance of this calling in his commentary on the verse:

"And the Lord called [vayikra] to Moshe" – All oral communications of the Lord to Moshe, whether they are introduced by the term "speak" or the term "say" or the term "command," were preceded by a call [to prepare him for the forthcoming address]. It is a way of expressing affection, the mode used by the ministering angels when addressing each other, as it is stated (Yeshayahu 6:3): "And one called to another [and said: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts]." To the prophets of the nations of the world, however, God revealed himself in a manner which Scripture describes by an expression that denotes [events of] a casual character and of impurity, as it is stated (Bamidbar 23:4): "And God happened [vayikar] to Bilam." (Rashi, Vayikra 1:1)

It is well known that the letter alef in the word "vayikra" is written in our Torah scrolls as an alef ze'ira, "a small alef." This is the basis of the midrash brought by Rashi, which tries to clarify the significance of that letter, which differentiates between the words vayikra and vayikar.

Between "Vayikra" and "Vayikar"

The difference between "vayikra" and "vayikar" is not the only point of contrast between Moshe and Bilam. In many senses, Bilam is the antithesis of Moshe. This is reflected in a midrash about the greatness of Moshe's prophecy:

"And there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moshe" (Devarim 34:10). In Israel, there has not arisen, but among the nations of the world, there has arisen. And who is that? That is Bilam the son of Be'or. (Sifrei Devarim, Ve-zot Ha-Berakha 357)

Let us go back to the midrash brought by Rashi with which we opened. The midrash describes the prophecy of "vayikar" as being casual and impure. Thus, Moshe's prophecy – the prophecy of "vayikra" – was precisely the opposite of that of Bilam. In contrast to the prophecy of Bilam, which is characterized entirely as happenstance, Moshe's prophecy was the product of preparation. Moshe prepared himself in order to be called by God at the right time. In light of this, we must consider the relationship between Moshe's preparations and the Voice that came forth from the Tent of Meeting.

The Voice and the Preparation for it

In explaining the nature of the Voice that issued forth from the Tent of Meeting, Rashi describes it in two seemingly contradictory ways:

"From the Tent of Meeting" – This teaches us that the Voice broke off and did not issue beyond the Tent of Meeting. One might think that this was so because the Voice was a very low one; Scripture, however, states (Bamidbar 7:89): "[When he entered the tent he heard] the Voice." What does it mean by “the Voice”? It was the Voice that is explicitly described in Tehillim (29:4-5): "The Voice of the Lord is powerful; the Voice of the Lord is full of majesty. The voice of the Lord breaks cedars." But if this is so [that it was a very powerful sound], why does Scripture state: "[And the Lord spoke to him] from the Tent of Meeting"? Because it intends to tell us that the Voice broke off [and was heard only in the tent]. A similar case: "And the sound of the cherubims’ wings was heard up to the outer court" (Yechezkel 10:5) – One might think that the sound was a very low one; Scripture, however, continues "as the Voice of the Almighty God when He speaks"! If this is so, why does Scripture state: "[It was heard] up to the outer court"? Because when it [the sound] reached there, it broke off. (Rashi, Vayikra 1:1) 

On the one hand, God's Voice was not "low"; on the other hand, it indeed “broke off" and did not carry outside the tent.

If God's Voice fills the world, how is it possible that only Moshe heard it? The answer is simple: God's Voice is always audible, but it is not at all easy to hear. Hearing the Voice requires that one prepare to hear it. Certainly the Voice reached beyond the borders of the Mishkan – it was present in all places – but Moshe was the only one prepared to hear it, thus it was not heard outside the Mishkan. 

The Voice and the Journey

The book of Vayikra is the continuation of the book of Shemot. However, the book of Shemot has another continuation as well. Let us examine the closing verses of the book of Shemot:

Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the Mishkan. And Moshe was not able to enter into the Tent of Meeting, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the Lord filled the Mishkan. And whenever the cloud was taken up from over the Mishkan, the children of Israel went onward, throughout all their journeys. But if the cloud was not taken up, then they journeyed not, until the day that it was taken up. For the cloud of the Lord was upon the Mishkan by day, and there was fire in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys. (Shemot 40:34-38)

The first part of this passage relates to the call to Moshe, and leads to the book of Vayikra. The book of Vayikra presents Torah that comes down from heaven – the Torah of holiness: sacrifices, purity, and the commandment "You shall be holy" (Vayikra 19:2). A person must prepare himself in order to receive this Torah, so that he will be able to contain some small part of the word of God that comes down into the world.

On the other hand, the second part of the passage, the very end of the book of Shemot, describes the journey of the Mishkan; this account finds its continuation in the book of Bamidbar, in the well-known verses in Parashat Behaalotekha:

And when you blow an alarm, the camps that lie on the east side shall take their journey. And when you blow an alarm the second time, the camps that lie on the south shall set forward; they shall blow an alarm for their journeys. (Bamidbar 10:5-6)

These verses focus on the people's journey towards the Promised Land. After all, according to the original plan, they were supposed to travel to the Land of Israel just after the construction of the Mishkan:

And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moshe said: Rise up, O Lord, and let Your enemies be scattered; and let them that hate You flee before You. (Bamidbar 10:35)

These verses illustrate the role of a journey towards the Promised Land. Entering the country is impossible without effort; it requires preparation.

What, then, is the meaning of the call to Moshe? Whether we relate to the teachings concerning the Sanctuary described in the book of Vayikra, or we relate to the entry into the land described in the book of Bamidbar, it is clear that the call to Moshe is not the end of a process (the building of the Mishkan), but the beginning of a new path. Similarly, in the verse: "And one called to another, and said: Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory" (Yeshayahu 6:3), the call serves as an opening to the sanctification of God. The book of Vayikra emphasizes for us the need to move forward in the process of actualizing the sublime call in reality. It is a call to a journey by walking in the ways of God.

[This sicha was delivered by Harav Gigi on Shabbat Parashat Vayikra 5779.]