Vayikra files #2 Shabbat Shalom!

Often times the Jewish People will be described as the people of the book. A more apt description however might be the "people of the word." The opening phrase of the book of Leviticus is Vayikra -"and Hashem called out to Moses." If you take a peek into the actual Torah scroll you will notice the mini Aleph at the end of the word vayikra. Those of you who have watched the Italian job as many times as I have understand the beauty and mystique of the Mini Cooper. What is the meaning of the "Mini Aleph"? Let's take a closer look at the word vayikra. If you took the aleph away completely it would spell a different word entirely- vayikar, the root of that word being Yakar, a term of endearment or preciousness used even in today's modern Hebrew. The fact that the text uses the word vayikra but minimizes the aleph allowing us to also see the word vayikar, is suggestive of a multidimensional approach to the complex divine-human relationship. In order to better know how to reach up to G-d we need to understand how G-d chooses to reach down to us. The linguistic tension is subtle but significant and is really an opportunity to explore a more fundamental question. A question whose rightful place is in this third book of the Torah whose main theme is offerings/korbanot. The hebrew root of korbanot is karov-closeness. This entire book of Torah is precisely that - an exploration of the Jewish notion of closeness to Hashem. What is the driving force in our connection to g-d ? The two different words represent two opposite approaches. Is it vayikra or vayikar ? Are we driven in our spiritual lives by a sense of duty, hearing a call, or rather by our passion and spiritual love of G-d? Do we do our Judaism because we don't want to be the weak link in an unbroken chain - acting as responsible vayikra Jews, or rather because we are spiritually passionate, Hashem lovers -passionate fiery vayikar Jews? This is not merely a religious question. Its an important life question. What drives us to succeed in our lives and careers etc.? Is it a sense of "I gotta do what I gotta do" to make ends meet, so I can put food on the table and support my family? Or am I actually passionately engaged in my work because it brings me a sense of fulfillment? Is it more important to do all the "right " things as a spouse and parent, or should the focus be on experiencing the beauty and personal fulfillment to be found through those relationships ? Am I Vayikra Jew - submitting to a higher call, or am I vayikar Jew hearing an inner call? The reading of the word is vayikrah.This suggests that the bedrock of our most important commitments to our family,our community and our faith must be our sense of obligation and answering a call from above, from a place that is greater than us. We heed this call with the response of naase, we will do- and only then venishma- we will listen". In doing so we are surrendering ourselves to a higher power and making it our business to get the job done,wether we are in the mood for it or not. Then there is the flip side of the coin. Looking at the word and seeing the small aleph is an invitation to see an alternative meaning. To see the word vayikar without the aleph is to drift inward and take the time to truly see and experience the beauty,depth, and spirituality of all that we do,to feel its preciousness how "yakar" it is and be moved and stirred to a sublime sense of loftiness. What is the correct path? The answer to all this can be found in the structure of the small aleph itself.The vav in the center is man. The two yuds represent two different approaches. A sense of obligation on one hand and a sense of passion on the other. Both are necessary. We can't just live life going through the motions without an accompanying inner spiritual feeling toward whatever it is we are doing! We will eventually just run out of gas and stall. At the same time we cannot always be waiting till we we feel moved to do something and only then fulfill our obligations. The show must go on even when we are not "feeling it",and not "on"! The whole letter together symbolizes the need for balance and well rounded ness in the way we live our lives. We must feel the fire within. We must also perform our roles. The small aleph reminds us strive for fiery performances ! The Kabbalah suggests that the small aleph here represents our divine soul. The mini-inner wisdom voice that all too often gets drowned in the loud noise and commotion of our outer lives. Like the Mini Cooper our mini aleph voice navigates us through the tightness we often feel in the narrow space between doing good and feeling good, and awakens us to the treasure filled wide spaces of life where we can learn to be right AND feel right! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- May we be filled this Shabbat with the blessing of small ALEPH awareness As we offer our deepest selves upward towards G-d ! We do so by adorning the simple vav of our existence with meaningfullness -through affixing the dual yuds of duty AND devotion !! Shabbat Shalom Rabbi Yossi