Our
son is studying for Bar Mitzvah. Let’s just say that this has not exactly been
a stress free process. As parents, we know that we are not alone. Our
son follows a very specific routine designed to aggravate and exhaust us. He has one Bar Mitzvah lesson a week for 45
minutes. The rest of the time he is supposed to practice every day for about 15
minutes. Normally, our son returns from school. As he walks, if one of us
happens to be home, we will ask if he has homework. We will remind him that he
also needs to spend 15-20 minutes studying for Bar Mitzvah. “I know, I know,” he says. Then he heads to
the kitchen to have a snack. Does he do any work while eating his snack? No, of
course not, instead he will be on his phone playing some stupid game. After 10
or 15 minutes. We call out to him to put the phone down, finish up. “Ok, Ok,”
he says, ignoring the parent’s first call and continues snacking. Soon after, One
of us calls out to him again to start homework or to practice Bar Mitzvah. “In
a few minutes, I have to go to the bathroom.” After another ten or fifteen
minutes, one of us curiously ascends the stairs, apparently our son decided to
read through the entire Sunday New York Times and the New York Times Magazine; he
hasn’t left the bathroom. Again, a parent calls out to him. Finally he emerges
and now he is aggravated with us because we keep hocking him to do his work and
study for his Bar Mitzvah. “Ok, Ok, I’m going, I’m going”. For the next half
hour he does his homework. Then we eat dinner. He heads back upstairs, and we
call out to him to leave us his phone. He finally finishes the rest of his
homework and decides to take a break. After a few minutes we call out to him to
study for Bar Mitzvah. He tries to ignore us and for a few minutes he succeeds.
Another call up to our son, this calling has a bit of sterner sounding edge to
it. Now he claims he is tired. He sits with one of us and he begins his ten to
fifteen minutes of Bar Mitzvah practice.
This
week’s Parsha is VaYikra, the first Parsha of the Book of Leviticus, -Sefer
VaYikra. Unlike the first book of the Torah, Breishit (Genesis) and the first
part of Shmot (Exodus) which was written in a narrative form, and the second Part
of Shmot which listed laws as well as the instructions for building the Mishkan
(the Tabernacle); the Book of Leviticus focuses upon the Priestly class and
their responsibility within Jewish biblical society. Therefore, VaYikra does
not focus upon a story, nor laws that are geared towards B’nai Yisroel. Rather
the laws are aimed at the Leviim, their responsibilities, the precise manner in
which sacrificial offering are made, the requirements for offerings, the
requirements for the Leviim as well as the requirements for B’nai Yisroel in
order to bring offerings. From Parsha VaYikra and for that matter the entire
book, we derive numerous ethical teachings all of which is necessary for a
people and a society to achieve a sense of holiness. Perhaps just as important
is that we derive the importance that Judaism cannot be just about the “letter
of the law” but there must be some ethical value behind the letters. After God
“calls” out to Moshe, we read the list and the details concerning Korbonot-sacrifices from the three lettered root Kuf Resh Vet –KaReiV – Approach). Which animals should be
sacrificed, how many, for which reason, who is obligated, and how to do it. All
of which is designed for the purpose of providing a means for the Kohen and
ultimately the people to KaReiV – approach or draw towards the Kadosh Baruch
Hu.
We
are familiar with the language that usually appears when Hashem speaks to
Moshe. VaYomer Adoshem el Moshe Leimor –
Hashem said to Moshe saying; or VaYiDaBeR Adoshem El Moshe Leimor – And Hashem spoke to Moshe saying. Now
for the first and perhaps only time, Hashem neither ‘says’ nor “speaks” to
Moshe. Instead we read Vayikrah el Moshe -God called to Moshe (Lev 1:1). ” Imagine, God calling out to a
person before speaking. The word “VaYiKRa”
ends with a letter that is in smaller font size than the rest of the letters
that are found in the Torah. So clearly, this type of VaYiKRa is different than the typical kind of VaYiKRA with all the letters being the same size. Rashi, the 11th
century French vintner and commentator, explains that God speaks in a loud
booming voice; a voice that can shatter trees and be heard throughout the
world. However this VaYiKRa, was only heard by Moshe. The calling was done so
in a loving manner. The diminutive final letter – Aleph; suggests three
possibilities. First, Hashem whispered
Moshe’s name in a manner that only Moshe could hear. Second, Moshe was humble
enough, as symbolized by the diminutive letter, that his soul was receptive to
God’s calling. The result of which Moshe quickly and eagerly responded with Hinneni –“Here I am”. Third, the word Aleph means learn or train. Moshe Rabeinu needed to learn all that God was
about to instruct. Ultimately the desire to learn comes from within,
usually in the form of a small voice.
The
other night, when I went upstairs to say goodnight to our son. I sat on the bed
and I said that it would be nice if he heard me and mommy from inside of him
rather than outside. He wondered what I meant. I explained that part of growing
up means that one should know what one should do, or do the right thing. He
shouldn’t have to be told over and over again. Being told what to do over and
over again, suggests that the person is listening from the outside, listening
with his ears. In that way it wouldn’t
sound like hocking; he would be less annoyed, and perhaps even enjoy the Bar
Mitzvah training. However doing the right thing, doing the work, training for
Bar Mitzvah without being told suggests that he is listening with his soul. It
suggests he is responding to the smallest voice calling his name and he
responds accordingly. My son hugged me good night. The next day he came home
from school and no one had to call out reminding him to study for Bar Mitzvah.
Peace,
Rav Yitz
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