Just the first word of this week’s Torah reading contains a beautiful lesson. That word is VaYikra, “and he called,” referring to G-d calling to Moses. Vayikra indicates a connection between the two parties, whereas without the final Aleph, “Vayikar” is the way that G-d spoke to Bilaam, the evil prophet who tried to curse the Jews (see the Torah Reading “Balak” in the Book of Numbers). The commentator Rashi tells us that “Vayikar” is an off-hand, dismissive call.
When G-d called to Moses, He did so with closeness and endearment, but Moses tried to avoid glorifying himself. He wrote a miniature Aleph, to minimize the distinction between himself and Bilaam. It’s obvious that the relationship between G-d and Moses was as different from that between G-d and Bilaam “as the difference between East and West,” but even so, Moses didn’t want to claim credit. He was truly the most humble person on earth (Numbers 12:3).
How did G-d respond to this extraordinary level of self-effacement? Our Sages teach that Moses’ radiance, the light which literally beamed from his face as he descended from Sinai with the second Tablets on Yom Kippur (end of Ki Sisa), was given to Moses in exchange for the ink that he saved by not writing a full-sized Aleph.
So much of the world around us is dedicated to the opposite: to self-glorification and the pursuit of fame and honor. With only a moment’s reflection, we realize that that path doesn’t lead to happiness, it does not satisfy our souls. “Star” entertainers, whether in sports or performance, seem to as often make headlines for poor lifestyle choices as for their talents. It occurred to me recently that the only President that I can remember who was not tremendously aged by his time in office was Ronald Reagan — who, as was often pointed out, was quite aged to begin with. For that matter, his famous sense of humor included a knack for self-effacement: “I’ve already lived about twenty years longer than my life expectancy at the time I was born. That’s a source of annoyance to a great many people.”
Many operate under the mistaken belief that Judaism is about giving up happiness in this world, in order to get a better next world. This is a classic false dichotomy. Our Torah teaches how to find happiness in the world we live in — and one of its greatest teachings is the value of being small.
Good Shabbos!
Rabbi Yaakov Menken
Director, Project Genesis – Torah.org
Rabbi Yaakov Menken, : )
Thank you for shareing your thoughts on “The Value of being small” (humility/meekness)., it has my heart smiling : )
I especially like the thought that Moses didn’t want to be wasteful and chose to write a small size Aleph. I’m like that also and it makes me feel happy to know it is good to be like that, the world believes “bigger is better”, and it keeps everybody in a rat race!.
Reading the above article, I started wondering what is really the cause of all the problems the world is facing, is it poor life style choices as mentioned? Yes, it could be part of the answer but not all. It also might be not willing to have an open mind and go beyond culture, religion and beliefs we observed from our surrounding. That also would be part of the answer, not all.
Also wonder, why do you think humans need religion in order to be moral and decent creatures? Are we incapable of being so without religion?
I see the continues endless fight between Israelis and Palestinians, each part blaming the other. I am not taking any sides, just wondering in your opinion what the solution would be? Do all humans have to belong to a certain religion to solve the worlds endless killing?
No offense, it is just an honest opinion, searching for the truth.
Thanks for your time
Mira
Not easy for me to be the size of a mouse but I will give that a try Rabbi Menken
-Samson
This was a most beautiful topic, well illustrated. I believe (opinion) that the reason Moshe was such a humble man was because he lived in Pharoh’s exquisite palace as a son. Once he was old enough to realize that all the male children from his age were fed to the crocodiles and he himself should have been lost and eaten adrift the sea, he felt a sense of obligation to those who had perished. He felt that he should live life in the shadow of the others who had been sacrificed and with gratitude that he was spared.
Also, he truly knew Hashem and loved Him as a Father. He had a relationship with Him and spent time with Him daily. How is it possible to stand in the magnificence of G-d and not be humbled by it? He made good choices and we should follow his example.