By Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D.
SAN DIEGO — This week we begin a new book of the Torah, Sefer Vayikra, the book of Leviticus, and we read the Torah reading by the same name, Parashat Vayikra. In addition, this Shabbat we read from a second Sefer Torah since it is Shabbat Zachor, the Shabbat of Memory, the Shabbat observed before Purim. The additional Torah reading for Shabbat Zachor is from the book of Deuteronomy, Chapter 25, Verses 17-19: “Remember what Amalek did to you on your journey, after you left Egypt…you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget!” A bit confusing, right? Remember but forget the memory of those who harmed us. Huh?
Let’s listen more closely to Hashem calling to Moshe and to us. With a single word, Vayikra, we begin this new book. And what’s that word mean? It means “And G-d called…” Notice this book didn’t begin with vay’dabeir, “Hashem spoke” or vayomer, “Hashem said,” but rather, “Hashem called.” He’s always calling to us. With a tiny letter at the end of the word Vayikra, an aleph, the Zohar tells us, the near silence of the aleph is Hashem’s method of teaching us what’s needed to connect with Him – silence, a quiet space to hear, feel and see the His Presence. And Rashi on the aleph in Vayikra – different than Vayikar (used to describe Hashem’s communication with Bilaam) without the aleph, describes Hashem’s calling of love, a “keriah shel chibah,” an expression of genuine fondness, warmth, and affection.
While Moshe heard Hashem’s call, Rashi tells us that others close by did not hear. They couldn’t make sense of what they heard – they heard other noises. Imagine if they, if we, would stop the distracting noise with which we fill our lives, quiet our minds, our hearts, our souls and be fully present to see His Wi-Fi beams in our lives. Some call that being “mindful.” I’d prefer to hear Vayikra and call it “miracle-ful.” By turning down the distracting noise that fills our world, we can hear the Voice of Hashem. By quieting our own negative voices and predictions we can better hear the voice of Hashem. The parasha tells us that rituals and sacrifices are a channel to Hashem. We need this reminder, this conduit, now, perhaps more than ever in our blessed lives.
There is an important lesson in this week’s reading that I find especially appealing. If something in our lives can be broken, it can be fixed. Human beings are fallible. Everyone has lapses in judgment that lead to misbehavior and transgression, we learn in Vaykra. Yet the parasha shows us that we each have the responsibility to seek ever-present forgiveness and repair any damages we may have caused.
The story of Rabbi Yisrael Salanter’s visit with an elderly shoemaker comes to mind. Very late into the night the Rav came upon the shoemaker still working. “Why are you working so late and only by candlelight, no less? That candle looks like it’s going to burn out very soon,” commented the Rav to the shoemaker. The shoemaker replied, “As long as the candle is still burning, there is time to make repairs.” We learn from this to never give up if the candle is still burning. What candle? The candle called life. If we are alive, we can make needed spiritual repairs.
Positive psychology has picked up on what Rabbi Nachman of Breslov taught the world far earlier, “The whole world is a very narrow bridge, and the key is to never fear at all…” He went on to teach us that, “Happiness is how we can receive great wisdom or joy, it expands the mind, it raises our consciousness, strengthens our heart and refines our senses. Happiness is the highest level that we can attain; be happy and rejoice in G-d and we will emerge from our troubles and darkness. Happiness is the source of holiness.” Rabbi Akiva taught us, “Everything that Hashem does is for the good.” Perhaps this lesson, coming at a time when we recall the evil that Amalek brought in contrast to the smiles and joy that Esther and Mordechai brought us, is no coincidence.
We are taught the importance of remembering on this Shabbat, Shabbat Zachor, the Sabbath of Remembrance, one of four special Shabbatot we are gifted at this time of the year. Yes, we read of how the Amalekites tried to kill us on the Shabbat before Purim when Haman the wicked tried to kill us. Is there any age when they have not hated us and tried to eradicate us from the earth? But we always survive…and thrive. We and our children and our children’s children celebrate Shabbat Zachor, we fast next Wednesday, March 16 (13 Adar II) on The Fast of Esther, and we celebrate Purim in our costumes the following day — Thursday, March 17 (14 Adar II) — by giving charity, sending Shaloch Manot to our family and dear friends, and hearing the Megillah twice. This helps us bring added happiness into our lives as our Rabbis have taught us. There is an everlasting message here that elation, gladness, honesty, and miracles together bring optimal living.
Nearly everyone is in some level of emotional and mental distress over what’s been happening over the past couple of years with COVID. We all need to answer the call of Vayikra. In the past, learning Torah and doing mitzvot, engaging in prayer, were met with imprisonment, torture, and death in days past. Staying positive during a crisis such as we are facing takes courage, some say “living in a bubble.” The parasha tells us the power of sacrifice always brings the strength to never give up, to always come closer to Him, to avoid despair.
We see the sense of gratitude that one brings with sacrifices, indeed, our prayers, our modern-day sacrifices, are filled with deep gratitude. We thank Hashem from the moment we open our eyes in the morning, with Modeh Ani. From the blessings we say every morning thanking Hashem for a myriad of gifts, to Birkat Hamazon for our food, blessings when seeing beauty, coming upon a wise person, hearing thunder, seeing an unusual creature, for our good health, upon completing a journey, for our parents and children, for our learning and our accomplishments, often things we take for granted, we recognize the Hand of G-d continually in the divine gift of our life.
When viewed properly, the seeming decline we’ve been living through over this past couple of years may not have been a setback at all, but rather a remarkable opportunity to bring us into more rewarding and meaningful encounters with each other, to help refine the nature of our collective humanity, and IY’H, bring us closer with Hashem.
In fact, in Hilchos Teshuva (5:2) the Rambam writes: “Every person is capable of being as righteous as Moshe Rabbeinu.” We can use our wisdom and righteousness to blot out white supremacy and white nationalism, homophobia and hatred, antisemitism and Islamophobia and xenophobia. We would be wise to grow from this Shabbat and build a world in which those contagious, poisonous hatreds are no more. Only then will we truly honor the memories of those whom Amalek has taken and continues to take in the Ukraine and elsewhere, from us.
May this week’s Torah education become our beacon of light and spur us into a world where goodness and blessings reign supreme. Wishing all a Shabbat Shalom and a happy and healthy Purim.
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Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D., prepares a weekly D’var Torah for Young Israel of San Diego, where he and his family are members. They are also active members of Congregation Adat Yeshurun. He may be contacted via michael.mantell@sdjewishworld.com
Thank you for such words of wisdom.