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Lehavas David · Parshas Vayikra · Maamar ב

“Vayikra”: Preparing to Receive Holiness

From the Torah ofRav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitzהרב דוד מתתיהו בן יחיאל יהושע רבינוביץProfile ›
Vayikra 1:1
וַיִּקְרָא אֶל־מֹשֶׁה וַיְדַבֵּר יְהֹוָה אֵלָיו מֵאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד לֵאמֹר
And He called to Moshe, and Hashem spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, saying.

Rashi: Every utterance, every saying and every command was preceded by a calling, an expression of affection, the expression the ministering angels use, as it says, “And one called to the other.” But to the prophets of the nations of the world He revealed Himself in language that implies chance and impurity, as it says, “And God happened upon Bilam.”

1“And He called to Moshe, and Hashem spoke to him.”1 Rashi explains: “Every utterance, every saying and every command was preceded by a calling, an expression of affection, the expression the ministering angels use, as it says, ‘And one called to the other.’ But to the prophets of the nations of the world He revealed Himself in language that implies chance and impurity, as it says, ‘And God happened upon Bilam.’”2 Those are his holy words. What is so special about the word vayikra that even the ministering angels use it? What makes “calling” so much finer than every other word for speech? We must also answer a question of the holy Ohr HaChaim: why does the verse say only “And He called,” without first saying who is calling, as it does elsewhere in the Torah: “And Hashem spoke to Moshe”?3
*וַיִּקְרָא אֶל מֹשֶׁה וַיְדַבֵּר ה׳ אֵלָיו (א, א). פֵּירֵשׁ רש״י לְכָל דִּבְּרוֹת וּלְכָל אֲמִירוֹת וּלְכָל צִיוּוּיִים קָדְמָה קְרִיאָה, לְשׁוֹן חִיבָּה, לָשׁוֹן שֶׁמַּלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת מִשְׁתַּמְּשִׁין בּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיהו ו, ג) ״וְקָרָא זֶה אֶל זֶה״, אֲבָל לִנְבִיאֵי אוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם נִגְלָה עֲלֵיהֶם בִּלְשׁוֹן עֲרַאי וְטוּמְאָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר כג, טז) ״וַיִּקָּר אֱלֹקִים אֶל בִּלְעָם״, עכלה״ק. וְיֵשׁ לְהָבִין גּוֹדֶל הַשֶּׁבַח שֶׁל לְשׁוֹן ׳וַיִּקְרָא׳, עַד שֶׁמַּלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת מִשְׁתַּמְּשִׁים בּוֹ, וּבַמֶּה נִשְׁתַּנָּה לְשׁוֹן ׳קְרִיאָה׳ לִמְעַלְּיוּתָא כָּל כָּךְ עַל פְּנֵי שְׁאָר לְשׁוֹנוֹת שֶׁל דִּיבּוּר. עוֹד צָרִיךְ בֵּיאוּר קוּשְׁיַית הָאוֹר הַחַיִּים הַקָּדוֹשׁ, לָמָּה לֹא הִקְדִּים הַכָּתוּב תְּחִילָּה לְבָאֵר מִי הוּא הַקּוֹרֵא, כְּמוֹ בִּשְׁאָר מְקוֹמוֹת שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ׳וַיְדַבֵּר ה׳ אֶל מֹשֶׁה׳.
  1. The sefer's note: This maamar was copied from students' writings. Vayikra 1:1. ↩
  2. Rashi on Vayikra 1:1; Yeshayahu 6:3; Bamidbar 23:4 (the sefer has 23:16). ↩
  3. Ohr HaChaim on Vayikra 1:1. ↩
In shortWhat makes “calling” the angels' cherished word, and why does the verse not first name the One Who calls?
2We can explain this as follows. As is well known, before any holy act a person must first prepare. The holy sefarim explain this on the verse “And he took from that which came to his hand a gift for Esav his brother.”4 If a person takes up a mitzvah just as it comes, “from that which came to his hand,” with no preparation and no stirring of the heart for it, then it is “a gift for Esav”: the flow of blessing goes, Heaven forbid, to the sitra achra, the forces of impurity. Preparing for a mitzvah is a cornerstone of avodas Hashem, the service of Hashem, and we find that the tzaddikim put great effort into this preparation. That is why our master the Baal Shem Tov, whose light was like “the light of the seven days,”5 and his holy disciples, zy"a, instituted the recital of LeShem Yichud before prayer and before doing mitzvos. In this declaration a person says that he acts “for the sake of the unification” of the Holy One, blessed be He, and His Shechinah. Its purpose is that with each and every mitzvah a person should focus his intention and ready himself for the great mitzvah before him.
וְאֶפְשָׁר לְבָאֵר, דְּהִנֵּה נוֹדַע שֶׁקּוֹדֶם כָּל דָּבָר שֶׁבִּקְדוּשָּׁה צָרִיךְ לְהַקְדִּים לַעֲשׂוֹת הֲכָנָה, וּכְמוֹ דְּאִיתָא בַּסְּפָרִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים עַל הַכָּתוּב (בראשית לב, יג) ״וַיִּקַּח מִן הַבָּא לְיָדוֹ מִנְחָה לְעֵשָׂו אָחִיו״, שֶׁאִם אֶחָד לוֹקֵחַ ׳מִן הַבָּא בְיָדוֹ׳ בְּלֹא שׁוּם הֲכָנָה וְהִתְעוֹרְרוּת הַלֵּב לְמִצְוָה, הֲרֵי זוֹ ׳מִנְחָה לְעֵשָׂו׳, שֶׁהוֹלֵךְ ח״ו הַשֶּׁפַע לְסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא. וְעִנְיָן זֶה שֶׁל הֲכָנָה לַמִּצְוָה הוּא יְסוֹד גָּדוֹל בַּעֲבוֹדַת ה׳, וּמָצִינוּ שֶׁהַצַּדִּיקִים הִשְׁקִיעוּ כּוֹחוֹת גְּדוֹלִים בַּעֲבוֹדַת הַהֲכָנָה לַמִּצְוֹות. וְזֶהוּ שֶׁיָּסַד אוֹר שִׁבְעַת הַיָּמִים מָרָן הבעש״ט וְתַלְמִידָיו הַקְּדוֹשִׁים זיע״א, לוֹמַר קוֹדֶם הַתְּפִילָּה וְקִיּוּם הַמִּצְוֹות ׳לְשֵׁם יִחוּד׳, עַל מְנָת שֶׁבְּכָל מִצְוָה וּמִצְוָה שֶׁעוֹשֶׂה, יְכַוֵּין וְיָכִין הָאָדָם אֶת עַצְמוֹ לְמִצְוָה רַבָּה שֶׁלְּפָנָיו.
  1. Bereishis 32:14 (the sefer has 32:13). ↩
  2. Yeshayahu 30:26, describing the sevenfold light of the future. ↩
In shortHoliness needs preparation; a mitzvah snatched up without it feeds the sitra achra, which is why the Baal Shem Tov instituted LeShem Yichud.
3We can learn this from the laws of the korbanos, the offerings. There we find that a preparation must come first: saying aloud “This is hereby consecrated,” so that holiness can take effect on what is being pledged.
וְעִנְיָן זֶה יֵשׁ לִלְמוֹד מִפָּרָשַׁת הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת, שֶׁמָּצִינוּ בָּהּ שֶׁצְּרִיכִים הֲכָנָה בַּאֲמִירָה בַּפֶּה ׳הֲרֵי זֶה הֶקְדֵּשׁ׳ עַל מְנָת שֶׁתָּחוּל הַקְּדוּשָּׁה עַל הַדָּבָר הַנִּידָּר.
In shortEven an offering becomes holy only through a spoken declaration, a preparation that must come first.
4We may find a hint of this in the verse “The end of the matter, when all has been heard: fear God and keep His commandments.”6 The word shemor, “keep,” speaks of anticipation and longing, as in “and his father kept the matter,” which Rashi explains: “He was waiting and looking forward to when it would come.”7 A person must look forward to fulfilling the mitzvos, await them with eager longing, and prepare for them. This is what the verse means by “and keep His commandments”: look forward to them and wait for them.
וְיֵשׁ לְרַמֵּז עִנְיָן זֶה בְּמַאֲמַר הַכָּתוּב ״סוֹף דָּבָר הַכֹּל נִשְׁמָע אֶת הָאֱלֹקִים יְרָא וְאֶת מִצְוֹותָיו שְׁמוֹר״, דְּ׳שְׁמוֹר׳ מוֹרֶה עַל עִנְיַן הַצִּיפִּיָּה וְהַתְּשׁוּקָה, מִלְּשׁוֹן ״וְאָבִיו שָׁמַר אֶת הַדָּבָר״ (בראשית לז, יא), שֶׁפֵּירֵשׁ רש״י ז״ל הָיָה מַמְתִּין וּמְצַפֶּה מָתַי יָבוֹא, וְהַיְינוּ שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לִצְפּוֹת וְלַחֲכוֹת בְּנֶפֶשׁ חֲפֵצָה לְקִיּוּם הַמִּצְוֹות וְלַעֲשׂוֹת הֲכָנוֹת לִקְרָאתָן, וְהוּא שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ׳וְאֶת מִצְוֹותָיו שְׁמוֹר׳, כְּלוֹמַר צְפֵה וְהַמְתֵּן עֲלֵיהֶם.
  1. Koheles 12:13. ↩
  2. Bereishis 37:11; Rashi there. ↩
In short“Keep His commandments” means look forward to them, as Yaakov “kept the matter”: long for the mitzvos and prepare for them.
5We find the same at the giving of the Torah. The Holy One, blessed be He, commanded Bnei Yisrael to make great preparations and to sanctify and purify themselves, so that they would be worthy to receive the Torah. Moshe Rabbeinu even added a day of preparation of his own.8 All this was to show every generation to come that the Torah is not acquired without preparation. On Chazal's saying “A teaching needs tzilusa, a clear and settled mind,”9 the holy sefarim teach that tzilusa hints at tzelosa, prayer: to receive the light of Torah, one must prepare through prayer.
וּכְמוֹ כֵּן מָצִינוּ בְּקַבָּלַת הַתּוֹרָה, שֶׁצִּוָּה הקב״ה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְהָכִין אֶת עַצְמָם בַּהֲכָנוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת וּלְהִתְקַדֵּשׁ וּלְהִטָּהֵר עַל מְנָת לִהְיוֹת רְאוּיִים לְקַבָּלַת הַתּוֹרָה, וְאַף מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ ע״ה הוֹסִיף יוֹם נוֹסָף לַהֲכָנָה, וְכָל זֶה כְּדֵי לְהוֹרוֹת וּלְהַרְאוֹת לְכָל הַדּוֹרוֹת הַבָּאִים שֶׁאֵין הַתּוֹרָה נִקְנֵית בְּלֹא הֲכָנוֹת. וְאִיתָא בַּסְּפָרִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים עַל מַאֲמַר חז״ל (מגילה כח, ב) ׳שְׁמַעְתָּא בָּעֲיָא צִילּוּתָא׳, ד׳צִילּוּתָא׳ רוֹמֵז לִצְלוֹתָא, שֶׁלְּקַבָּלַת אוֹר תּוֹרָה צְרִיכִים לַעֲשׂוֹת הֲכָנָה עַל יְדֵי תְּפִילָּה.
  1. Hashem had told Moshe to prepare the people “today and tomorrow,” and Moshe added a third day of preparation, with which Hashem agreed: Shemos 19:10; Shabbos 87a. ↩
  2. Megillah 28b. ↩
In shortThe Torah was given only after great preparation, and “a teaching needs tzilusa” hints that prayer must prepare the way for it.
6Prayer, too, cannot be complete without preparation. That is why Chazal instituted Pesukei DeZimrah, the verses of praise, before the prayer itself, the Shemoneh Esrei. It corresponds to the practice of “the early pious ones, who would wait one hour and then pray.”10 The disciples of Rabbeinu Yonah explain that during that hour they would reflect on the greatness of the Creator, since they were coming to stand before Hashem, and through this they could pray with full concentration, free of distraction. Pesukei DeZimrah serves the same purpose: to reflect on the greatness of the Creator.
וְכֵן בְּעִנְיַן הַתְּפִילָּה, אִי אֶפְשָׁר לִזְכּוֹת לִשְׁלֵימוּת הַתְּפִילָּה בְּלֹא הֲכָנוֹת, וְלָכֵן תִּיקְּנוּ חז״ל לוֹמַר פְּסוּקֵי דְּזִמְרָה קוֹדֶם הַתְּפִילָּה, שֶׁהוּא בִּבְחִינַת חֲסִידִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים שֶׁהָיוּ שׁוֹהִים שָׁעָה אַחַת קוֹדֶם תְּפִילָּתָם וּמִתְפַּלְּלִים (ברכות לב, ב), וּפֵירְשׁוּ תַּלְמִידֵי רַבֵּינוּ יוֹנָה שֶׁבְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה הָיוּ מִתְבּוֹנְנִים בְּגַדְלוּת הַבּוֹרֵא יִתְבָּרַךְ, לְפִי שֶׁהֵם בָּאִים לַעֲמוֹד לִפְנֵי ה׳ יִתְבָּרַךְ, וְעַל יְדֵי כֵּן יָכְלוּ לְכַוֵּין בִּתְפִילָּתָם בְּאֵין מַפְרִיעַ. וּכְמוֹ כֵּן הִיא הָעֲבוֹדָה בִּפְסוּקֵי דְּזִמְרָה, לְהִתְבּוֹנֵן בְּגַדְלוּת הַבּוֹרֵא יִתְבָּרַךְ.
  1. Berachos 32b. ↩
In shortLike the early pious ones' hour of reflection, Pesukei DeZimrah readies us for prayer by showing us the Creator's greatness.
7This is why the verse says “And He called to Moshe,” and not “And Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying”: Moshe Rabbeinu had prepared himself to receive holiness, in the spirit of “waiting one hour.” For a calling comes only after a person has made himself ready to receive holiness: the word “calling” is used only for someone who is already standing near and is being called to come closer still. [That is why the verse tells of the calling first and names Hashem only afterward:] once Moshe had made this preparation, then “Hashem spoke to him.” My holy great-grandfather explains the verse along similar lines in his holy sefer Divrei Binah: Moshe always stood in a state of “calling,” that is, of readiness for holiness.11 This is what Rashi means by “Every saying and every command was preceded by a calling.” At every moment Moshe prepared himself for Hashem's word to come to him. Every passage of the Torah that says “And Hashem spoke to Moshe” was preceded by a vayikra: Moshe made himself ready and stood prepared to receive the Divine word in holiness and purity. There is a hint here for us as well. Before every mitzvah and before learning Torah, we need a “calling” of our own, that is, preparation and readiness to receive the light of holiness.
וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב ׳וַיִּקְרָא אֶל מֹשֶׁה׳, וְלֹא נֶאֱמַר ׳וַיְדַבֵּר ה׳ אֶל מֹשֶׁה לֵאמֹר׳, שֶׁמֹּשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ ע״ה זִימֵּן וְהֵכִין אֶת עַצְמוֹ לְקַבָּלַת הַקְּדוּשָּׁה, בִּבְחִינַת ׳שׁוֹהִים שָׁעָה אַחַת׳. מִשּׁוּם דִּקְרִיאָה אֵינָהּ בָּאָה אֶלָּא אַחַר הַהַזְמָנָה לְקַבָּלַת הַקְּדוּשָּׁה, דִּלְשׁוֹן קְרִיאָה שַׁיָּיךְ רַק אֶל הָעוֹמֵד קָרוֹב וְקוֹרְאִים לוֹ לִיקָּרֵב יוֹתֵר. וְאַחַר שֶׁעָשָׂה הֲכָנָה זוֹ, אָז ׳וַיְדַבֵּר ה׳ אֵלָיו׳. וּכְמוֹ שֶׁבֵּיאֵר זְקֵינִי בְּסֵפֶר הַקָּדוֹשׁ דִּבְרֵי בִּינָה עַל פָּסוּק זֶה, שֶׁמֹּשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ הָיָה עוֹמֵד תָּמִיד בִּבְחִינַת קְרִיאָה, שֶׁהִיא הַזְמָנַת הַקְּדוּשָּׁה (עיין שם מה שביאר לפי דרכו קצת באופן אחר). וְזֶהוּ שֶׁכָּתַב רש״י ז״ל ׳לְכָל אֲמִירוֹת וְצִיוּוּיִים קָדְמָה קְרִיאָה׳, הַיְינוּ שֶׁתָּמִיד בְּכָל שָׁעָה הָיָה מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ מֵכִין עַצְמוֹ לִקְרַאת דִּיבּוּר ה׳ אֵלָיו, וְתָמִיד בְּכָל דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בָּהֶם ׳וַיְדַבֵּר ה׳ אֶל מֹשֶׁה׳, בְּכוּלָּם הָיָה תְּחִילָּה בְּחִינַת ׳וַיִּקְרָא׳, שֶׁהֵכִין מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ אֶת עַצְמוֹ וְהָיָה עוֹמֵד הָכֵן לְקַבֵּל הַדִּיבּוּר בִּקְדוּשָּׁה וּבְטָהֳרָה. וְרֶמֶז יֵשׁ בָּזֶה, שֶׁלְּכָל מִצְוֹות וְלִימּוּד תּוֹרָה צָרִיךְ לְהַקְדִּים קְרִיאָה, כְּלוֹמַר הֲכָנָה וְזִימּוּן לְקַבָּלַת אוֹר הַקְּדוּשָּׁה.
  1. Divrei Binah, Vayikra; see there for his own, somewhat different explanation. ↩
In shortHashem spoke only after a calling because Moshe always stood prepared; we too need a “calling” before every mitzvah and every time we learn.
8This is also what Rashi means when he says that vayikra is the expression the ministering angels use. The angels sing their song before Hashem only at appointed times.12 Before they sing, they immerse themselves in rivers of fire and make themselves holy and pure, as the Siddur Shelah and the Siddur Yaavetz, the prayer books of the Shelah and of R' Yaakov Emden, explain.13 They prepare to sing when their time comes, and this preparation is their service. That is the meaning of “the expression the ministering angels use”: vayikra speaks of preparation, and preparation is the very service of the ministering angels.
וְזֶהוּ שֶׁכָּתַב רש״י ז״ל שֶׁהוּא לָשׁוֹן שֶׁמַּלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת מִשְׁתַּמְּשִׁים בּוֹ, דְּהִנֵּה הַמַּלְאָכִים אוֹמְרִים שִׁירָה רַק לְעִיתִּים מְזוּמָּנוֹת (חולין צא, א), וְקוֹדֶם שֶׁאוֹמְרִים שִׁירָה הֵם טוֹבְלִים עַצְמָם בְּנַהֲרֵי אֵשׁ וּמְקַדְּשִׁים עַצְמָם בִּקְדוּשָּׁה וּבְטָהֳרָה, כַּמְּבוֹאָר בַּסְּפָרִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים (סידור של״ה וסידור יעב״ץ על ברכת יוצר אור), וְעוֹשִׂים הֲכָנָה לוֹמַר שִׁירָה לִכְשֶׁיַּגִּיעַ זְמַנָּם, וְזוֹ הִיא עֲבוֹדָתָם. וְזוֹ הִיא הַכַּוָּונָה ׳לָשׁוֹן שֶׁמַּלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת מִשְׁתַּמְּשִׁין בּוֹ׳, הַיְינוּ שֶׁלְּשׁוֹן ׳וַיִּקְרָא׳ שֶׁהוּא לְשׁוֹן הֲכָנָה, הוּא עֲבוֹדָתָם שֶׁל מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת.
  1. Chullin 91b (the sefer has 91a). ↩
  2. Siddur Shelah and Siddur Yaavetz, on the blessing of Yotzer Ohr. ↩
In shortVayikra is the angels' word because their service is preparation: before each appointed song they immerse in rivers of fire.
9It is taught in the name of the Arizal that in the generations before the coming of Moshiach, prayer is the main avodah, the chief way of serving Hashem. So in our times we must greatly strengthen ourselves in prayer, and part of that avodah is preparing for prayer, so that we may be privileged to be like those who “wait one hour” before praying. And everyone knows how important it is to prepare for prayer through Torah study.
וְהִנֵּה אִיתָא מהאריז״ל, שֶׁבַּדּוֹרוֹת שֶׁקּוֹדֶם בִּיאַת הַמָּשִׁיחַ עִיקַּר הָעֲבוֹדָה הִיא עֲבוֹדַת הַתְּפִילָּה, וּמִמֵּילָא עַתָּה בִּזְמַנֵּינוּ צָרִיךְ לְהִתְחַזֵּק מְאוֹד בַּעֲבוֹדַת הַתְּפִילָּה, וּבִכְלַל עֲבוֹדַת הַתְּפִילָּה הֵם הַהֲכָנוֹת לִתְפִילָּה, לִזְכּוֹת לִהְיוֹת בִּבְחִינַת שׁוֹהִים שָׁעָה אַחַת קוֹדֶם הַתְּפִילָּה, וְיָדוּעַ לְכָל גּוֹדֶל חֲשִׁיבוּת הַהֲכָנָה לִתְפִילָּה עַל יְדֵי לִימּוּד הַתּוֹרָה.
In shortBefore Moshiach, prayer is the main avodah, so we must strengthen its preparations, Torah study among them.
10May it be His will that we fulfill what my holy father and teacher, zy"a, explained about Chazal's phrase “to rise to pray from words of Torah”:14 that our Torah study too should become a kind of prayer. And may we be privileged to see the coming of the righteous Redeemer. Amen.
וַיְהִי רָצוֹן שֶׁיְּקוּיַּם בָּנוּ מַה שֶּׁבֵּיאֵר כ״ק אאמו״ר זי״ע הַלָּשׁוֹן שֶׁמָּצִינוּ בחז״ל (ירושלמי ברכות א, א) ׳לַעֲמוֹד בִּתְפִלָּה מִתּוֹךְ דִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה׳, הַיְינוּ שֶׁגַּם הַתּוֹרָה תִּהְיֶה בִּבְחִינַת תְּפִילָּה, וְנִזְכֶּה לְבִיאַת גּוֹאֵל צֶדֶק, אָמֵן.
  1. Yerushalmi Berachos 1:1. ↩
In shortThe Rebbe prays that our Torah study become a kind of prayer, as his father taught, and that we see the righteous Redeemer come.
Takeaway

Hashem “called” Moshe before He spoke to him, because Moshe always stood ready, and the Divine word comes to one who has prepared to receive it. Before we pray, learn or do a mitzvah, we too can pause to long for it and to reflect on the greatness of the One before Whom we stand. That preparation is our own small vayikra, readying us to receive the light of holiness.

Learn this in the merit of Rav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitz. His yahrzeit and life ›

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English translation, notes and summaries © Zechusam.