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Fri, Mar 8, 10:19 AM (5 days ago)
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וַיִּקְרָ֖א אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֵלָ֔יו מֵאֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵ֖ד לֵאמֹֽר׃
The LORD called to Moses and spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, saying:
פרק א, פסוק א
Why is the word “Vayikra” written with a small aleph?
The Ba’al Haturim says that the word “Vayikar” (ויקרא without the aleph) means casually calling, while the word “Vayikra” (with an aleph) means to call with love. While Moshe is considered the greatest prophet of the Jewish people, the non Jews boasted about Bilaam, being someone as great in prophecy. When the Torah talks about hashem speaking to Bilaam, the word “Vayikar” is used to show that hashem didn’t enjoy speaking to Bilaam and was not calling out to him with love. Because Moshe was so humble he wanted to write the word as “Vayikar” but because hashem loved Moshe so much he insisted that Moshe write “Vayikra.” So it is written with a small aleph as a compromise between Moshe and hashem.
What other reasons do mipharshim give as a reason for the small aleph?
Where are other places in the Torah where a letter/word is written in a smaller font? And why?
Where else is the word Vayikra used to show someone specifically calling out with love, versus causality?
What other places has a larger or smaller letter?
ReplyDeleteIn berashit the Aleph in Adam's name is written larger than usual, which shows how Adam's self-esteem was large. I like this because it keeps the theme for Moshe it was smaller because he’s humble and Adam it’s bigger because he was boastful.
https://www.chabad.org/kabbalah/article_cdo/aid/2140587/jewish/Large-Aleph-Tiny-Aleph.htm
Mia
Rabbi Berel Wein says: Hashem calls out with a small aleph because He wants us to see Him in every aspect of life, no matter how small and insignificant it may appear on its surface. Many people wait to see Hashem only in great events and there is no doubt that Hashem is to be found there but He is also with us at all times and in all places. People often attempt to improve themselves, physically and spiritually, in big leaps and with superhuman efforts. A better way is to take small steps and to improve yourself by doing little things and being committed. The small and modest way in life leads to the great achievement. The book of Vayikra that we begin to read this week contains hundreds of mitzvot and details of halacha. It concentrates on “small” things in order to raise us to the level of great things and Jewish eternity.
ReplyDeleteRashi agrees with the Ba’al Haturim and says that when the word Vayikra is used, it is showing Hashems affection, and this is in fact the language Hashem used. Then he adds that this was the way the angels called to one another. However, this was not the way that Hashem spoke to the other Naviim. Therefore due to Moshes humility, when Hashem instructed Moshe to write Vayikra as he wrote the Torah, Moshe didn’t want to seem superior towards the othe Naviim, so instead he wrote it with a small Alef. I really like this answer because it highlights Moshes humbleness towards Hashem, and Hashems love.
ReplyDeleteShadal’s theory on why the aleph is small is really interesting. He noticed that most times a small letter is present, it has the same letter right after it in the next word, like “ויקרא אל“. He thinks that at the time that these sefer torahs were written, there was no need to repeat the letter so they would just write it once. Then, when scribes had to go back and add the letter, there was no room so they had to squeeze it in with tiny letters.
ReplyDeleteI find this theory really fascinating, especially with all the proof he brings to back it up. he’s not reading into it like other meforshim, he just thinks it was a mistake in the rewriting of the Torah. Even though some problems arise, such as the fact that there are places with small letters that don’t repeat the letter afterward, I still think this is a really believable and out-of-the-box idea.
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ReplyDeleteIn Shumel 1, when Hashem calls to Shumel it used the language of ויקרא which I assume is to show His love for him. None of the commentaries I saw really mentioned it. What they did mention, however, is the repetitive language when he calls and says his name twice. מצודת ציון explains its only because He’s trying to hurry Shumel (because at first he doesn’t answer). It’s an interesting contrast because of the loving but rushed language. It also show a difference of opinions because we also learned that repetitive language of calling a name can be loving but he doesn’t understand it to be.
ReplyDeleteRivka Krause
ReplyDeleteAccording to Rashi, the reason there is a small is because when Moshe was writing the Torah as dictated by G-d he was too humble to accept the more exalted version. Thus, he write the less holy one for himself but remained faithful to what hashem said by writing V-ykr with a small aleph.