Welcome to Temple Beth Ami
Welcome To Temple Beth Ami
  • Home Page
  • About Us
    • Clergy
    • Staff
    • Leadership
    • Membership
    • 50th Anniversary
    • Policies and Inclusion
    • Contact Us
    • Rentals
    • History
    • Events
    • Judaica Shop
  • Jewish Life
    • Shabbat
    • Holidays and Festivals
    • Lifecycle
      • Bereavement
      • Birth
      • B’nei Mitzvah
      • Confirmation and Graduation
      • Marriage
      • TBA Cares
    • Israel
    • Torah Blog
  • Education
    • Early Childhood
    • Machane TBA (Religious School)
    • Summer Programs
      • Gan Ami Summer Program
        (Age 2 – Pre-K)
      • Kayitz 2023
        (Grades K-7)
    • Adult Education
  • Get Involved
    • Monthly Calendar of Events
      • March 2023
      • April 2023
    • Social Action
      • Tikkun Olam Committee
      • Love Thy Neighbor
        (Addressing Racial Injustice)
      • Community of Action
      • Critical Issues Forum:
        Advocacy for Social Justice
    • Social Groups
    • Jewish Book Council Events
    • TBA TV
    • Member Support
  • Donate
  • Contact Us
  • Members
    • ShulCloud
    • Financial Assistance
    • B’nei Mitzvah Preparation
    • Judaica Shop
    • Events

Events Calendar

« April 2023 » loading...
S M T W T F S
26
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
1
2
3
4
5
6
Sat 29

Torah Study
Saturdays 9 am – 10 am

April 29 @ 9:00 am - 10:00 am
Fri 28

WTBA Winter & Spring Virtual Yoga

April 28 @ 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Sat 22

Torah Study
Saturdays 9 am – 10 am

April 22 @ 9:00 am - 10:00 am
Fri 21

WTBA Winter & Spring Virtual Yoga

April 21 @ 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Sat 15

Torah Study
Saturdays 9 am – 10 am

April 15 @ 9:00 am - 10:00 am

VaYikra 5783
Lev. 1:1 – 5:26 

Rabbi Gary Pokras 

In Hebrew, both the name of the book of Leviticus and its first parasha get their name from the first word in the text: VaYikra. VaYikra means “And He called.” Usually, the Torah uses two different verbs to describe how God communicated with Moses: VaYidaber or VaYomeir, both of which mean God “spoke” or “said.” The use of the verb “to call” at the beginning of a book of Torah is notable, especially if the purpose of the book is to detail how we should offer sacrifices to God. 

The word “sacrifice” in English shares a root with the word “sacred.” It means giving something up (with an emphasis on “up”). The Hebrew word for sacrifice is korban, which shares a root with the word karov (which means “close” or “near”). The purpose of the korban was to draw closer to God. To teach us how, God first calls to Moses, and by extension to us. 

For millennia, the word VaYikra has been scribed in Torah scrolls in an odd way. The last letter, an aleph, is half the size of the other letters. This tiny little aleph calls us, saying darsheini (interpret me)!1 Rabbi Shaul Feinberg shares some of the most well-known interpretations. The little aleph represents the humility of Moses, even after he ascended the heights with God and became the greatest prophet in Jewish history. Moses understood that his accomplishments were not merely his own and saw himself as an instrument of a higher power. Rabbi Feinberg, a teacher himself, applied this to the relationships between teachers and students. When teachers give up (sacrifice) a bit of their egos, it makes room for others in the classroom to make meaningful contributions. This in turn, allows everyone to “come closer.” Rabbi Feinberg also notes that the small aleph may suggest that the meaning of God, or of the lives we live, can be found in the smallest of details.2 

The idea of finding God in the smallest aleph is echoed in the mystical tradition, which offers a thought-provoking interpretation of the Revelation at Mount Sinai. The Torah describes how the Israelites were filled with fear as God spoke. They turned to Moses for help, asking him to get the Commandments on their behalf, so that they would not have to listen to any more themselves. Moses complied. So, how much of the Ten Commandments did they hear? According to the mystics, they only heard the first letter of the first word – an aleph. Just the sound of that one letter was enough to completely overwhelm the Israelites. But what does an aleph sound like? Many people think it is a silent letter than only takes on the sound of the vowel it is attached to. However, the aleph is not entirely silent. It is the tiny guttural sound we make at the back of our throats before we speak. It is incredibly quiet, and the only way we can hear it is if we listen – very carefully. This too requires a sort of pulling back – of not filling the space around us with our own noise. The mystics teach that God has been continuously speaking the cosmic aleph from the top of Mount Sinai since the Beginning. The great miracle of the Revelation was not that God spoke, but all of Israel, together, listened. God calls to us eternally, and if we listen, if we pay attention to the tiniest details, then with both effort and concentration we too may be able to hear. 

Torah Blog Archives

  • Tzav (Shabbat HaGadol) 5783  Lev. 6:1 – 8:36 
  • VaYikra 5783  Lev. 1:1 – 5:26 
  • VaYakhel/Pekudei (Shabbat HaChodesh) 5783 Ex. 35:1 – 40:38 
  • Ki Tissa 5783  Ex. 30:11 – 34:35 
  • Purim 5783 Megilat Esther 
  • Tetzaveh 5783  Ex. 27:20 – 30:10
  • Terumah 5783  Ex. 25:1 – 27:19 
  • Mishpatim (Shabbat Shekalim) 5783  Ex. 21:1 – 24:18
  • Yitro 5783  Ex. 18:1 – 20:23 
  • BeShallach (Shabbat Shira) 5783  Ex. 13:17 – 17:16 
  • Bo 5783 Exodus 10:1 – 13:16 
  • VaEra 5783  Exodus 6:2 – 9:35 
  • Shemot 5779  Exodus 1:1 – 6:1 
  • VaYigash – 5783  Genesis 44:18 – 47:27
  • Miketz – 5783 
    Genesis 41:1—42:27 

  • VaYeishev – 5779  Genesis 37:1 – 40:23
  • VaYishlach – 5779  Genesis 32:4 – 36:43 
  • Toledot – 5780  Genesis 25:19 – 28:9 
  • Chayei Sarah – 5780  Genesis 23:1 – 25:18 
  • VaYeira – 5779  Genesis 18:1 – 22:24
Powered by

RJ Web Builder 3.0

Shop and support Temple Beth Ami
Amazon Logo
Contact the Webmaster with questions or comments about this site
Temple Beth Ami, 14330 Travilah Road Rockville MD, 20850
301-340-6818