Parashat Vayikra opens with the verse: “AND the Lord called to Moshe, and spoke to him out of the Tent of Meeting, saying:” (Leviticus 1:1).
Note that God does not start by speaking to Moses [the common form of divine address in Leviticus is “The Lord spoke to Moses”]. Instead, God calls to him. This seems to be an invitation from the Divine for closeness and listening.
Our Sages noticed that the word "Vayikra" (And He called) is written in the Torah with a small, suspended letter Aleph. Some saw this as an expression of Moses’ humility. But perhaps the suspended letter also serves as a reminder that the divine call is not always thundering. Sometimes it is nearly a whisper. It depends on our ability to pay attention, to listen, and to respond.
Many of us perceive the Book of Leviticus as a book primarily concerned with ritual: sacrifices, purity and impurity, and Temple laws. In my humble opinion, this perception is almost accurate, but specifically in our portion—between the meal offering and the animal sacrifice—there is also a vital moral demand:
“And if a person sin, and hear the voice of adjuration, and is a witness… if he do not utter it, then he shall bear his iniquity” (Leviticus 5:1).
The Torah describes a situation where a person is aware of and witnesses a wrong being committed, yet chooses to remain silent. In such a case, the Torah says, the responsibility does not vanish. “He shall bear his iniquity.” Silence itself becomes a moral problem.
This reflects a worldview where the Torah does not place the responsibility for justice solely on judges or leaders. Responsibility is also placed on the bystander: on anyone who hears, on anyone who knows. In other words: one cannot remain indifferent.
This same idea echoes in the words of the Prophets. Isaiah, for example, sharply criticizes religious ritual that is not accompanied by moral commitment: “learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.” (Isaiah 1:17). Service to God does not end with ceremonies. It is tested by how we treat other human beings, especially those in vulnerable positions.
These days, as Israeli society lives in the shadow of war and ongoing threats, these words take on additional meaning. War confronts us with difficult questions of power, security, fear, and revenge. It can also cause us to withdraw into ourselves and see reality only through the lens of conflict. Precisely in such situations, it is crucial to remember the moral call that accompanies Jewish tradition.
This call does not negate the need for defense and security. However, it does remind us that even within the reality of conflict, we must preserve the “Tzelem Adam” (The divine image in man)—our own and that of others. Moral responsibility does not disappear during wartime; sometimes, it becomes even more important.
A call to listen, a call to be less closed-hearted, a call to remember that even in a difficult reality, we are called to be human. Our role as human rights defenders is to call out—not with a small Aleph, but with a capital Aleph!
May the good days of peace be soon upon us.
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Evyatar Guzner is an educator and rabbinical student at HUC. He teaches Bible and Jewish Thought at the Leo Baeck High School in Haifa and is engaged in Jewish education and leading value-based discourse with youth and adults. Alongside his rabbinic studies, he is active in teaching, facilitating life-cycle rituals, and developing Jewish-social content for congregations.
Note that God does not start by speaking to Moses [the common form of divine address in Leviticus is “The Lord spoke to Moses”]. Instead, God calls to him. This seems to be an invitation from the Divine for closeness and listening.
Our Sages noticed that the word "Vayikra" (And He called) is written in the Torah with a small, suspended letter Aleph. Some saw this as an expression of Moses’ humility. But perhaps the suspended letter also serves as a reminder that the divine call is not always thundering. Sometimes it is nearly a whisper. It depends on our ability to pay attention, to listen, and to respond.
Many of us perceive the Book of Leviticus as a book primarily concerned with ritual: sacrifices, purity and impurity, and Temple laws. In my humble opinion, this perception is almost accurate, but specifically in our portion—between the meal offering and the animal sacrifice—there is also a vital moral demand:
“And if a person sin, and hear the voice of adjuration, and is a witness… if he do not utter it, then he shall bear his iniquity” (Leviticus 5:1).
The Torah describes a situation where a person is aware of and witnesses a wrong being committed, yet chooses to remain silent. In such a case, the Torah says, the responsibility does not vanish. “He shall bear his iniquity.” Silence itself becomes a moral problem.
This reflects a worldview where the Torah does not place the responsibility for justice solely on judges or leaders. Responsibility is also placed on the bystander: on anyone who hears, on anyone who knows. In other words: one cannot remain indifferent.
This same idea echoes in the words of the Prophets. Isaiah, for example, sharply criticizes religious ritual that is not accompanied by moral commitment: “learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.” (Isaiah 1:17). Service to God does not end with ceremonies. It is tested by how we treat other human beings, especially those in vulnerable positions.
These days, as Israeli society lives in the shadow of war and ongoing threats, these words take on additional meaning. War confronts us with difficult questions of power, security, fear, and revenge. It can also cause us to withdraw into ourselves and see reality only through the lens of conflict. Precisely in such situations, it is crucial to remember the moral call that accompanies Jewish tradition.
This call does not negate the need for defense and security. However, it does remind us that even within the reality of conflict, we must preserve the “Tzelem Adam” (The divine image in man)—our own and that of others. Moral responsibility does not disappear during wartime; sometimes, it becomes even more important.
A call to listen, a call to be less closed-hearted, a call to remember that even in a difficult reality, we are called to be human. Our role as human rights defenders is to call out—not with a small Aleph, but with a capital Aleph!
May the good days of peace be soon upon us.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Evyatar Guzner is an educator and rabbinical student at HUC. He teaches Bible and Jewish Thought at the Leo Baeck High School in Haifa and is engaged in Jewish education and leading value-based discourse with youth and adults. Alongside his rabbinic studies, he is active in teaching, facilitating life-cycle rituals, and developing Jewish-social content for congregations.