Vayikra

The word ויקרא is written with a small א’; why is this א’ different than all other א’’s? The Ba’al Haturim explains that Moshe was a great person yet had tremendous humility and he did not want to write ויקרא “and Hashem called,” which reflects love and closeness with Hashem. Moshe only wanted to write ויקר meaning “and by chance Hashem spoke to Moshe,” as though Hashem only spoke with him in a dream and not often. Hashem told Moshe to also write it with an א’ so he wrote it with a small א’ in order to fulfill Hashem’s command, yet hiding his unique closeness with Hashem.

The Gemara brings: a person who is shown gourds in a dream is a complete yarei Shamayim. Why is yiras Shamayim compared to gourds? HaRav Nissim Ga’on explains that gourds are the biggest of all vegetables which grow from the ground. Although they are huge, they do not raise themselves above the ground, on the contrary, as they grow bigger and bigger, they lower themselves. So too is by a yaraei Shamayim. There is no one who is as great as them, and still, the more greatness, honor, and authority which is added to them, the more they make themselves small and add humility to themselves. The more humility one has the bigger his receptacle is opened to be filled with more and more greatness.

The Gemara brings: Hashem said to Yisrael, “I desire you the most, because even when I make you great you lower yourselves. You don’t feel that you are deserving of the greatness and you are completely aware that it is a present. I gave greatness to Avraham, and he said ‘I am dirt and ash,’ to Dovid Hamelech, and he said ‘I am a worm and not a man,’ to Moshe Rabbeinu, and he said ‘what are we?’” The Nefesh HaChaim explains that Moshe’s humility superseded the rest. Avraham said he is dirt which is tangible and can produce, and ash came from something. David compared himself to a worm, which is a live being. Moshe however said, “What are we?” reflecting that he has no tangibility of any essence or being. This is as the Torah states about Moshe, עניו מאד מכל האדם he had the greatest humility from any person in the entire world. Even with all the greatness that Hashem gave him, he lowered himself, feeling undeserving, and completely aware that it is a present from Hashem.

Rav Aharon David shlita said b’shem Rav Chaim Brim that if one doesn’t make himself small he is in great danger of losing Hashem’s bracha. This is hinted in our daily davening: משפיל גאים ומגביה שפלים He lowers the haughty and He lifts up those who lower themselves. One who receives greatness from Hashem and feels haughty and brags, will be lowered by Hashem. And one who lowers himself and feels undeserving, Hashem will lift him up and shower him with more and more greatness.

May we recognize that everything which we have is from Hashem and we are undeserving of His kindness thereby making ourselves into receptacles for more greatness!