Parshas Vayikra
VaYikrah- with a small aleph
“And HASHEM called to Moshe, and HASHEM spoke to him from the Ohel Moed, saying. . .” — VaYikrah 1:1
Sefer VaYikrah opens with the expression:
משה אל ויקרא “And HASHEM called to Moshe.” The word ויקרא is written with a small aleph.
The Baal HaTurim explains that this was because of Moshe Rabbeinu’s extreme humility. HASHEM told him to write the word ויקרא with an aleph. That implies that HASHEM called Moshe to come forward for an audience. Moshe felt that was too much honor. He wanted it to appear as if it were more of a random occurrence. When HASHEM spoke to Bilaam, the Torah used the expression "ויקר" to mean that is wasn’t a formal audience, just a chance happening. So Moshe requested to write the word here without the aleph. HASHEM told him not to do that, but to write the word out fully. Out of his extreme humility, Moshe said he would only write it with a small aleph to somehow keep the connotation that it wasn’t a formal invitation.
“And HASHEM called to Moshe, and HASHEM spoke to him from the Ohel Moed, saying. . .” — VaYikrah 1:1
Sefer VaYikrah opens with the expression:
משה אל ויקרא “And HASHEM called to Moshe.” The word ויקרא is written with a small aleph.
The Baal HaTurim explains that this was because of Moshe Rabbeinu’s extreme humility. HASHEM told him to write the word ויקרא with an aleph. That implies that HASHEM called Moshe to come forward for an audience. Moshe felt that was too much honor. He wanted it to appear as if it were more of a random occurrence. When HASHEM spoke to Bilaam, the Torah used the expression "ויקר" to mean that is wasn’t a formal audience, just a chance happening. So Moshe requested to write the word here without the aleph. HASHEM told him not to do that, but to write the word out fully. Out of his extreme humility, Moshe said he would only write it with a small aleph to somehow keep the connotation that it wasn’t a formal invitation.