The Small Aleph! Us VS Bilam
“Vayikra, and Hashem called Moshe.” The Gemara in Sanhedrin 106a speaks of the Moabite and Midianite women who influenced the Yidden to Baal Peor in the area of Shittim, after Bilam gave Balak the idea. The Pasuk describes their act as, “Vatikrena,” and they called them. Rabbi Eliezer explains that the women came out bare, and their bodies alone were the seduction. Meaning, they didn’t use any words. Rabbi Yehoshua explains that they caused the Yidden to become Baalei Keri. What is it about “calling” that plays such a part in the story?
Rashi here asks why the “Aleph” at the end of the word Vayikra is small. Rashi explains that there is a difference between the prophecies of Moshe and Bilam. When Hashem speaks to the Tzaddikim, He uses a language of love, while when He speaks to the wicked, He uses a transient and temporary speech. That’s why, when Hashem spoke to Moshe, he used the “Aleph” at the end of the word, while when speaking to Bilam, we see the word, “Vayikar.” Hashem made a point to show us how much He loved us by making the Aleph a bit smaller, so we have a direct sign of His love toward us.
When we address anyone, there is usually an intention behind it. It doesn’t matter what we want out of them, the common factor is that the caller and the called are being connected through it. If I ask my friend to do me a favor, or even if I just wave to him, a form and bond connects wirelessly. Just the simple act of showing the other that they have importance is enough to bring two souls together. Even if the purpose for this connection is for me to admonish my friend, as long as I address the other properly and respectfully, it shows them that, even though I may be upset, I still see the other as a human.
There is a sense of respect we have for other humans, since we all know what it takes to be one. Many of us have existential questions about our purpose, and the world as a whole. Some aren’t that deep and question when their problems will end and their peace will start. And then there are those who are in a simple life mode, where it is all about the job in front of them right now. Everyone is doing something in order to bring them closer to their purpose. So, who am I to lack respect for any other?
The same concept would transfer to animals, trees, and rocks. They all have properties within them that motivate them to exist and prosper. We can learn a lot about respect for other humans by recognizing the task of the simple tree. They follow the orders of their maker and do so without question, and are proud as their arms stretch higher and higher to Him. We can respect the ocean and the ground beneath it for the purpose it fulfills, and we can grow in awe as we think about the birds and the animals.
It is the natural order of things that, when you want to connect to anything or anyone, there must be a mutual respect for their existence. Otherwise, we are abusing our position and wasting the others’ precious time. In order for us to have a valued opinion by someone else, those people must first respect us and want to listen to what we have to say. But if I’m just a troll blurting out words of advice to others, while I myself do not abide by its direction, there is no way in the world I would be taken seriously.
When respect becomes the magnet of the relationship, we can both grow together. I can call and reach out from my end, while at the same time will be open to listening to my counterpart. Respect takes two opposing sides and brings them both to the same side of the table. The back and forth must be mutual for the connection to last.
Imagine someone working hard on their character traits. The way he speaks is with dignity, the actions he takes are modest, and his demeanor is pleasant. People will notice such a person and admire his discipline and good personality. Now, the people around him start speaking to him and asking him for advice, many wish to learn from his life lessons and start hanging out around him. But instead of accepting them with love and honor, he starts becoming nasty and arrogant toward them. Everybody understands that the respect they had for the last while will be removed in an instant. The same is with money as well. We work hard to achieve it, but if we become arrogant with it, we end up losing it all.
The idea of respect is best understood with the lesson of the small Aleph. The Moabite girls had zero respect for the Yidden, and their entire motivation was to erase our own dignity. They tried ridding us of the thing that kept us holy and pure; the faith that has been with us through thick and thin and made us who we are today. The connection we had with Hashem, the thing that we were respected for throughout the entire world, is what Bilam wished to take away from us. The ability to remain humble like the Aleph was the reason why we became so big, and all they wanted to do was to remove it from us completely.
It is no wonder why Bilam gave this idea. He felt that distance from Hashem, and he knew exactly why he received that kind of treatment. The illicit behaviors he was attracted to and the disgusting desires he craved was why Hashem spoke to him in a transient and elusive way. He knew that Hashem had zero respect for him, and that’s the reason why he wasn’t addressed with dignity. He told Balak, “Have the girls strip the dignity away from His people. Have them address the Yidden just the way I am addressed to by Hashem. Make them fail miserably so that they too lose their respect by their loving Father.” And with zero respect to the Yidden, they went ahead and got 24,000 of our brothers.
We are born with a lot of self love and a big ego. We are drawn to everything that makes our lives more enjoyable. But it is the true love that we seek out in our lives. We try to do good things, but the reward is so far away. We just let ourselves go a bit in order to feel a little bit of pleasure. Those pleasures end up causing us shame and regret for a long time, and we need to wake up and reverse course in our life. We feel small, like the tiny Aleph, and we start building ourselves up. People around will notice how you are working on your spirituality, and they will respect you for it, but remember that true love comes from Hashem. Don’t lose sight of what’s real and important, stay steadfast in your convictions, and work tirelessly toward your goal of becoming a better person who is closer to Hashem. The lesson of respect and love we learn from just one tiny letter, now it is no wonder why Hashem chose the Aleph all for Himself.
David Lemmer is an Orthodox Jewish, Writer and Hypnotherapist. He can be reached at LemmerHypno@gmail.com