Parshas VaYikra – A thought on the first Rashi

“And He (God) called to Moshe.”
VaYikra 1:1

 

“From all (parshios beginning with) ‘God spoke with Moshe,’ and all (parshios beginning with) ‘God said to Moshe’ and all commands (before which) a ‘calling’ preceded – these are expressions of love, an expression which the angels use, as it is said “ One called to the other.” (Yeshayoh 6:3). But to the gentile nations He revealed himself with an expression of happenstance and uncleanness, as it is said, “God happened upon Bilaam.” (Bamidbar 23:4).

 

Prophecy is no longer an element in Divine/human interaction and we are left far less aware of and sensitive to God’s will in the world as a result of this void. And yet … spiritually oriented people can, even now, detect God’s presence in the world. We can see His hand when viewing a vast expanse of nature; the healing of a very sick friend or family member; in the comfort given to a suffering person  from friends, neighbors, their own internal fortitude, or from unexpected circumstances;  in the mercy a gravely ill person receives through a quick end to their pain; and in a fortunate turn of history or individual circumstance. There are even those who can see God's hand in prolonged, inexplicable suffering, though this is a steep challenge for most of us 'regular' mortals (myself included).

 

The challenge in these instances is to absorb the glimpses of God into our worldview and to accept them not just as the broader phenomenon but also as a small personal revelation – when I notice God’s actions, God is (so to speak) calling to me too. If we fail to appreciate the personal revelation that our awareness of God’s presence signifies, we risk reducing the observation to a happenstance. And that can diminish not only our own experience but also our perception of God’s power.