Parshas Vayikrah | The Kollel Connection

March 7, 2013 – Candle lighting 5:40, Shabbos Ends 6:45

Note: Times are for Bensalem; Check your local calendar for exact times in your area.

Rabbi Moshe Travitsky

Welcome to the Kollel Connection.

This week’s Kollel Connection is dedicated in Memory of Elsie Green, late mother of Steve Green.  May Hashem comfort Steve, his sister and their entire family amongst the other mourners of Israel.   

This week we read Parshas Vayikrah. In Parshas Vayikrah, the Torah tells us of various types of sacrifices that were offered in Temple. When the Torah talks of the sacrifice called a mincha offering, that consisted of flour without any animal involved, the Torah uses different wording than with the other sacrifices. “And if a nefesh (a soul) will bring a mincha offering to Hashem” (Leviticus 2:1). Our Sages ask, why is it that by all the sacrifices the word “nefesh” (a soul) is not used. Only by this flour offering is that word used. Why is the flour offering the only one that has this word describing the owner who is bringing the sacrifice as a nefesh – a soul?

Rashi quotes the words of our Sages, that a rich person will usually bring an animal as a sacrifice. Flour offerings are brought by poor people. When a poor person brings an offering to Hashem, it is a real sacrifice. Hashem looks at such dedication and considers it as if the person had actually sacrificed his or her own soul.

Rabbenu Yona expresses a similar thought in the following way: “Serving Hashem is not like serving a mortal king or leader. When a person wants to come close to a mortal king, he or she must go through the high ranking officials who are close to the king, and try to be allowed to get through to the king. Not so is serving Hashem. He allows any human being to serve him, and wants them and their service of Him. Hashem has no preference for the rich person over the pauper, nor for the wise man more than the simpleton, nor for the strong person more than the weak person. He just wants the person who is sincere in serving Him as best they can.”

The story is told of a taxi driver who once had the privilege to drive the Steipler Gaon the leading Talmudic sage of his time, on a trip. As they were traveling, the Steipler Gaon asked the driver if he sates aside time to learn Torah at night, after he finishes working. The taxi driver sighed and told the Rabbi that he does go to a Torah class every night, but since he is so exhausted after a full day’s work, he often falls asleep as soon as the class begins, and wakes up just as the class ends. He expressed his deep pain that he can’t stay awake for the class, and certainly doesn’t understand the subject matter. As the Rabbi got off the taxi, he told him “In this world you think that what you study is not worth much. In heaven, you should just know, they treat you like a great General. As long as you are doing what you have strength for, even if you fall asleep as you study, you are considered to be a great tzadik and a righteous person.”

The beautiful idea, that Hashem just wants us to use the talent and strength that He has given us to the best of our ability, is the lesson we learn from this special mincha sacrifice.

Wishing you and your family a Great Shabbos!!!!!!!! 

Rabbi Moshe Travitsky

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