This week’s parsha, Vayikra, goes through so many things including the Laws of the different Korbanot (offerings) and the steps the Cohanim (priests) take to make those sacrifices in the Holy temple. Before the parsha goes into all of those interesting things, it says “When a person among you brings an offering to Hashem.” This could either be interpreted as what you’re bringing from yourself or what someone else is bringing. What do you want to take from yourself and bring to others?
Many of you might not think a parasha could relate to your everyday lives but this one does. It is pretty much shouting out “What will YOU bring to the table?!” Is it holding the door open for someone or stepping up to friends when they’re being rude to another peer? At the end of the day will you be able to say you gave someone a piece of you. I don’t mean literally chopping off a piece of your leg and handing it to someone, but to give them some knowledge, to both teach and learn from them.
Every act of kindness affects not only the people around you but the person you’re showing these acts too. You become a better you, by taking time out of your day to do something better, perhaps then someone will notice and do the same thing. Giving can create a domino effect that can keep going no matter what.
When you bring something of yourself to other people, it may come off as arrogance. The thing is, it’s not. You’re doing this act of kindness because you realize you have something to offer. The first word of this parsha is Vaikra which in english is “He called to Moses.” When I met with Rabbi Yisroel Ciner,(Rabbi of Beth Jacob Congregation, Irvine, CA) he told me that the reason why the aleph is smaller than the rest of the text in the Torah and Tanakh is because Moses was so humble, he didn’t want everyone to know that G-d spoke directly to him. God asked Moses for help and that is something Moses didn’t want the people knowing because he didn’t want people to think he has more than G-d. Moses was so humbled there was a compromise and use of the small aleph.
If one of the most influential people in our Jewish history is too shy to promote his deeds, then we should strive to be like him. There’s a saying that says, “A silent Mitzvah is the best kind.” The next time you do something good, don’t announce it to the whole world. Perhaps you will then see that the mitzvah is more for you than the people you’re doing it for. Take a walk in Moses’ shoes. No matter what, someone will notice your amazing acts of kindness.
In closing, I challenge you to do one act of kindness, because that one act can really change the future.
Shabbat Shalom!
Matana Zwiren
OC NCSY Chapter President
Regional Board Secretary