The opening of Sefer Vayikra contains one of the sharpest statements found in the words of Chazal. It is a teaching that hits us with incredible force, especially now, as we navigate one of the most difficult periods in our history.
The Torah begins: “Vayikra el Moshe - And He called to Moshe."
Chazal point out that although Moshe Rabbeinu had attained a level of prophecy, nevuah, and closeness to Hashem that no other human could ever match, he did not simply walk into the Tent of Meeting, the Ohel Moed. Even though he was the greatest of all men, he stood at the entrance and waited. He did not enter until he was called.
From here, the Midrash teaches us the foundation of a Jew: Derech Eretz (ethical behavior, politeness and decency). If Moshe Rabbeinu, who spoke to Hashem "face to face," understood that he must wait at the door, how much more so must we conduct ourselves with basic respect and humility toward others.
But then the Midrash adds a chilling warning: "If a Torah scholar lacks proper conduct and respect (Derech Eretz), a dead carcass is better than him."
The Odor of a Chillul Hashem
This is not just a "strong expression." Chazal are teaching us a fundamental truth about our role in the world. A carcass is repulsive, but it doesn't pretend to be anything else. However, a person who is seen as a ben Torah-someone who carries the name of Hashem and the honor of the Torah-but acts with arrogance, entitlement, or a lack of basic menschlichkeit, is misrepresenting everything he is thought to be and causes a spiritual disaster.
When such a person behaves poorly, the world doesn't just judge that individual. They look at his Kipa or his learning and say, "So this is what the Torah teaches?" Instead of drawing people closer to Hashem, his behavior drives them away. This is the ultimate "foul odor"-the terrible sin of Chillul Hashem. In a time when our nation is searching for meaning and comfort, any lack of Derech Eretz by those who represent Torah is a betrayal of our responsibility.
The Small Aleph and the Kedoshim
In every Sefer Torah, the word Vayikra is written with a Small Aleph. Moshe Rabbeinu, in his incredible humility, didn’t want to use the language of a "special call." He wanted to use the word Vayikar-a chance encounter-the same way Hashem spoke to the wicked Bilaam. Hashem insisted on the "Call" of affection, so Moshe made the aleph small, showing that he had totally nullified his own ego.
Today, in Eretz Yisrael, we are living the lesson of the Small Aleph.
Our personal "aleph"-our ego, our political certainties, and our internal tensions-must shrink. When we stand at the threshold of another person's suffering-families whose children, husbands, and fathers have become Kedoshim, giving their lives for us Al Kiddush Hashem-our own voices must fall silent. We may not be able to feel the full depth of their hurt, but we must realize that in the face of such a sacrifice, our personal opinions and internal tensions are microscopic.
When we speak of the sanctity of the Kedoshim, we are referring to the highest level of holiness. Our Sages teach that those who give their lives for the sake of the Jewish people stand in a place in Heaven where no other creature can enter. Regardless of their background, their act of total self-sacrifice for the Klal transforms them into a "Living Sefer Torah." Their sanctity is so great that it should silence our own petty arguments. When we stand before a grieving family, we are standing on holy ground.
How can we allow internal frictions to take up space when a twenty-year-old soldier has given his life so that we can live? How can we worry about our own "honor" when his surviving family is carrying a void that will never be filled?
Our Duty as Ambassadors
In these trying times, being a "Torah Jew" is not just about the hours spent in the Beit Medrash. It is about how we stand before the suffering of others. We are the "ambassadors" of the Torah. The world is watching the "cover of the book" to see what a Torah life produces. Does it make us more sensitive, or more demanding? Does it make us more humble, or more self-assured?
When we act with the humility of the Small Aleph, we "sweeten the air" of our nation. When we speak with gentleness to a neighbor we disagree with, or when we sit in humble silence with the grieving, we are living the opening of Vayikra. We are showing that the Torah doesn't make us "big"-it serves to refine our middot so we can truly see the merits of the Jew standing before us.
We should remember that every act of Derech Eretz and every time we shrink our own "aleph" for the sake of another is a letter in the Torah that the world is reading right now. Our duty is to be that Small Aleph-proving that the path of Hashem is a path of peace, kindness, and fine middot.
Rabbi Eliezer Simcha Weisz is a member of the Chief Rabbinical Council of Israel.