Vayikra

The first word in Sefer Vayikra is written with an unusually small aleph. Chazal explain that this emphasizes the difference between Hashem's interaction with Moshe Rabbeinu versus the interaction with the likes of Bilam. The word used for Bilam is yikareh, without the letter aleph. The root of KRH implies a coincidence. There wasn't a calling to Bilam out of love but rather it was a calling that just happened, coincidentally. This differs from the calling to Moshe Rabbeinu that was done with great love and intent.

The question that arises from this explanation is: if the key differentiating factor is implied by the letter aleph and that letter conveys the essential theme of the lesson, then the letter aleph should have been unusually large rather than unusually small.

A second question arises out of apparent inconsistencies in Biblical usage of the term KRH - coincidence. Amalek's attack of Bnei Yisrael is described with the words asher KARCHA baderech. Chazal explain the word karcha to have a similar meaning to the root of yikareh and implies that Amalek was a people who did not believe in Divine intervention. Rather, their belief system was based on the concept that all is just coincidence. Therefore, they found natural and coincidental explanations for the events of the plagues in Egypt and the splitting of the sea. They were a people asher karcha- that believed all was coincidence.

However, there is a more positive event using the term of vayiker. Ruth and Na'ami needed some means of sustenance upon their arrival in Israel. Ruth goes out to the fields to collect the produce that, by law, is left for the poor. The verse tells us that her arrival at the field of Boaz was due to vayiker mikreha - a mere coincidence. This, too, has no letter aleph to imply intent. Instead, it uses the same root as is used by both Bilam and Amalek. Are we to understand that in describing Amalek and in describing the Divine interaction with Bilam that coincidence is evil and impure but this same concept is what led to the establishment of the Davidic dynasty, ultimately leading to Mashiach? Is this pivotal moment in Jewish history merely due to a coincidence - the same concept that we ridicule as a character trait of Amalek and Bilam?

Chazal tell us that each letter of the Aleph Bet corresponds to another level of Divine concealment. The letter Aleph is the letter symbolizing the greatest level of Divine revelation and each subsequent letter carries with it an additional layer of secrecy. Our goal is to constantly strive for the letter aleph.

The distinction between Divine interaction and mere coincidence is not one of fact. It is a state of mind. Yahadus espouses the idea of Divine interaction and control at every moment of history and life. Intellectually and religiously we recognize this to be fact. However, we do not always apply it to each action or event in our lives. Perhaps we talk the talk but is our state of mind really one that believes that there are no coincidences?

Amalek's state of mind was that nothing has Divine interaction. Everything is coincidence. If there ever was a yad Hashem it ended with the end of Creation. All that happens in the world now is merely coincidence, part of the laws of nature or even the phenomena of naturally unusual occurrences. Bilam believed that Hashem's appearance to him was just a coincidence. There was nothing special about these appearances other than they happened to happen to him and not others. So, too, Bilam could explain that Hashem's appearance to Moshe was just a coincidence. In the course of nature and human events, Divine revelation comes to certain people. This state of mind is one of impurity and potentially evil.

The verse describes Ruth's arrival at the field of Boaz as a coincidence. However, Na'ami does not accept this idea. Upon hearing of this 'coincidence' from Rus, Na'ami exclaims that this is the yad Hashem acting on their behalf, guiding Ruth to the field of Boaz, her potential redeemer. Ruth immediately accepts this explanation and follows the wishes of her mother-in-law to return to Boaz' field and allow the yad Hashem to continue its course. Na'ami and Ruth's state of mind does not accept things that seem to be coincidence as such. Even a basic chore like going out to work in the fields is seen as one with Divine interaction and concern.

It is not the word of vayiker, the perception of coincidence that is wrong. It is the acceptance of occurrences and actions as coincidence that is wrong. Many events occur in our lives that seem like they are simply nature taking its course. Nonetheless, we need to know that even in the course of human events, in the natural flow of nature, there are no coincidences. The Yad Hashem is everywhere constantly. This the lesson of the aleph in vayikra. The aleph - the letter that symbolizes the greatest revelation of Divine intervention - is often very small. It might be difficult for us to see the aleph - the Yad Hashem - in a variety of things. Nonetheless, we need to know that it is there. Moshe Rabbeinu always saw the aleph in everything, no matter how small it appeared to the world. Bilam never saw the aleph. Moshe is our role model. No matter how small the aleph seems to be, no matter how much things seem like they are mere coincidences, we must always strive to see the aleph and to assure that vayikra - the call to us from Hashem is one filled with love.