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Please mail a check to:
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PO Box 16080,
Jerusalem, 9116002
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For assistance, please call Dina Gudai at 074-780-0643 (8:00 AM – 3:00 Israel time Sunday through Thursday).
Your donation will be tax deductible in the US to the extent allowed by the IRS.
To make a tax-deductible donation by wire transfer in the US, please contact:
Avrum Lapin, North American Representative
Toll-free: 1-866-830-3321
Email: schechter@thelapingroup.com
To make a tax-deductible donation in Israel, please contact:
Dina Gudai, Israeli Representative
Phone: 074-7800643
Email: dina@schechter.ac.il
Please mail your check to:
The Schechter Institutes, Inc. (a 501(c) 3 tax exempt organization)
Box #3566
PO Box 8500
Philadelphia, PA 19178-3566
Attn: Mr. Avrum Lapin, North American Representative
Toll-free: 1-866-830-3321
Email: schechter@thelapingroup.com
Please indicate the donation is "for your joint Schechter Institutes program."
Checks should be made payable to the Jewish Theological Society of Canada and mailed to:
Jewish Theological Society of Canada
c/o Camp Ramah in Canada
3845 Bathhurst St., Suite 310
Toronto, ON, M3H 3N2
Phone: 416-789-2193, ext. 2139
E-mail: accounting@campramah.com
Please mail a check to:
The Schechter Institutes
Attn: Dina Gudai, Finance Department
PO Box 16080,
Jerusalem, 9116002
Israel
For assistance, please call Dina Gudai at 074-780-0643 (8:00 AM – 3:00 Israel time Sunday through Thursday).
As we begin reading the book of Leviticus, Vayikra, we enter a text that many find difficult to connect with. Focused on priestly rituals, sacrifices, and temple service, it can seem distant from our modern lives. Yet, within its opening words lies a subtle but profound lesson about humility, leadership, and purpose.
The very first word of the book, Vayikra—”And He called”—contains an unusual feature: a tiny aleph. If you’ve ever had the chance to see a Torah scroll up close or receive the first aliyah in synagogue, you may have noticed this small letter. This seemingly minor detail has fascinated commentators for generations, offering multiple interpretations of its significance.
One view suggests that without the aleph, the word would read Vayikr—“And it happened,” implying that God’s communication with Moses was accidental or incidental, rather than a deliberate and personal calling. The addition of the aleph transforms the meaning, emphasizing that Moses was called with intention. This subtle shift reminds us that moments of purpose in our lives are not random; they require us to be present and receptive.
Another interpretation from the Midrash focuses on the small aleph as a lesson in humility. Moses, despite his leadership role, did not see himself as superior. Instead of exalting himself in response to God’s call, he made himself smaller. This reflects a powerful truth about leadership: true calling is not about personal elevation but about service. When we respond to a calling—whether as teachers, caregivers, community leaders, or advocates—we are asked to step back from our own egos and give of ourselves to something greater.
This idea is particularly relevant today. We live in a world where leadership is often associated with power, recognition, and self-promotion. Yet, the lesson of Vayikra suggests the opposite: real leadership requires humility, the willingness to listen, and the ability to serve without seeking personal gain. Whether we are answering a call within our families, communities, or professions, we are reminded that purpose is found not in making ourselves bigger, but in making space for others.
The small aleph teaches us that responding to a true calling is not about status or grandeur, but about dedication and selflessness. When we give of ourselves—our time, our wisdom, our compassion—we become part of something much larger than ourselves.
And that is the essence of Vayikra—to recognize when we are being called and to answer with humility and purpose.
Image via Shutterstock
Dr. Peri Sinclair is The Susan and Scott Shay TALI Director General. She received her doctorate in Midrash from the Jewish Theological Seminary and her MA in Jewish Education from JTS’s Davidson School of Education. Peri is a graduate of the TALI School in Hod Hasharon and a proud alumna of NOAM (the Masorti Movement’s youth movement). She has spent 15 summers in senior staff positions at Camp Ramah in the Berkshires. She is married to Dr. Alex Sinclair and together they are raising three inquisitive kids in Modi’in.
