Simcha's Torah Stories Parshas Vayikra 5759 =========================================================================== This publication is available in HTML format at http://www.ohr.edu/youth/simcha/5759/vayikra/vayikra.htm =========================================================================== THE MOST HUMBLE OF ALL Hi guys! Hi Joey! Guess what? I just got back my math test. Did you know that I got 105%? Wow, Joey. Not only did I get all of the questions right, I also answered the extra-credit questions correctly. Great, Joey. I'm on my way to basketball practice. I'm the leading scorer on the team. Fantastic, Joey. After that, I think I'll stop off at my math teacher's house. It's on the way home. Did he ask you to come by? No, but considering I'm the top student in the class, I figure that he'll be happy to see me. See you later guys! Bye, Joey. Well, Chaim, Joey certainly has many accomplishments to be proud of. Yes, Avi. He is a very talented person. Do you know that our Rebbe was teaching us about Moshe Rabbeinu's accomplishments this week? Really? Which ones did he speak about? He quoted the commentary of the Medrash Rabba on this week's Torah portion, Vayikra. Moshe was the "Father of Wisdom," the most intelligent and wise person of his time. He was the "Father of the Prophets," who reached the closest level possible to G-d. He led the Jewish people out of Egypt. G-d utilized him to perform several miracles in Egypt and at the Red Sea. He rose to the highest heights and brought the Torah down from Heaven to earth. He worked on the building of the Holy Tabernacle. Wouldn't you say that Moshe Rabbeinu had many accomplishments to be proud of? Sure, Avi. How did he view himself? Did he go about bragging about his accomplishments? Who? Moshe Rabbeinu? The Torah calls him the humblest of all men. Precisely, Chaim. With all of his accomplishments, he did not feel that he deserved any privileges or special treatment. How do we know that, Avi? This week's Torah portion, Chaim. The first word is vayikra, which means "and He called". Who called to whom, Avi? G-d called to Moshe. Although Moshe Rabbeinu had many, many accomplishments, which might have earned him special privileges, still he did not enter the innermost chamber of the Tabernacle unless he was summoned by G-d. This is an example of his great humility. It is a great example for us to follow, Avi. I can think of many ways to improve in this area. Speaking softly, not interrupting when someone is speaking, not getting upset when things do not go my way, these are all points to work on. Chaim, you are already halfway there. Just realizing that we need to improve is the biggest and most difficult step towards humility. ===================================== Simcha's Quiz Question of the Week What number is two-thirds of one-half of one-fourth of 240? 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Please contact us for details. =========================================================================== Written and Compiled by Simcha Groffman General Editor: Rabbi Moshe Newman Production Design: Eli Ballon =========================================================================== Prepared by the Jewish Learning Exchange of Ohr Somayach International 22 Shimon Hatzadik Street, POB 18103 Jerusalem 91180, Israel Tel: 972-2-581-0315 Fax: 972-2-581-2890 E-Mail: info@ohr.edu Home Page: http://www.ohr.edu =========================================================================== Kinder Torah Copyright 1999 All rights reserved to the author Simcha Groffman