Thus, until a person senses his own lowliness as one created from the earth, he does not connect to the place from which he was created, the mizbaiach of his atonement, regarding which the Torah states, ״מזבח אדמה תעשה לי״ – “Make for Me a mizbaiach of earth.”

A deeper understanding of Moshe’s humility

Based on above, we may further explain the verse:

וְהָאִ֥ישׁ מֹשֶׁ֖ה עָנָ֣ו מְאֹ֑ד מִכֹּל֙ הָֽאָדָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הָאֲדָמָֽה׃

“And the man Moshe was exceedingly humble, more than any man on the face of the earth.” (Bamidbar 12:3)

According to what we have explained, the word adam refers to someone who knows he is merely dust from the earth. Therefore, the verse concludes “on the face of the earth.” This awareness of having been created from the earth was constantly before Moshe, always on his face.

Similarly, Avraham Avinu said of himself: “I am but dust and ashes.” Yet Moshe was even more humble than this, saying of himself, “What are we?” This idea is beautifully hinted at in the pasuk according to our explanation.

Including oneself with all of Klal Yisrael

The Sefas Emes (5631/1871) adds that a person must give from his inner self, from his thoughts and desires. This is the meaning of ״אדם כי יקריב מכם״ – “A man who brings an offering from you.” The emphasis is on mikem, from yourselves. From the person’s own inner desire for Hashem, blessed be He, from his readiness to include himself as part of Knesses Yisrael, incorporating himself into the entirety of Klal Yisrael. Only then is the korban complete. At that point, the person does not merely bring an offering from an animal, he also offers himself.

The explanation, in my view, seems to be that this is the most essential element of bringing a korban. It must be “Adam ki yakriv mikem.” The word יקריב – brings, is related to קורבה – closeness. The person brings himself close to Hashem, taking something from within himself, and offers it to Hashem.

The voice of Hashem directed to Moshe

The Torah states: “Vayikra el Moshe.” Rashi explains: “The voice would go forth and reach Moshe’s ears, but all of Israel did not hear.”

Moshe heard Hashem calling his name while no one else heard it. This was a sign of Hashem’s affection for Moshe.

In Pirkei Avos (6:2) it states: Rebbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Every day a bas kol (heavenly voice) emerges from Har Chorev, proclaiming and saying, ‘Woe to the creatures for the insult to the Torah.’”

The Degel Machaneh Ephraim explains: “The bas kol is the stirring of teshuvah heard every day in the heart of a man. One who has understanding, hears and comprehends the proclamations, lifts his heart to return in repentance. Such a person attains, in some measure, the level of Moshe.”

One who hears the bas kol is compared to Moshe

Similarly, in the verse “Vayikra el Moshe,” Moshe was able to hear the voice of Hashem. We too receive a daily bas kol from Chorev. We must attune ourselves to perceive it. If we listen and pay attention to it, the bas kol will penetrate our hearts, and we will have a stirring of teshuvah. In that sense, we resemble Moshe Rabbeinu, who heard Hashem’s voice.

Although there are many levels, Moshe’s level was direct, hearing from Hashem on the level of panim el panim, face-to-face. Nevertheless, we still are capable of achieving the level of hearing the bas kol from Har Chorev for the stirring of teshuvah. We can hear the words of Hashem through the bas kol that goes out daily from Har Chorev, which is Sinai.

However, one who lacks understanding and does not pay attention to the thoughts of teshuvah that stir within him each day misses this call. In truth, every person inwardly desires to return in teshuvah. There is an inner spark constantly bubbling within him. One must simply pay attention to this inner fire. (See the remarkable discussion of this idea in Rambam, Hilchos Gerushin 2:20.)

Therefore, a person who is entirely immersed in his affairs and does not set his heart to it, it is as if the voice did not reach him, did not touch him at all. It is considered as if the bas kol skipped over him. He does not attempt to hear its message.

But, when a person listens carefully, he attains the level of Moshe Rabbeinu, hearing a voice that others do not hear. This teaching is attributed to a grandson of the Baal Shem Tov, and it is both beautiful and precise.

What is the affection in “and He called”

Rashi comments: “Vayikra is an expression of affection.” What is the affection contained in the call that precedes every command and statement?

It may be suggested that each call represented a new level of appointment. Moshe Rabbeinu did not view his role as a permanent position. Rather, because of his great humility, he never regarded his role as something taken for granted. Each time he was called, he experienced it as if it was the first time he was summoned to serve.

This demonstrates Hashem’s affection, who chooses Moshe again and again. Moshe, for his part, feels constant renewal, with increasing love and awe after every call that precedes the speech or command.

The change in Hashem’s relationship with Moshe between Parashas Vayikra and Parashas Tetzaveh

In contrast to the love and affection evident in Parashas Vayikra, we find what appears to be a lack of personal reference in Parashas Tetzaveh. Not only is Hashem’s introductory call absent, but even Moshe’s name is not mentioned at all.

It is already stated in seforim that in Parashas Ki Sisa, Moshe, as it were, brought a curse upon himself, saying, “If not, erase me from Your book.” The curse of a holy sage, even if conditional, comes to pass. Therefore, Hashem waited until Parashas Tetzaveh, which is the final parasha before Ki Sisa is read again in the yearly cycle, to fulfill this in a limited way by omitting Moshe’s name from the parasha.

Yet upon further examination, one sees that it is not merely that Moshe’s name is omitted from that parasha. Hashem addresses him only as “ve’atah,” “and you.” This resembles a command given to someone with no personal reference, lacking the expression of affection found elsewhere, as we find here in the opening of Vayikra.

The difficult command regarding the anointing of Aharon and his sons

One of the commands in Parashas Tetzaveh that also uses the term “And you” was, “And you, bring near to you Aharon your brother…” (Shemos 28:1) – the command to prepare the kohanim to be sanctified for the kehunah.

This command is carried out in Sefer Vayikra (in Parashas Tzav, similar to Tetzaveh). Here we see a great contrast: ins this book of “affection for Moshe,” the Torah repeats the command for Moshe to anoint the kohanim and sanctify them. Yet in Parashas Tetzaveh, the same command is stated in less personal language.

The Mishkan and the Kehunah of Aharon and his sons after the sin of the Golden Calf

It is well known that אין מוקדם ומאוחר בתורה, the Torah does not always follow chronological order. Some opinions hold that had the sin of the Golden Calf not occurred, the Mishkan as we know it would not have existed. Indeed, the parashiyos of Terumah and Tetzaveh were stated after the sin of the Golden Calf. Before the sin, the Divine service was performed by the bechoros, the firstborn. Only afterward was it transferred to the Kohanim from the tribe of Levi. Thus, the selection of Aharon and his sons occurred only after the sin.

Aharon participated in the making of the Golden Calf because of the intense pressure exerted by the Erev Rav (mixed multitude), whom Moshe had accepted into the Klal Yisrael.

The difficult task imposed on Moshe to sanctify Aharon for Kehunah

Sanctifying Aharon for the kehunah was therefore complex for Moshe Rabbeinu. On one hand, Aharon’s worthiness for the kehunah stems from being Moshe’s brother and as part of Moshe, who was not involved in the sin of the Golden Calf. This connection makes Aharon worthy of the kehunah.

Yet Moshe still had to exert effort to draw Aharon closer to his own level of Holiness, as per the language of the command:

“And you shall bring near to you Aharon your brother…”

Similarly, in Parashas Tzav the Torah says:

“And he brought near the sons of Aharon.”

On the other hand, Moshe also has to work hard to bring Aharon closer to him because Aharon carried out the sin of the calf under the pressure of the Erev Rav.

In a certain sense, Moshe himself bore some responsibility, since he had accepted the Erev Rav into the nation. This is reflected in Hashem’s words: “Go down, for your people have corrupted themselves,” meaning, “your people and not Mine.” This refers to the Erev Rav whom Moshe accepted. They caused the downfall of Klal Yisrael generally, and of Aharon in particular.

Since Moshe bore some measure of responsibility for Aharon’s fall, he had to work even harder to extend his own holiness to him, raising Aharon to a level worthy of the priesthood.

Thus, there is no contradiction between the affection shown to Moshe in Parashas Vayikra and the impersonal tone in Parashas Tetzaveh. The direct address was intended to prompt Moshe to exert greater effort in elevating and sanctifying Aharon.

Maharal Tznitz