Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneersohn, the third Lubavitcher Rebbe (known as the "Tzemach Tzedek"), was a grandchild of Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the founder of Chabad. His mother died when he was a baby. Before her death his grandfather promised her that he would raise the child.
The day after Yom Kippur 1793, the Rebbe prepared his grandchild for his first day of learning Torah. He prayed early in the morning and read the portion of the week (the portion of Ha'azinu) with much emphasis on the verse, "He encircled him, He gave him the wisdom of Torah, He preserved him like the pupil of His eye" (32:10).
After praying, the Rebbe asked that the child be wrapped in a Tallit and carried to the cemetery. Upon reaching his daughter's grave, the Rebbe said loudly with great joy, "Mazel Tov to you Devorah Leah, daughter of Shterna. Today I bless him that just as he enters Torah, so he should enter chuppah (marriage) and good deeds with long life." Everyone present answered "Amen."
When they returned home, the Rebbe asked the teacher to learn the first Torah portion of the book of Vayikra with his grandchild. When the teacher finished his lesson, the Rebbe told him to give the child honey cookies and a hard-boiled egg on which various verses were written.
The young child then asked his Zaide, grandfather, "Why is the letter 'Alef' of the word 'Vayikra' written so small?" For a moment, the Rebbe concentrated deeply, and then he opened his eyes and said, "Adam was G-d's handiwork, and he was even wiser than the angels. However, Adam was smitten by the knowledge of his good qualities and therefore sinned.
"Moses though he was aware of the qualities G-d had given him, did not become conceited. On the contrary, he humbly said to himself, 'Another person, given the opportunity to ascend to heaven and talk to G-d personally or given a soul such as mine, would have accomplished much more.'
"The letters of the 'Alef-Beit' occur in three sizes: large, medium and small. Because Adam was impressed with his own status as G-d's handiwork and his great qualities, in
Adam's name in Chronicles I (1:1) is spelled with a large 'Alef'. Since Moses was not impressed with his own greatness, but on the contrary he was humbled by it, the 'Alef' is written small for him."
LOGIN
ASK THE RABBI
Comment
