Description
Gate of Verses: Vayikra, Bamidbar, and Devarim: An English Translation of the Arizal’s Commentary on the Torah
And He called to Moshe, etc. (Vayikra 1:1)
Small Aleph
THE REASON FOR the small Aleph of “vayikra” can be understood from what Chazal have written. After the sin of the calf, when The Holy One, Blessed Is He, told him (Moshe), “Go down, etc.” (Shemos 32:7), 999 part of the original light were removed from him (Moshe), leaving only one portion of the original 1,000 original.
The small Aleph is understood with this. A “large” Aleph equals 1,000, because expanded it is the letters Aleph-Lamed-Peh. After the [reduction of light], only a “simple” Aleph remained in him, and it only equalled one; [hence] it is called a small Aleph. This idea has already been explained on the verse, “he placed a covering over his face” (Shemos 34:33); see there.
The sin of the Jewish people caused 1,000 portions of light to be removed from Moshe, and his lack became theirs as well. Thus, the Jewish people have had to undergo this final exile, referred to as “1,000 years of exile” in Sefer Hazohar, Parashas Pekuday, on the verse, “to you Shlomo one thousand” (Shir Hashirim 8:12).
Siman 5
And bring an unblemished ram from the flock. (Vayikra 5:18)
THE HEAD-LETTERS of [the Hebrew words for] “the flock with the value for a guilt offering” (Vayikra 5:25) is “Hevel.” Also, the head-letters of [the Hebrew words for] “a guilt offering, to the kohen” is “Leah.” This alludes to what is known, that Moshe, who is [the reincarnation of] Hevel, clings to [Partzuf] Leah, called the “hidden world.”
Shmuel said: To hint to this; therefore, in my opinion, the Lamed of “l’asham—for a guilt offering” is used for [both] “Hevel” and “Leah.” It also alludes to what is written in Sefer HaTikunim, Tikun 69, that Hevel also reincarnated into the three Avos. If so, then he [also] reincarnated into Yitzchak, who is hinted to by the unblemished male ram because of the ram of Yitzchak.
