Vayikra - It's All in the Approach

It’s not just what you say, it’s how you say it. The approach is key to all interactions. The words you choose, the style you utilize, and even the backdrop you pick will inspire the reaction you receive. The beginning of our Parsha, Vayikra, shows us just that: 
 
וַיִּקְרָ֖א אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר יְוָה֙ אֵלָ֔יו מֵאֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵ֖ד לֵאמֹֽר׃
G-d called to Moses and spoke to him from the tent of the meeting, saying:
 
Questions:
A. Why does G-d call unto Moses before speaking to him, and not just speak to him?!
B. Why is the last letter of the first word Vayikradiminished?
C. Why does G-d call specifically from the tent of the meeting?
 
Answer: In G-d’s calling to Moses, He demonstrates how all callings are heard:
A. One must be prepared to hear their calling.
B. One must be truly humble to hear and embrace their calling.
C. One must recognize the greatness of the calling he is hearing.
 
Even Moses, who led the Exodus from Egypt and the trek through the Red Sea, was called unto before G-d instructed him on how to proceed. Since Moshe was the humblest of men, he was ready to hear his calling and understood from where it was coming.
 
This was not a one-time affair. G-d instructed Moses scores of times throughout the forty years in the desert. Each time it began with a calling; not an email, a text message, or a tweet; rather, a calling.
 
We live at a time of great and efficient communication tools. There is no shortage of platforms to reach out on, but in order to share and hear a calling it must be with a sweet, soft, and inviting voice. 
 
May we merit calling and hearing one another with sincerity and humility so that our callings will be fulfilled.
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
Rabbi Epstein
Community Scholar in Residence