“And He called to Moshe and G-d spoke to Moshe”. Noting the redundancy of this opening verse of the central book of the Torah, Rashi explains that the double calling to Moshe is an expression of love. First G-d called to Moshe and after calling his name – and we all love hearing our name – He then spoke to him. But the calling and the speaking are independent of one another. One might call someone just because they want to be near them. People can express great love and affection without saying a word to each other. A similar display of affection was demonstrated by G-d to Abraham. After having undergone circumcision at the ripe old age of 99 G-d appears to him. No words are exchanged, and the Torah continues with Avraham welcoming the three travellers to his home[1].
It is not only the book of Vayikra that opens with G-d’s love of the Jewish people. Each and every book of the Chumash does the same.
In a rather startling comment Rashi notes that the Torah begins with the story of Creation, "for should the peoples of the world say to Israel, 'You are robbers, because you took by force the lands of the seven nations of Canaan', Israel may reply to them, 'All the earth belongs to the Holy One, blessed be He; He created it and gave it to whom He pleased. When He willed He gave it to them, and when He willed He took it from them and gave it to us'”. G-d's love of the Jewish people begun even before there was a Jewish people[2]."
The book of Shemot opens with the listing of the sons of Jacob who descended to Egypt, something that adds no new information as the complete list of those who went to Egypt was already listed in chapter 46 of Breisheet. Hence the comment of Rashi, “Although scripture has already enumerated them by name whilst they were living, when they went down into Egypt (Breisheet 46:8-27), it again enumerates them when it tells us of their death, thus showing how dear they were to G-d.”
Sefer Bamidbar is no different. It opens out of chronological order – the chronological beginning of the book is expounded on in chapter nine – with another census of the Jewish people. Rashi immediately tells us why; “Because they were dear to Him, He counts them every now and then: when they went forth from Egypt He counted them (Shemot 12:37), when many of them fell in consequence of their having worshipped the golden calf He counted them to ascertain the number of those left (cf. Rashi Exodus 30:16); when he was about to make His Shechinah dwell amongst them (i. e. when He commanded them to make a Tabernacle), He again took their census; for on the first day of Nisan the Tabernacle was erected (Shemot 40:2) and shortly afterwards, on the first day of Iyar [the opening of sefer Bamidbar], He counted them”.
G-d’s love of His chosen nation extends even, especially, when they sin and are in need of rebuke. Sefer Devarim opens with "the words that Moses addressed to all Israel on the other side of the Jordan—through the wilderness, in the Arabah near Suph, between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Di-zahab – making knowing where he was speaking from impossible to ascertain. But the Torah is not interested in listing his geographical location. These are rather words (places) of rebuke – warning the generation that was hoping to enter the land not to repeat the mistakes of their parents’ generation. These places are mentioned as a sign of love. As Rashi notes, “Because these are words of reproof and he is enumerating here all the places where they provoked G-d to anger, therefore he suppresses all mention of the matters in which they sinned and refers to them only by a mere allusion contained in the names of these places out of regard for Israel”.
Coming back to Vayikra, Rashi notes that this love of calling before speaking expresses itself whenever G-d spoke to Moshe. Vayikra just serves as the example to teach this idea.[3]
As to why it is mentioned here, perhaps we can suggest that Vayikra opens with the details of the korban olah, what is often referred to as a burnt offering as the entire animal (or flour) is offered to G-d with no part being consumed by humans. G-d loves us, but that love is increased when we display our love of G-d and offer all to Him.
Judaism sets a very high bar – demanding that we love G-d with “all our heart all our soul and all our might” even to the point, if need be, of sacrificing our life to sanctify G-d’s name. The korban olah is our symbolic expression of that dedication. May we merit that our sacrifices be symbolic in nature while G-d’s blessing be very real.
[1] Of course, these travellers were the method by which G-d chose to speak to Avraham, but Avraham had no way of knowing that.
[2] The Torah is not a book of political strategy. One dare not make practical political decisions based on a comment by Rashi – on a portion of the Torah before the Torah was actually given. Living 1,000 years after the destruction of the Temple and the exile of the people, Rashi sought to give the Jewish people hope that they would one day return to Israel and the fortitude to believe in the moral justice of their cause.
[3] There are three other places where the Torah uses the word Vayikra, that G-d called unto Moshe before speaking with him; At the burning bush (Shemot 3:4) and at Mount Sinai for both sets of tablets (Shemot 19:3 and 24:16). Yet in all three cases the Torah says Vayikra eilav, G-d called to him. Only here does it say Vayikra el Moshe followed by speaking to him.
