A single letter.
Studying for an upcoming Bar Mitzvah, we were looking at the Torah scroll and noticing the precision of all the handwritten letters, the size, uniformity, no two letters touching, etc.
But did you know that if the Torah scroll is missing a single letter it is invalid? Howe menny t1mes hav yoo red a boock, notised a spehling eror, and thought that the editor could have done a better job proofreading?
With the Torah, however, it is essential. Because every letter is precise and adds meaning and message.
The Torah portion begins with the Hebrew letter "Vav", which means "and". And these are the laws. But how do you start off a story with the word (or letter) "and". Imagine you start a conversation with a friend with "and I went to the store".
"And" connects us to whatever came before. The Forty-Niners had a stunning comeback... and they are playing in the Superbowl. So let's look at what came before in the Torah.
It was last week's reading of the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. A truly miraculous, larger-than-life, inspirational experience.
This week, we have many instructions on adjudicating civil legal matters. What happens if my ox gores another's or causes damage by trampling someone's cabbage patch? What if a friend asks me to housesit while they are off on vacation, and a robbery happens on my watch? What are the penalties for petty theft? Five different ways of evaluating monetary compensation for physical injury. In short, lots of boring (or fascinating) legalese, many mundane topics that might occur on the 9 to 5 clock. A far cry from the excitement of Sinai.
Embedded in the "and" is the following important reminder. Connecting with Hashem is not only about unearthly, supernatural experiences the likes of Sinai. The few times that we can get away from the hubbub of the world. It's also - in fact, primarily - when we do the right thing within the ordinary parameters of daily life.
It may not feel quite as glorious, but this too, is straight from Hashem at Sinai and should be treated as such. And ultimately, it's these seemingly trivial matters, that when navigated properly, transform this world into a better place; a home for the Divine.