eDvar Shabbat Parshiyot Behar Behukotai 5786
The Call
A legend. Once upon a time, a young boy named Samuel, was in bed one night. He heard a voice calling his name. He assumed it was Eli, a local priest from ancient Israel, summoning him to be his assistant. He ran to see what Eli wanted. But Eli told him he had not called him. It happened a second time. Then a third. Eli then realized that God was calling Samuel. He instructed the child to reply next time, “Speak, O Lord, for your servant is listening.”
Samuel went on to become an important biblical prophet who’d anoint, among others, King David.
Listening with attentiveness for a call is not easy or simple. You never quite know in life when and how you may be called to a life-changing errand. To tell somebody something that will forever change them. To do a small act that will grant them a lift when they need it most.
Social psychologist Adam Grant recently offered a terrific piece of advice for how to separate signal from noise.
Let’s say you’re a physician and a patient is convinced she knows from her own online research what ails her. You might say something like, “It’s clear you’ve given this a lot of serious thought. That you’ve done good homework. My job is to separate signal from noise. Here’s a few things you might also consider.” It’s a much friendlier way to advise somebody than challenging the unreliability of their assumptions.
It’s also a much more reliable way to listen for that call that could make all the difference in your life and in the life of someone you love.
This week’s portions of Torah conclude the biblical book Leviticus. Its Hebrew name is vayikra, meaning to be called. May you be blessed with trusted friends who can help you separate signal from noise. Even better, may you be such a friend to another.
A sweet Shabbat to you.
Rabbi William Hamilton
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