* TORAH WEEKLY * Highlights of the Weekly Torah Portion Parshas Korach For the week ending 2 Sivan 5754 10 & 11 June 1994 ======================================================================== This issue is sponsored by El Al - Israel National Airlines ======================================================================== Summary Korach, Dasan and Aviram and 250 of the leaders of Israel rebel against the authority of Moshe and Aaron. The rebellion results in their being swallowed up by the earth. Many people of the nation resent the death of Korach and his followers, holding Moshe responsible. Hashem's `anger' is manifested by a plague which besets the nation, and many thousands perish. Moshe intercedes once again for the people, instructs Aaron to make atonement for them, and the plague is halted. Hashem then commands that a staff inscribed with the name of each Tribe be placed in the Mishkan, the Tabernacle. In the morning, the staff of Levi, bearing Aaron's name, had sprouted, budded, blossomed and yielded ripe almonds. This provided Divine confirmation that the Tribe of Levi was selected for the Priesthood, and also proved Aaron's position as the Kohen Gadol, the High Priest. The specific duties of the Levi'im and Kohanim are stated. The Kohanim were not to be landowners, but were to receive their sustenance from the tithes and other mandated gifts brought by the people. Also taught in this week's Parsha are laws concerning the first fruits, the redemption of the firstborn and other offerings. ======================================================================== Commentaries "And they gathered themselves together against Moshe and against Aaron and said unto them: `You have [taken] a lot for yourselves...'" (16:3). Yaakov developed himself until he felt, "I have everything," while Eisav said, "I have a lot," implying that he does not have everything and has not yet fulfilled all his needs. Being satisfied with what one has requires a deep understanding of the true purpose of this world and having the right sense of values. In the most profound sense this depends on truth, the focal point in Yaakov's personality. To maintain the attitude that "whatever I don't have, I don't need," and to desire only spiritual goals requires a pure attitude of truth. Korach complained that Moshe possessed Eisav's attitude of "I have a lot" -- if Moshe wanted to usurp all of the power for himself, he must have felt that he was not complete. However, "the congregation is holy," i.e., all of them are on the spiritual level of Yaakov's "I have everything." Therefore, why does Moshe attempt to rule over a group of people who have reached a higher spiritual level than his own. Moshe's response was: "You are the ones who want a lot, and Hashem will demonstrate whose position reflects the truth, and whose desires reflect their bias for power and glory." (Adapted from the Chasam Sofer) "Because the entire congregation is holy" (16:3). Korach's rebellion is the first movement to attempt to "reform" the Torah of Moshe in the history of our people. Korach and his followers did not deny that the Torah was from Hashem. How could they?! They also had stood at Sinai! Instead, they tried to cripple Moshe's authority by claiming that "since the entire nation heard Hashem speak at Sinai, we are all holy and capable of interpreting the Torah ourselves." Korach's view that each individual has the ability to determine how the Torah should apply to him became the precedent for attack by many groups that deviated from the Torah throughout history. This is a grave error. We need to follow the path of Torah as transmitted from Sage to Sage in each generation. The Torah is so complex that those who are not fully immersed in its teachings can easily distort it. We must always rely on the Sages in each generation to explain and apply the Torah in our modern era. (Adapted from Rav Moshe Feinstein) "In the morning Hashem will make known who is His and who is holy...." (16:5). Moshe wanted these men to have a night to "sleep on it". As Hashem's decision would surely result in the destruction of the rebels, they should have time to come to their senses, especially in the quiet and retirement of the night, in the company of their own family and self, and removed from the influence of friends who would lead him astray. Also, Moshe utilized the extra time to admonish the rebels as is evident in the sequel. Indeed, Ohn is missing at the crucial moment, because his wife restrained him from taking further part in the rebellion. She fulfilled the Sages' dictum that: "When one is meritorious, his wife will assist him, and when he is not, she will oppose him." Similarly at the time of the catastrophe the sons of Korach plucked up the courage to recant, and escaped the fate that overtook the others. (Rabbi S.R. Hirsch) "And if Hashem creates something [from nothing]..." (16:30). Moshe did not believe that an earthquake that splits the earth and swallows those standing there is particularly amazing. Surely this was a common occurrence during the thousands of years of historical experience with earthquakes. However, when the earth splits it usually remains open as a monumental sign of the disaster that struck. Moshe was in fact predicting that the earth would split-open, swallow, and immediately seal, so that the entire process should appear like a human mouth that was swallowing a small fruit. This would be a truly unusual event, especially if it occurred as predicted -- directly under only those who contested Moshe's authority. (Based on the Ramban) ======================================================================== Haftorah: Shmuel I 11:14 - 12:22 The Haftorah opens with the "renewal" of Shaul as King of the Jewish People. There were internal threats to his reign, as Rashi notes, and the Prophet strengthens the will of the people to follow a king who lives according to the Torah. This renewal of authority is a major theme of this week's Parsha. This reaffirmation of the people's support for Shaul under the rule of Hashem was accompanied by sacrifices and festive celebrations. The mood changes as the Prophet begins a recounting of his lifetime's work and the history of the Jewish People until that time. After a history so filled with the help of Heaven, how could the people, in a moment of fear, request a human king to lead them to victory? The Prophet rebukes the people with the reminder that "...and Hashem your Lord is your King!" He enjoins the people to always heed the word of Hashem, and predicts a miraculous storm as a sign of the truth and solemnity of his admonishment. Another interesting connection to the Parsha is that Shmuel was a descendent of Korach! Korach's rebellion against Divine authority is uprooted in the Parsha, and in the Haftorah Shmuel raises the banner of the authority of Hashem. (Based on Rabbi Mendel Hirsch) ======================================================================== Perek Thought - Chapter 4 "Greet every man and be a tail to lions rather than a head of foxes" -- Rabbi Masya ben Cheresh Pirkei Avos 4:15. Show respect for every person -- even the gentile and even someone of lesser stature -- but when choosing friends, seek the company of respectable people. Even if this means being the lowest in their circle, it is better than joining a crowd of lowly people and being the most respectable among them. Tiferes Yisrael The choice of the fox as the symbol of inferiority is to warn us against being lax in our learning. Diligence in learning will eliminate the need to rely upon clever fox-like strategies for getting the best of our learning partners, such as unnerving them by making fun of what they say. Midrash Shmuel quoted in Tosefos Yom Tov (Brachos 8a) ======================================================================== SUBSCRIBE! to one of the many weekly "lists" published by Ohr Somayach Institutions: dafyomi - "The Weekly Daf," Rav Mendel Weinbach's insights into and comments on the seven pages of Talmud studied this week. Always interesting and CONTROVERSIAL reading! ask - Ask the Rabbi Column. 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