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Parashat Korach 1111u lil n11w1 Yeshivat Har Etzion - Israel Koschitzky VBM Parsha Digest, Year Ill, Parashat Korach 5781 Selected and Adapted by Rabbi Dov Karoll Quote from the Rosh Yeshiva The unit on the gifts to the kohanim, which follows the episode of Korach, comes as a response to both groups [incense-offerers and Datan & Aviram]. On the one hand, this unit emphasizes the sanctity of the priesthood and its unique status in the Sanctuary... [see 18:7]. This answers the claim of the 250 incense-offerers, who sought to deny the special status of the kohanim. On the other hand, the principle of the priestly gifts is directed towards Datan and Aviram, establishing that one must honor God with the first of his produce, guarding himself against immersion in self-centered, hedonistic materialism and lust.. -Harav Mosheh Lichtenstein Parashat Korach Dispute that is Not for the Sake of Heaven By Harav Yehuda Amital zt"I Based on: https://etzion.org.il/en/tanakh/torah/ sefer-bamidbar/parashat-korach/dispute-not-sake-heaven LACK OF LOGIC Sometimes, as we approach Parashat Korach, we become so involved in lofty ideas and concepts that there is a danger of forgetting what Korach actually did, and the main lesson to be learned from the parasha. All kinds of explanations and reasons are offered for this episode, for the fact that this group rebelled against God, while the bottom line remains that there is no real explanation that can answer the question of why Korach acted as he did. This is the main message of the paras ha : that a person who gets involved in conflict and argument acts illogically. We look at great people who squabble with each other, and wonder: What got into that respectable, elderly man, who used to be so wise, to lead him into such foolishness? We forget that there is really no logic in a squabble. In contrast to Korach's illogical behavior, Moshe and Aharon act with composure and equanimity. The Gemara, commenting on their demeanor, tells us (Chullin 89a): The world exists only for the sake of Moshe and Aharon. There is it written, "What are we? (literally: we are ma)," while elsewhere it is written, "He hangs the world on nothingness (belima)." Rabbi llaa said: The world exists only for the sake of one who holds himself back at a time of argument, as it is written: "He hangs the world on belima (figuratively, on restraint)." The world exists not by the merit of the pious, saintly ascetics of the world, but rather by the merit of someone who holds his mouth at a time of argument! It is specifically in this that a person's greatness is expressed. We must remember that any person who gets into an argument has a "Kamtza" - a core of companions. He also has a "bar Kamtza" - people who dislike him . We should not think that if we enter into a dispute, we will be immune to the deterioration and illogic that always follows. We must elevate ourselves to the level upon which the world rests - the level of Moshe and Aharon, who held themselves back at a time of argument. ALL ARE HOLY? Having established that Korach's rebellion lacked logic, we may examine his claim : "For all the congregation, all of them, are holy." Korach cannot understand why there must be a tribe of Levi that is chosen from amongst the nation, while in truth the entire nation is holy. He canot fathom the necessity of a higher stratum standing above the nation, when the entire nation has merited prophecy. A similar claim is voiced by the nations of the world: why it is necessary that there be a Chosen Nation? Why can all the nations not exist on the same level? They continue to ask: if you Jews are indeed chosen, why are you in exile? If you are truly the Chosen Nation, why are you not prominent and celebrated, but rather persecuted? When Moshe answers Korach and his company, he is also answering the nations of the world: "In the morning God will show.... " Morning, as we know, symbolizes the redemption, while night is the darkness of exile. Moshe knows that there is no answer to these questions in the world as it is today. We have to pray for the 'morning,' for the redemption. Only then will the truth of Am Yisrael become clear. Therefore the chapters of Tehillim that begin with the words, "Of the chief musician; a psalm for the sons of Korach" speak of the future redemption, where all will understand the function of Am Yisrael amongst the nations. (This sicha was delivered on Shabbat Parashat Korach 5733 [1973]. Adapted by Rami Yanai, Translated by Kaeren Fish.) Parashat Korach Korach: Ideologue or Provocateur By Rav Alex Israel Based on: https://etzion.org.il/en/tanakh/torah/sefer-bamidbar/parashat-korach/korach-ideologue-or-provocateur Our parasha describes yet another dark episode in the series of wilderness uprisings, this time with a new type of rebellion. Unlike the episode of the spies or the story of the "lusting" for meat, this rebellion is not directed against God. Instead, this popular uprising targets Moses and Aaron, and thus is not so much a revolt against God as a mutiny. The rebellion is led by Korach, Moses' cousin, with a well-orchestrated campaign against Moses and Aaron, amassing quite a following. But it isn't all simply personal. Like any mass movement, there are spiritual arguments and ideological claims to his propaganda. We will examine the agenda that Korach raises against Moses and Aaron. What does he say that gains such wide appeal? Is there genuine reason for complaint? Is Korach a well-meaning ideologue or a political opportunist? We shall attempt to answer some of these questions by using midrash, taking the Midrashic tradition as a sophisticated commentary, highlighting important themes and variant strains in the Torah text. MIDRASH 1. ALL THE PEOPLE ARE HOLY "And Korach took" (16:1 ): What parasha precedes this episode? ... Tzitzit (fringes) (15:34). Korach jumped up and turned to Moses: "You say, 'Put on the fringe a thread of blue (tekhelet) wool:(ibid.) What about a garment that is itself a blue color, would it not be exempt from the blue thread (on the Tzitzit)?" Moses replied, "It is obligatory to have the blue thread:' Said Korach, "A garment which is all blue is not exempt and 4 meager threads do the trick!?" "A room full of Sifrei Torah, would it need a Mezuza ?" Moses answered in the affirmative. Korach replied, "The Torah contains 275 sections and they are not enough to fulfill the house's obligation to have a Mezuza, but these 2 sections (written in the Mezuza scroll) will fulfill the obligation for the entire house! Moses, you must be fabricating this!" (Mid rash Tanchuma) At first glance, it seems that Korach's challenge lies in the detailed technicalities of a Torah discussion. The argument here revolves around the logic of the Torah's regulations. A 4-cornered garment must be adorned with ritual fringes, Tzitzit, which contain a thread dyed blue by the tekhelet dye. Korach asks about a 4-cornered garment which is entirely tekhelet in color. He laughs at the law which obligates affixing an additional blue thread to such a garment. If the objective is to have blue thread, why is this necessary with an entirely blue garment? Likewise, if a room contains a stock ofTorah scrolls, why does it need the miniscule Mezuza scroll on the door? Are the contents of the room not enough? So at first glance, the argument is a challenge to Torah law and its authority. But look closer; both these halakhic examples are identical. Both cases concern logical inconsistencies in which the ritual act is considered superfluous due to the presence of a larger representative element. What do these stories tell us about Korach's rebellion? Was the rebellion based on Torah discussions? Or is this Mid rash hiding a deeper reading of the text: They massed against Moses and Aaron and said to them, "You have gone too far, for ALL THE COMMUNITY IS HOLY, all of them and the Lord is in their midst. WHY DO YOU RAISE YOURSELVES above the Lord's congregation?" (16:3) "For all the community is holy... Why do you raise yourselves?"This not a Torah argument. It is a strident call for equality and democratization. Korach attempts to undermine Moses' position on democratic grounds. If the people are holy, they don't need leaders or intermediaries. He uses the metaphor of the Tallit and the Mezuza, symbolic laws, designed to lead to a higher purpose. The law ofTzitzit is to act as a "reminder" of God's presence within our lives. "The tekhelet color is like the sea which is like the sky which reminds us of God's Holy presence:' 2 (Ras hi, 15:34). The tekhelet blue is meant to direct the heart and mind heavenwards. Likewise, we place the Mezuza so that "these words will be on your heart" (Shema, Deut 6:2). These laws are not themselves important, says Korach; they are just to lead a person to God. Logic suggests that a tekhelet garment, blue in color, is stronger than the blue Tzitzit thread. Likewise, why is a Mezuza superior to a Torah scroll? A Torah scroll is essential to fulfill the dictates of the law. But Korach asks, why is it necessary to limit the symbolic act to a single thread, to a small piece of parchment? Why not extend it to the entire garment, the whole house? And by the same logic, why not crown the entire nation with Torah, with leadership? If they are all holy, then why is Moses or Aaron in a privileged position? Why not give prophecy or the high priesthood to the average man? All the people are holy (the entire Tallit is blue) so why do we need leaders (a special thread)? Why are you - Moses - standing aloof in the leadership role? Do you not respect the holiness of the nation? Do you view yourselves as "holier" in some way? WHO IS HOLY? So the argument is a moral, democratic one.
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