KORACH 5777

VOLUME 16, ISSUE 31

PARSHAH INSIGHTS further?” (16, 12 – 13) “One who rebels against a king is to be punished by death.” (Shabbos 56a) The entire assembly, all of them, is holy. (16, 3) Rashi (Zevochim 102a) says that Moshe had the status of a king. What is the meaning of Korach’s complaint to Moshe when he If so, why weren’t those who rebelled against Moshe punished by said, “The entire assembly is holy?” Why would the holy status the death penalty? (Chasam Sofer Orach Chaim 208) of the people be a challenge to Moshe’s leadership? Why is a person obligated to honor a king? Is it because 1) The The explanation of a posuk regarding Kabolas HaTorah will status of a king must be honored. 2) The appointment of the king answer the above question.. When Bnai Yisroel responded that (Shoftim 17, 16) must be honored. they would accept the Torah, the Torah writes, “And they said, 'all the words that Hashem has spoken, we will do'” (Mishpotim The Minchas Chinuch (497) explains that the reason one must 24, 3). Four pesukim later, the Torah describes Bnai Yisroel’s honor his parent differs from the reason one is obligated to honor acceptance in the following manner, “We will do and we will a king. A parent must be honored because he / she is a parent. listen.” What is the message of the redundancy? However, the obligation of respecting a king is not due to his status of being a king, rather it is because he was appointed to be Rav Moshe Feinstein zt’l explained that one of the basic beliefs a king. necessary for accepting Torah is the recognition that one cannot decide matters by himself. Only those who are steeped in Torah We can now understand why Korach and his group were not study and knowledge have the ability to be decision makers and considered rebels of a king - Moshe. Since the command to advise petitioners as to what the Torah demands and how one appoint a king was not given yet, they were not obligated to honor should live his life. When Bnai Yisroel added, “we will listen,” Moshe - not warranting that they be punished for rebelling they meant that they will pay heed to the directions of the against Moshe .

Chachmei HaTorah. Upon acceptance of this premise, their acceptance of the Torah was complete. TABL E TALK Rav Moshe explains that this issue was Korach’s error. Korach claimed that “the entire assembly is holy,” which means that PARSHA DILEMMA everyone’s ideas are noble and therefore all are capable to make

decisions on all types of matters. There is no necessity to have a The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, their leader for advice on what is correct and what is not. Korach's households, all the people who were with Korach and their position on this matter was a challenge to the mandate that entire wealth. (16, 32) Hashem had given to Moshe to lead Klal Yisroel. This ultimately led Korach to deny Hashem and the Divinity of Torah. Lacking Our teachers taught, “Even if Korach or his men had clothing at the recognition that one must seek advice of Torah Sages to make the laundry, the clothing rolled from the laundry to the hole and major decisions on life is the first step in denying Hashem and his were swallowed along with Korach.” (Bamidbar Rabba 18, 13) Torah. Your garment did not wear out upon you… these forty years. (Eikev 8, 4)

The Clouds of Glory would rub against their clothes and keep

them clean like laundered clothes. (Rashi) Moshe sent forth to summon Dasan and Avirom, the sons of Eliav, but they said, “We shall not go! Is it not enough If their clothes were cleaned while they wore them, why would that you have brought us up from a land which flows milk there be a need to have their clothes washed at a laundry? and honey to cause us to die in the wilderness? You seek to dominate us, do you want to dominate us even

MAZEL TOV TO RABBI AND REB. SHNEUR Z. DANZIGER ON THE MARRIAGE SHRAGA FEIVEL AND TO RABBI AND MRS. SHMUEL ABRAMOWITZ ON THE BAR MITZVAH OF ELIEZER SPONSORED BY ECHAD M’HAMISPALLELIM WHO AM I?

A short time later, one of the policeman’s children suddenly fell 1 Don’t think it is Simchas Torah deathly ill and died. Not before long, another two children also 2 I was Arab shown passed away. Unsure of why he was subjected to such pain, he 3 Steaming searched for a reason why his fortune had turned. He suddenly 4 I got a mouthful recalled the extreme humiliation he had caused the Rov.

Last week’s clues: I caused joy on Mordechai, Don’t use a Immediately, he rushed to the home of Rav Isser Zalman. He calzone, You can sea my color, I was lost. relayed what was occurring to him at home and that he suspected that it was on account of his disrespecting the Rov. He begged for Answer: The Ticheles the Rov to forgive him and pray for the health of his other children. Congratulations to: Yerachmiel Diamond, Ronen Lowenthal, Meir Malcmacher, Neil Parks, Shraga Feivel Scheinbaum, Rav Isser Zalman forgave the policeman and prayed for his other Shmuel Aaron Shyken, Sruly Zimberg children. Indeed, the plague ceased.

KOLLEL BULLETIN BOARD WHO AM I? 1 I was the neighbor MAZEL TOV

2 I am the firstborn Rabbi and Mrs. Shmuel Abramowitz on the Bar Mitzva of Eliezer 3 See son 4 I am not grooving’ rather… Rabbi and Mrs. Yehuda Appel on the marriage of Elazar Mr. and Mrs. Harold Males Last week’s clues: I am four yet eight, I am knotty, I am wrapped, I equal 613. Rabbi and Mrs. Naphtali Burnstein on the marriage of Elisheva

Answer: Tzitzis. Rabbi and Mrs. Shneur Danziger on the marriage of Shraga Feivel

Congratulations to: Yerachmiel Diamond, Ronen Lowenthal, Mr. and Mrs. Mark Ebner on the Bar Mitzva of Noah Meir Malcmacher, Neil Parks, Shraga Feivel Scheinbaum, Shmuel Aaron Shyken, Sruly Zimberg Mr. and Mrs. Joey Edelstein on the marriage of Celia to David Shapiro TORAH RIDDLE Mr. and Mrs. Shlomo Pollak on the marriage of Issamar How did davening Kabolas Shabbos trick Korach? Mrs. Etta Pollak

Pirchei Last week’s riddle and answer: Which mitzva did all of Bnai Yisroel not fulfill in the Midbar? 1st / 2nd grades: 5:05 p.m. at Bnai Torah/Yavne with Answer: 1) Bris Mila 2) Kiddush Levona - the Ananei HaKavod Rabbi Naftali Eiserman made it impossible to see the moon. 3rd - 8th grade: Congratulations to: Neil Parks, Sruly Zimberg Father and Son learning program at 5:25 Zichron Chaim/Yavne

Please send “Who Am I” and “Torah Riddle” answers to RECEIVE ‘ONEG SHABBOS’ BY EMAIL [email protected] by next Wed. and be If you would like to receive the Oneg Shabbos each week by entered in a raffle for a “$20 Amazon Gift Card” email, please subscribe online at www.beachwoodkollel.com, or email [email protected]. for the months of Iyar/Sivan. The answers will IY”H appear in next week’s issue \ If you wish to have an announcement or event posted on the A GLIMPSE OF GREATNESS Kollel Bulletin Board or to sponsor an issue, call 216-626-KYCM (5926) or email And they will descend alive to the pit – then you will know [email protected]. that these men have provoked Hashem. (16, 30)

Rav Isser Zalman Meltzer zt’l was the Rov of Slutsk. In an effort to arrest Rav Isser Zalman, a policeman one day barged into his home. Displaying great disrespect for the Rov, the policeman forced Rav Isser Zalman to walk in the middle of the street.

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