Shlach – the Few That Are Many Simon Wolf Respect to the Antecedent

בס"ד פרשת שלח

Parshat Shlach – The Few that are Many Simon Wolf respect to the antecedent. In order to gain a better understanding of this phenomenon, it is worthwhile The Mishna in Megillah records a series of religious to take a deeper look at a couple of examples. The practices that require ten men (Minyan) to be most prominent illustration of this vagueness is the performed.1 Included in the list are reading the Pasuk that we quoted above found in Parshat Torah, Birkat Kohanim, Kaddish, Kedusha, Barchu, Korach. items that are otherwise known as Devarim במדבר פרק טז or expressions of (דברים שבקדושה) Sh’b’Kedusha (כ) וַיְ ַד ֵּ֣בר יְקֹ֔וָק ֶאל־מ ֹ ֶׁ֥שה וְ ֶ ֽא ֲל־ַאה ֖ר ֹן ֵל ֽאמ ֹר: sanctity.2 The Gemara then queries as to the (כא) ִה ָּ֣ב ְד ֔לּו ִמ ּ֖תֹוְך ָה ֵע ָ ֣דה ַה ּ֑ז ֹאת וַ ֲא ַכ ֶּ֥לה א ֹ ָ֖תם ְּכ ָ ֽר ַגע: source of the Mishna’s contention that ten men are (כב) וַּיִ ְּפ ֤לּו ַע ְל־ּפנֵ ֶיה ֙ם וַּ֣י ֹ ְאמ ֔רּו ֕ ֵאל ֱא ֵֹ֥להי ָה ֖רּוח ֹת ְל ָכ ָל־ּב ָׂ֑שר essential for creating a Minyan. In response, Rabbi ָה ִ֤איׁש ֶא ָח ֙ד יֶ ֱח ֔ ָטא וְ ַ֥על ָּכל ָ־ה ֵע ָ ֖דה ִּת ְק ֽצ ֹף: פ Yochanan references to the verse in Parshat Emor,3 (כג) וַיְ ַד ֵּ֥בר יְק ָֹ֖וק ֶאל־מ ֹ ֶׁ֥שה ֵּל ֽאמ ֹר: and I will be sanctified amongst Bnei Yisrael“ (כד) ַּד ֵּ֥בר ֶאל־ ָה ֵע ָ ֖דה ֵל ֑אמ ֹר ֵ ֽה ָע ֙לּו ִמ ָּס ֔ ִביב ְל ִמ ְׁש ַּכ ֖ן־ק ֹ ַרח ָּד ָ֥תן which he claims asserts ”(ונקדשתי בתוך בני ישראל) וַ ֲא ִב ָ ֽירם: that “any expression of holiness should not be recited in a quorum of fewer than ten.” Perplexed by the response, the Gemara inquires as to from where At the climax of Korach’s rebellion, God commands in the verse can this be inferred. Rabbi Chiya Moshe and Aharon to distance themselves from responds that it requires a series of linguistic the congregation, so that He can annihilate them to reach the conclusion in a moment. Moshe and Aharon beseech God (גזירות שוות) parallels proposed by Rabbi Yochanan. First, one connects that he should not take his wrath out on the entire the verse in Emor to a verse in Parshat Korach from congregation because of the sin of one individual. in Emor it says Then God instructs Moshe to tell the congregation – ”(בתוך) the common word “amongst “amongst Bnei Yisrael” and in Korach it says, to distance themselves from the encampment of “separate away from amongst this congregation Korach. The last manifestation of the word clearly refers to the greater (כד) Then it requires an congregation 4”.(הבדלו מתוך העדה הזאת) additional linguistic parallel from that Pasuk in Bnei Yisrael who are being told to isolate Korach Korach to Parshat Shlach with the recurrent word physically by separating themselves from him and in Korach it says, “separate his entourage. Moshe and Aharon’s request to – ”(עדה) congregration“ (כב) away from amongst this congregation” and in spare the congregation from the wrath of God Shlach it says about the spies who slander the Land also clearly refers to Bnei Yisrael because their of Israel, “how long shall I bear this evil congregation plea (remiscent of Avraham in Sdom) is that how Since the evil spies could God punish the entire congregation for the 5”.(עד מתי לעדה הרעה הזאת) numbered ten, the transitive property of linguistic misdeeds of an individual. If that is true, then it parallels leads to Rabbi Yochanan’s contention that would stand to reason that the first instance of is also referencing Bnei Yisrael (כא) any expression of holiness requires a quorum of ten congregation men or a Minyan. Leaving aside the complexity of and it would suggest that God was telling Moshe to the derivation, it is seemingly unimaginable, maybe withdraw himself from the people so that God even an anathema, that this is the source for a could annihilate the entire nation. The Rabbeinu Minyan. Of all the possible inferences,6 how Chananel sees this explanation as being untenable could it be that Chazal chose the incident of the because as Moshe later claims what did Bnei evil speaking Meraglim7 and the rebellion of Yisrael do wrong, they were not challenging God, Korach as the paradigm for the pinnacle of so why would they be the objects of God’s anger? communal worship and expressions of holiness He, therefore, suggests that God is instructing It seems completely Moshe and Aharon to distance themselves from .(דברים שבקדושה) counterintuitive. Korach’s cabal. Moshe misunderstood God’s instruction as referencing the entire nation and Parshat Shlach and Korach are replete with the God responds by clarifying that he was specifically If one were to survey speaking about Korach’s faction. Before this ”.(עדה) word “congregation (עדה) all the occurrences of the term throughout the two cluster of Pesukim, the word congregation Parshiot, it would yield an ambiguity as to what is used to both describe Bnei Yisrael as well as the exactly the word is referencing or describing;8 in participants in Korach’s insurrection. That many instances, the commentaries disagree with ambiguity makes it hard to know for certain what congregation God is referencing and could easily

5 ַע ָד־מ ֗ ַתי ָל ֵע ָ ֤דה ָהֽ ָר ָע ֙ה ַה ּ֔ז ֹאת ֲא ֶׁ֛שר ֵ֥ה ָּמה ַמ ִּל ִ֖ינים ָע ָ֑לי ֶא ְת־ּת ֻל ּ֞נֹות ְּב ֵ֣ני יִ ְׂש ָר ֗ ֵאל ֲא ֨ ֶׁשר ֵ֧ה ָּמה 1 גמרא מגילה כג: ַמ ִּל ִ֛ינים ָע ַ֖לי ָׁש ָ ֽמ ְע ִּתי (במדבר יד,כז) 2 עיין רש"י שם וגם גמרא ברכות כא: מנין שאין היחיד אומר קדושה... וגם סנהדרין ב. 6 עיין בראשית רבה צא,ג למקור מבני יעקב. ועד: 7 עיין אג"מ או"ח ח"א סי' כג וח"ג סי' יד שלומד מהמרגלים שכופר מצטרף למנין עשרה 3 וְ ֹ֤לא ְת ַח ְּל ֙לּו ֶא ֵ֣ת־ׁשם ָק ְד ֔ ִׁשי וְ ֨ ִנ ְק ַּד ְׁש ֔ ִּתי ְּב ֖תֹוְך ְּב ֵנ֣י יִ ְׂש ָר ֵ ֑אל ֲא ִ֥ני יְק ָֹ֖וק ְמ ַק ִּד ְׁש ֶכֽם (ויקרא 8 גיסי מנחם חריש האיר עיני בראשונה לבעייה הזאת כב,לב) 4 ִה ָ ּ֣ב ְד ֔לּו ִמ ּ֖תֹוְך ָה ֵע ָ ֣דה ַה ּ֑ז ֹאת וַ ֲא ַכ ֶּ֥לה א ֹ ָ֖תם ְּכ ָ ֽר ַגע (במדבר טז,כא) www.swdaf.com 1 בס"ד פרשת שלח explain Moshe’s confusion as to who God was (20 and older). Given its context, the terrible (כז) referencing. The Ramban takes issue with the congregation noted in the initial verse quoted Rach’s assertion that the congregation must refer would at first glance seem to match the description and (עדה הרעה הזאת) to Korach and his compatriots because why would in the subsequent citation God refer to three people (Korach, Datan, Aviram) therefore would also be associated with Bnei Yisrael as a congregation? In addition, Bnei Yisrael were as a whole. That is bolstered by the fact that the not currently gathered around the tents of these ensuing verses speak about the punishment that parties that would require Moshe coaxing them to God intends for the nation. Most of the distance themselves. Moshe and Aharon at that commentaries though (and Chazal)1 interpret the as referring to the (כז) moment were by the Ohel Mo’ed with the 250 men first congregation mentioned who were going to burn the incense before God. Meraglim because the verse continues with the they engendered ,(מלינים) So the more plausible explanation would be that causative verb God was telling them to separate themselves from complaining against God which matches with the (לו) the nation rather than Korach. He suggests that description of the spies found in the final verse the people were culpable because they were quoted above. Prior to this mention of the the word congregation is only ,(כז) swayed by Korach’s arguments. In gathering to congregation see what God would say about his claims, they used in reference to the entire Bnei Yisrael.11 Here thereby became silent partners in his insurrection. too, why is the Torah opting to use an ambiguous rather than a more (עדה) This would be parallel with a similar incident that term like congregation transpires immediately after Korach’s rebellion exact noun? where God takes the entire Bnei Yisrael to task for complaining about His elimination of Korach and A third example of this imprecision is found at the his co-conspirators.9 The Ramban later refines his tail end of Parshat Shlach in the Torah’s description position by suggesting that maybe the entire of the sacrifice brought when the majority of the refers to the leaders of nation has unintentionally engaged in idol worship (כל העדה) congregation 12.(שעיר לע"ז) the tribes or the first-borns.10 Why would the Torah use such an imprecise term like congregation במדבר פרק טו which can be interpreted in so many different (כד) וְ ָה֗יָה ִ֣אם ֵמ ֵעי ֵ֣ני ָה ֵע ָד ֘ה נֶ ֶע ְׂש ָ֣תה ִל ְׁש ָג ָג ֒ה וְ ָע ׂ֣שּו ָכ ָל־ה ֵע ָ֡דה ?ways ַּ֣פר ֶּב ָן־ּב ָק ֩ר ֶא ֨ ָחד ְלע ֹ֜ ָלה ְל ֵ֤ר ַיח נִ ֙יח ֹ ַ֙ח ַ ֽליקֹ֔וָק ִּומנְ ָח ֥תֹו וְנִ ְס ּ֖כֹו ַּכ ִּמ ְׁש ָּ֑פט ְּוׂש ִע ִיר־ע ִּ֥זים ֶא ָ֖חד ְל ַח ָ ּֽטת: Another example of this opacity is similarly found in the verse previously quoted from Parshat Shlach. If the iniquity was committed unwittingly (literally because of the eyes of the congregation), through במדבר פרק יד the inadvertence of the congregation, the whole (כז) ַע ָד־מ ֗ ַתי ָל ֵע ָ ֤דה ָהֽ ָר ָע ֙ה ַה ּ֔ז ֹאת ֲא ֶׁ֛שר ֵ֥ה ָּמה ַמ ִּל ִ֖ינים ָע ָ֑לי ֶאת־ -congregation shall bring…a he-goat as a sin ְּת ֻל ּ֞נֹות ְּב ֵ֣ני יִ ְׂש ָר ֗ ֵאל ֲא ֨ ֶׁשר ֵ֧ה ָּמה ַמ ִּל ִ֛ינים ָע ַ֖לי ָׁש ָ ֽמ ְע ִּתי: offering. The simple reading of the verse implies (לה) ֲא ִ֣ני יְק ֹוָ ֘ק ִּד ַּב ְר ִּת֒י ִא ֣ם־ֹלא׀ ֣ז ֹאת ֶ ֽא ֱע ֗ ֶׂשה ְל ָכ ָל־ה ֵע ָ ֤דה ָהֽ ָר ָע ֙ה that there was a congregational error committed that ַה ּ֔ז ֹאת ַה ָּנֹוע ִ֖דים ָע ָ֑לי ַּב ִּמ ְד ָּ֥בר ַה ֶּ֛זה יִ ַּ֖תּמּו וְ ָׁ֥שם יָ ֻ ֽמתּו: requires communal atonement for the sin. On the (לו) וְ ָ֣ה ֲאנָ ֔ ִׁשים ֲא ֶׁש ָר־ׁש ַ֥לח מ ֹ ֶׁ֖שה ָל ֣תּור ֶא ָת־ה ָ֑א ֶרץ וַּיָ ֗ ֻׁשבּו other hand, Chazal13 and many commentaries <וילונו> וַּיַ ִּ֤לינּו ָע ָל ֙יו ֶאת־ ָּכ ָ ֣ל־ה ֵע ָ֔דה ְל ִ֥הֹוציא ִד ָּ֖בה ַע ָל־ה ָ ֽא ֶרץ: explain the phrase “from the eyes of the as referring to the (מעיני העדה) God bemoans this terrible congregation that is congregation and not to the nation (בית דין הגדול) complaining and muttering against Him. Later, God Supreme Court promises that this wicked congregation will as a whole. The truth is that they bifurcate the certainly perish in the desert and then closes with Pasuk by indicating that the mistake was made by condemning the spies who caused the entire the Supreme Court (an improper decision was while the infraction ( מעיני העדה...בשגגה congregation to protest because they slandered rendered it is clear that the was committed by the congregation as a whole ,(לו) the Land. In the final instance Once again here, one is left .(העדה נעשתה) congregation is the broader nation because it is speaking of the negative influence that the Meraglim perplexed as to why the Torah would use such a had on the disposition of Bnei Yisrael. The previous vague term that can both be interpreted to mean the speaks of an evil congregation that entire nation or the representatives of the nation (לה) mention will perish in the desert which once again seems to rather than clarifying each parties’ role. refer to the broader nation since it is in concert with the punishment meted out by God to that generation

השכפול של הלשון "עדה הרעה הזאת" בפסוק לה נראה כתואר נרדפת לאותה עדה. 9 במדבר יז,ו-י הרמו מתוך העדה הזאת ואכלה אותם כרגע ויפלו על פניהם וגם עצם ההשתמשות באותה מלה בין עם "כל" או בין בלי "כל" עדיין מעלה את 10 עיין בסוף הרמב"ן ויקרא טז,כא על פסוק יט ויקהל עליהם קרח את כל העדה... וגם התמיה שאנו מציגים באבן עזרא יז,ז וגם ברמב"ן יז,י 12 במדבר טו,כב-כו 11 אפשר לטעון שהמלה "כל" היא המנחה פה את פירוש "עדה" להיות כל העם והפעם 13 עיין הוריות ה: וברש"י במדבר טו,כד היחידה בפסוק כז שלא השתמש בתאר "כל" פי' עדה היא עדת המרגלים. אבל www.swdaf.com 2 בס"ד פרשת שלח The answer to all these questions might be that the with the incense to take an active stand against the Torah is intentionally using terminology that can sins of the people’s commission. This same conflate the leaders with the congregation. It concept can be applied to the congregation’s idol implies that the Torah sees collective responsibility worship sin offering. The leaders are a reflection of when it comes to national or leadership issues. This the people and the people are a reflection of their is based on the principle of Chazal that anyone who leadership. Each one enables the other and has the power to intervene and thwart wrongdoing, therefore they are partners in their missteps. but instead opts to remain silent or passive, they will be punished for that iniquity.14 Silence is All that is a wonderful explanation of the usage of in these Parshiot, but (עדה) acquiescence. A symbiotic bilateral relationship the term congregation exists between a congregation and its true or it only serves to further the question as to why adopted leaders. Authority can be conferred and Chazal chose such a negative source as the leaders can be empowered by their constituents derivation for a Minyan. If one takes a step back both explicitly and implicitly. In the case of the and reflects on the concept of Eida, it might actually Meraglim, the vocal cry of the nation to turn back to be the essence of what we are trying to create when Egypt was an explicit endorsement of their we convene a Minyan. The requirement to sanctify slanderous claims about the Land and God’s God’s name is amongst the nation of Israel. That inability to bring them into Eretz Yisrael. When the would imply that the only venue for expressions of would be when the entire (דברים שבקדושה) people concurred with the claims of the spies, they sanctity sanctioned their “leadership” and became nation is gathered. That would make this a rare, if indiscernible from the spies themselves. That not impossible, mitzvah to accomplish. Chazal conflation is presented by the Torah utilizing the through a linguistic parallel bring us to a world which implies (Shlach and Korach) where a small group, the ten (עדה) ambiguous term congregation no differentiation between the initiating Meraglim evil spies, is indiscernible from the whole nation. and the accessory nation and they therefore met the They found a paradigm where a subset of the nation same end. In the case of Korach and his partners, is seen as being essentially the same as the nation a vocal minority was empowered by a silent as a whole.16 A place where the Torah conflated majority. The people did not explicitly condone the the many with the few and the whole with a subset. rebellion but their interest was piqued by his claims Now we can finally understand the insight that and that resulted in them becoming spectators to Chazal are providing us when they derived a Minyan the showdown between Moshe and Korach. Had from the Meraglim and Korach. Every Minyan in the nation dismissed his claims from the outset, essence is a representation of the nation as a whole and ( ונקדשתי בתוך בני ישראל=תוך=עדה=עדהKorach’s insurrection would have withered away (=10 from the weight of disinterest. On the other hand, therefore permits them to sanctify God’s name as if the nation’s presence at such a spectacle added they are the entire nation and that is the secret and fuel to the fire and gave Korach a sense of the power of a Minyan.17 B’ezrat Hashem, we enablement from the implicit support of an should once again have the opportunity to audience. Here too, the Torah conflates the consistently pray in a Minyan and always appreciate congregation as a whole with the congregation of and take to heart the tremendous strength and Korach because their unspoken encouragement potential it provides us. made them partners in his rebellion.15 Once again here, God sees the nation and Korach as being Shabbat Shalom indistinguishable. In order to save themselves, God instructs whoever wants to register their disaffection הבדלו ) to separate away from this congregation It could have been Moshe and .(מתוך העדה הזאת Aharon walking away from the nation or the nation walking away from Korach. The latter prevailed and only Korach and his partners were punished. That was until the people start to cry over the loss of their fellow members, who Moshe and Aharon had “killed”, once again making the congregation partners with the congregation of Korach. And here too they meet the same fate as Korach when a plague strikes the nation until Aharon intervenes

17 עיין שיעורים לזכר אבי מרי ז"ל חלק ב' בענין פסוקי דזמרה (דף לד בהוצאת מוסד 14 כל מי שיש בידו למחות ואינו מוחה – נענש עליו (שבת נד: וע"ז יח.) הרב קוק) ...כי כל בי עשרה מייצג את עם ישראל כולו... 15 עיין רמב"ן במדבר טז,כא ויז,י 16 גם בפרשת שלח יש אותו רעיון לגבי העדים שסקלו את המקושש עצים שהתורה מייצג אותם כאלו כל העדה עשה את זה (במדבר טו,לה-לו ובספרי במדבר פיסקא קיד ובתורה תמימה שם אות קד) www.swdaf.com 3