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Parashat Korach 5778

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Parashat Korach 5778 Thoughts on Parashat shamayim if the content of the KORACH arguments are remembered and Year 23 quoted with respect and the by Dayan Abraham David parties concerned live in peace The Mishna in Avot says ‘Kol and harmony with each other Machloket Le shem shamayim despite their differences of opinion sofa lehitkiyem ve shelo le shem then for sure it is le shem shamayim ein sofa lehitkiyem. Any shamayim. But if a machloket is argument which is for the sake of not Le shem shamayim the heaven will live on but one which is arguments are forgotten and all only for personal reasons not for that remains is hate and recrim- the sake of heaven will be lost, and inations. The original arguments not remembered with any respect. are forgotten and change into The arguments of Bet Shamai and personal attacks with lies and Beth Hillel are remembered to this exaggerations as we see with the day with respect and studied complaints of Datan ve Abiram because they were Leshem against Moshe ‘You have taken us shamayim. But those of Korach out of the land of milk and honey, and his group were for personal and you domineer over us and honour and gain; their arguments crave for power’ which was quite are only remembered with disdain. ridiculous as Moshe was the When the argument – machloket is humblest of men and Egypt was for pure purpose as we find the not Eden. Rashi notes that many discussions and arguments machloket – conflict is like fire it in the Talmud, it is said Elu devrei burns indiscriminately all those Elokim Chayim ve elu devrei near by. The Beth Din cannot Elokim Chayim – both opinions are punish a minor, and even the respected as if from G-d. While the heavenly courts only those of 20 arguments can be most heated as years but in the machloket of the gemarah in Kedushin tells us Korach even the little children to the extent of a father and son were swallowed into the earth with behaving like enemies in their their elders. discussions, but at the end they In the machloket of Korach we find remain loving and in friendship. In Moshe Rabenu being uncharacter- fact this is a test of the le shem istically severe praying to G-d to create an opening in the earth to swallow Korach, Datan ve Abiram For when he prayed to enter the and all those who joined them. The Land in Parashah Veetchanan, same Moshe, who pleaded on Hashem told him Rav lecha, al behalf of the people when they Tosef Ledaber od Badavar Hazeh, sinned with Avodah Zarah of the you have a lot, why do you want egel, and even when they rebelled more. at the instigation of the meraglim, Why was this expression of Moshe here calling for the spectacular which was said against people destruction of Korach ve adato. who were claiming the Kehunah The reason for this being that wrongly, considered out of place Moshe was being accused of and with which he was making the appointments of Aaron admonished later on, when and Alezafan Ben Uzziel of his pleading to enter the Holy Land, own accord without instruction which was a commendable from G-d, doubting the command request in itself? of the mitzvot of tzitzit and It would seem that even though mezuzah. Here doubt was being their claim to become Cohanim, to thrown about the shlichot of Moshe serve directly in the Temple with as the messenger of G-d. If Korach the Offerings was wrong since G-d was not punished with a had chosen Aaron and his sons, spectacular death, people in the Moshe should not have spoken out future might argue that the Torah against the yearning of their heart Moshe gave us was not from G-d to come closer and serve on a but his own, since even in Moshe’s higher level. For it is not a fault but generation there were those who a virtue for every Jew to raise his doubted him as the messenger of aspirations and levels of Service to G-d. This was to ensure that no G-d, here it was out of place but one would doubt Torat Moshe was the motivation was not to be Torat Hashem. criticised in fact they were so sincere their machtot incense burners became Holy and was TORAH GEMS used to cover the Copper Altar of Moshe in his warning to Korach the Korbanot. When Moshe asked and the Leviim not to join those to enter Eretz Israel and begged who claim the Kehunah, the G-d to annul his decree against Service of the Kohanim, for you this, Hashem used that same have no reason to be jealous language as reproach. What do having been chosen for the you need more, for you have Service as Leviim in the Temple. fulfilled your life’s purpose in the He adds Rav lachem Bnei Levi , best way, why yearn for more; you have much already, why do these are words you had used you want more. The Talmud in against the aspirations of those Sotah says Berab Bisere Berav who claimed the Kehunah. The Bisrehu Moshe was repaid for Tzadikkim are scrutinised minutely these words he used here against in their words and behaviour. A the Levites, not to ask for more. Jew must never be satisfied with his spiritual level, always strive for more as long as we do not take Shabbat Shalom away from another. STORIES OF TZADDIKIM HALACHOT – Cont/d A famous wealthy man drew up a Business Dealings will for the distribution of his fortune. He brought a copy of this 5) It is fitting for a person to keep will to the Chofetz Chaim to seek his word and even if no money was his opinion on it. "There are a given for a ‘Kenyan’ or any other couple of big mistakes here", act of transfer only the price pointed out the Chofetz Chaim. agreed upon, then neither of the "Let's see now, who will receive parties should retract even if the your money and sefarim (books) price has gone up or down. If any after 120 years?" "Why my money one of the parties retracted, the will be inherited by my children of Rabbis frown upon it and he is course, while my sefarim will go to called untrustworthy ‘Mechasar the Yeshivah." "You should have amana’. done the opposite. Your children 6) A ‘Yareh Shamayim’ is even should be left some sefarim so that expected to be true to his they will be able to study Torah thoughts. If he agreed in his mind once in a while. The money, on to sell it for a certain price to the the other hand, should be left for buyer then even if the price goes the needy Torah Scholars of the up he keeps true to his thoughts, Yeshivah. They have enough as it says: ‘Ve dover emet sefarim already" advised the belvavo’. And so it would be for the Chofetz Chaim. "But the biggest buyer who has agreed in his mistake in this will is in forgetting thoughts to buy at a certain price to give yourself a part of the estate from the seller. you worked so hard to make 7) But if a person has taken on to possible. You deserve an equal do something for himself, if there is share of this estate and you should no Mitzvah involved he can prepare for the long road ahead by change his mind even if he has distributing your share to charity spoken words to the effect ‘I will do causes. Do it yourself while you so, and so’. are still alive, because you can 8) If a person has promised never know what will happen after another, a gift of small value, so you are gone. Some lawyer may the other party would be relying on try to break this will with some wild it, and he retracts, he is called claim that your statements were ‘Mechasar Ainana’, untrustworthy. made when you were not of sound But if the gift was of a large value mind. So make sure now with it is reasonable to assume the deeds that are doing the best for other party was not relying on it, so yourself. he is not called untrustworthy. Even so one should mean what they say at the time it is said so as not to be ‘Echad Bapeh ve Echad Minis & Maxis childrens’ services Balev’, even though he can from ages 3-11 at 10.45am in change his mind later. school library & classroom 9) If a person promised a poor man such a gift, even a larger sum he must keep his word, he cannot retract as it becomes like a ‘neder’ If you wish to sponsor a Kiddush Please contact for a Mitzvah. If it is only a thought Nathaniel Bendayan 07825 871749 to give the poor man, the Ramo For Seuda Shlishit holds that he should keep what he or to rent the has undertaken in his mind. But Nancy Reuben Hall for a Simcha ‘Maran’ (Sephardim), hold there is Please contact no ‘neder’ for thoughts without Yanky David 07725 408724 words. Others hold that if he only had thoughts to give ‘Tzedakah’ but did not say it, then he is not We have a regular Youth obliged. However if he said I will Minyan organised by Jason give ‘Tzedakah’ and did not Ibrahim and Jordan Moses mention the amount and only had followed by a kiddush thoughts in his mind of an amount, he must give it.
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