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Thanks, Korach!
As a people, we owe a heavy debt to Korach. Were it not for him, people would say that Moshe fooled the Jews. No one was able to doubt or stand up to his magnetic personality. (Goodness knows that even after the Korach story we get lots of flak!)
Korach stood up and publicly challenged Moshe. And Moshe won. Thanks!
? Rabbi Leib Heiman z”l, Bayit Vegan.
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Is That All We Are Fighting Over?
“…V’lo tih’ye k’korach u’ki’adaso” – “…and there may not be as Korach and his assemblage” What does this mean? Some Rishonim consider this a prohibition against maintaining conflict, keeping fights going.
(For discussion: what does this mean in practical terms?)
R’ Moshe Aharon Stern z”l explained (in the name of R’ Chaim Soloveitchik z”l) otherwise; Korach and Moshe’s fight was unique: Korach was 100% wrong, and Moshe 100% right. There will never again be a fight like this. All other fights are partly one side’s fault, partially the other’s. It’s merely a question of degree.
The Torah informs us: “There will never again be [a fight] like Korach”
Keeping this in mind will go a long way to solving fights. When each side knows it is partially wrong, why quarrel over degrees?
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Do You Count?
Moshe listed Korech’s assets: “Hashem has set you apart to stand in His service, and in the community’s service. He has drawn you close to Him, and you need Kehunah too!?” His service, community service? Are these assets?
There can be no greater happiness, luck or fortune, than to be able to serve the public. Here’s why: Serving His People means being in His employ, His messenger in providing for His crowd. That is real importance.
Brutish, coarse men value standing in front of the crowd and showing off. Being famous and well known. (Or, as one wag put it, being famous for being well known!) Is that enduring, real value?
The acid test of real value is if the person would suddenly die. Would there be a void left at his passing? Will he be missed and needed? If not, he may be famous, but he is not important.
Moshe was saying that Korach was truly significant; he was needed in Klal Yisroel and had a function – to serve them. Serving others is actual importance. Not fame.
‘Korach!’, said Moshe, ‘you ought to be looking for something that really matters, not fame and glory’.
The lesson to us: If you serve others, you matter. To the degree that you serve, you matter!
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Useless Miracles
After Korach was swallowed by the earth the Jews complained to Moshe ‘You have killed these men of G-d!’
A. Didn’t they see the miracle? Could they think it was Moshe’s doing??
B. Didn’t Korach himself see great miracles? Why was HE skeptical?
C. How were they finally convinced? By Aharon’s stick flowering. What did that add that was not already shown??
The flowering stick was a message: Many sticks were placed before the Aron, radiating with Holy energy. Only one stick responded to the emanation. Only one stick sensed holiness, and created life.
This expressed that not all men are equal. All stood before Mount Sinai, but some didn’t sense holiness. Others sensed holiness, but could not transform or channel it like Aharon. Aharon was not simply chosen for the job, rather he was the only one who could do it.
Korach was wrong. Not only was Aharon chosen by Hashem, but he was the only one who COULD be chosen. “…all Jews are holy, and within them G-d” – the Korach slogan – is nice-sounding, – but untrue.
Korach agreed that Hashem designated Moshe as leader and Aharon as Kohen, but thought it was because Moshe had finagled his way in, over others more suitable. Miracles could not impress them, for they believed Hashem Himself had been hoodwinked. Hashem spoke of ‘..their complaints against Me…’ for their complaint was that Hashem had let Himself be led astray.
Korach and co. had trouble coming to terms that Hashem wanted things a certain way. They wished things would be otherwise. They could not accept the evidence, because the emotional price tag was too high.
No miracle could change these opinions, for they have explained away or disregarded all evidence. The thing to do is to place the truth before them and allow time to work its power. Eventually they came to their senses; insanity ended.
The takeaway is simple: 1. no miracle can convince someone who doesn’t want convincing. And 2. that time works greater miracles than miracles can.
Sometimes we long for a great miracle to establish Hashem’s provence once and for all. We need to know that no miracle can ever accomplish this…
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The Secret Of Unhappiness
Moshe underlined Korech’s Ultimate issue: ‘Do you think it small that Hashem has set you apart to stand in His service, and in the community’s service. He has drawn you close to Him, and you need Kehunah too!?’
The operative term here is ‘Do you think it small?’; Korach did not appreciate what he already had. It was small in his eyes.
The root of dissatisfaction is the attitude that all we have – be it much or little – is already had. If we do not appreciate what we already have, we can never be happy. When take our gifts for granted, we are forever needy.
How can we condition ourselves to appreciate our gifts, to thrill in them?
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Why More?
A Levi receives mere grain tithes. Yet mathematically he gets more than any landowner; since each owner tithes one tenth to a Levi, and there are eleven other tribes, the Levi is left with eleven tenths, the landowner with nine.
Why ought this be??
One suggestion was that Klal Yisroel received their harvest only in the Levi’im’s merit. The Dubna Maggid compared this to a father setting sail with his ten sons to a faraway land. Only one son knew how to cook, but he was lazy and spiteful, and would not cook for others. The father took along only giant pots, so the lazy son, needing to cook for himself, had to cook for all.
So Hashem gave the Levi a portion in the bounty of the Jewish people, so that in his merit all would receive. In Levi’s honor Hashem cooks for us all. So Levi earns his oversize portion!
Another suggestion is that the farmer enjoying his produce is satisfied with less, for it’s his own fruits. That provides satisfaction. The Levi, eating others’ produce, needed a greater portion.
Not every apple is created equal: Man is programmed to be integric: he needs to earn his keep. Freebies are inherently unsatisfying.
And spiritually too, we need to own our Olam Haba by creating it. A gift would never do.
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Handling Privilege
Moshe to Korach: ‘Is it too small that Hashem separated you from Klal Yisroel by bringing you close to him, to stand and serve the public? He has drawn you, and your fellow Levi’im, so close, yet you desire Kehuna too?!’
Why mention that Hashem brought the other Levi’im close too?
Sometimes a person feels guilty about privilege. He feels unworthy. His disquiet causes misbehavior. Its like Survivors guilt.
Moshe’s point was that he actually was not singled out – ALL Levi’im enjoyed this status. If so, what was eating him?
Point to discuss: How does one handle privilege in a healthy way?
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Any Complaints?
‘Do you think it small that Hashem has set you apart to stand in His service, and in the community’s service. He has drawn you close to Him, and you yet need Kehunah too!? Therefore you and your crowd are gathered against Hashem; Aharon is no one that you can complain against’
What was the ‘therefore’ in Moshe words – what equation was made?
Moshe was saying ‘If things are difficult for you and you are suffering, we can appreciate that you are complaining. However you aren’t. You receive high honors. So what’s eating at you??
Actually its nothing more than your opinion that Aharon’s position is unfair. Sorry, but that’s just you against Hashem. He made this call. Aharon is not even part of this at all.
There is very little justification for you, Sir Korach!’
The moral? If you are not hurting, but think you deserve more – on principle! – then please watch your step. Should you be wrong, you have no justification at all…
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The Man With A Cause
Moshe chose Ketores to determine who was the rightful Kohain Godol because Korach and his friends had seen Nadav and Avihu publicly die because of ketores. He hoped they would be dissuaded by their example and back off.
He was very wrong.
Rashi points out that they were ‘sinners against themselves’ – i.e. they were not concerned about living. They knew it was suicidal and did it anyhow. They were committed to their cause even if it would kill them.
This behavior is not atypical, as we might hope. Beware the man with a cause. Even if the cause is good – lets say he is on crusade against certain abuses – watch out.
A man with a mission is a touch mad. You may get thrown under a bus!
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Vegetating vs. accomplishing.
Many people claim to prefer some type of Nirvana, where they wallow in eternal lassitude, over accomplishment and growth. Some believe it to be ultimate reward. We say No. We believe that Tzaddikim are always on the move – they rest neither in this world nor in the next. They forever progress.
Man is not happy just receiving. Kids who inherit millions feel worthless, riding on the coat-tails of another. They have no self confidence. Eventually lots of them commit suicide.
We are created and built to accomplish. Moshe told Korach – your lot is to serve the entire community. Can you get any luckier than that??
I think its important that we internalize this; being a cucumber is worthless. Its not even something to look forwards to. Yes, life is hard, but we want it no other way…
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Gifting
At the end of the parsha the Torah introduces the concept of Terumas Maaser. It says that the Levi’im receive their portion as if it were their inheritance. And that they donate a tenth to the Kohanim as Terumas Maaser.
Terumah has no set shiur – even one piece of grain is enough to fulfill the demands of Teruma. (Even the Rabbinic shiur sways between a fortieth and a sixtieth, but not a tenth!) Why is a full tenth needed by terumas maaser?
The Torah says that Teruma is called Reshis – the ‘first’. In what sense? Must it be the best part or the first part?
The Torah says that when the Levi takes Terumas Maaser it will be considered as ‘grain from the wheat pile and ripe fruit from the pit’. Rashi explain this to mean that the Terumas Maaser is like Teruma taken from the wheat pile and pit. The wording, however, seems very obscure.
We suggest that there are two types of gifts: One is a present from me to you. The other is when I invite you to share my lunch.
For instance, at a tish, the Rebbe will partake in a bit of the Challah, a bite or two, and the rest of it will be hustled off to the chassidim.
When a Kohen gets Terumah, he is acting as Rebbe. He eats first – reishis – and since he is merely sampling the granary, there is no set amount. Even a drop is enough. For he is sampling the produce, not receiving a gift.
However if a gift is given, the standard is one tenth, as Avraham gave Maki-Tzedek a tenth and Yakov pledged a tenth to Hashem. The tithe is the Standard Gift.
Trumas Maasar is not sampling the granary – it has already been sampled by Terumah. So what is it? Its a gift. That’s why it must be one tenth!!
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Evening It Out
Korach tried hijacking the Kehuna. At the end of the parshah the Torah details the gifts that Kohanim receive, adding many that were never mentioned yet.
The idea seems clear; not only was Aharon unharmed by Korach’s challenge, he even profited of it.
For Hashem looks out for someone unfairly accused and ensures compensation…