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Video Study for Parasha Korach

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muman613:
This week we read the terrible events which occurred during the uprising which was caused by Korachs jealousy {according to some commentators}. Korach, who was a Levi and had the privileges associated with being a Levi {Carrying the utensils of the Holy Tabernacle} was not satisfied with his lot. He longed to be the leader of the Jewish people and through his wise-cracking questions was able to chip away at Moshes grip on power over the Children of Israel. Korach was a smart arse and was able to sway many people with his twisted reasoning.

Here are some short and some not-so-short videos on the topic of the revolt of Korach:

Rabbi Shafier talks about the roots of Korachs rebellion:



http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/11819

muman613:
Here is the animated 'G-dcast' version of the Parasha:

muman613:
Rabbi Chaim Millers talk about the story of Korach:

muman613:
Rabbi Yakov Nagin gives a great talk on the Parasha:





"Any dispute which is for the sake of Heaven will ultimately endure, and one which is not for the sake of Heaven will not ultimately endure. What is a dispute for the sake of Heaven? This is a debate between Hillel and Shammai. What is a dispute not for the sake of Heaven? This is the dispute of Korach and his assembly."


--- Quote ---http://www.torah.org/learning/pirkei-avos/chapter5-20.html

Our mishna chose Korach as the prime example of a debater not for Heaven's sake. We read in Numbers 16 of Korach's rebellion against Moses. His party platform was very noble: Why did Moses choose his brother Aaron as High Priest -- seemingly consolidating all the power within his own family? "The entire congregation is holy and in their midst is the L-rd. Why do you lord over the congregation of G-d?" (v. 3). Very inspiring words. Korach is clearly a man of the people who cares for the interests of others. He also proved an effective campaigner, rallying the people behind his noble cause.

The Sages tell us his true motive. Moses had earlier appointed (on G-d's instruction) Korach's cousin, Elitsafan ben Uziel, as head of Korach's extended family (the family descended from Kehas, second son of Levi). He was jealous, plain and simple, that he did not get the job himself. Yet all of a sudden he becomes grand proponent of democracy and equal rights -- and he champions the battle for his noble cause. (So noble you could puke.) Korach (as well as his cohorts) wanted a piece of the pie themselves. But when they didn't get it, all of a sudden they become big champions of the cause of the common man: why should *anyone* have power? The whole nation is holy, and just as a room full of sacred books should not require a mezuzah on the doorpost, neither should a nation of saints need Moses and Aaron lording over them.
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muman613:
Rabbi Yehuda Moses presents a family view of the Parasha. I have heard about the Wife of Korach and the Wife of Ohn Ben Pellet {a possible cohort of Korach}. The wife of Ohn Ben Pellet was able to prevent her husband from getting involved with the shady Korach gang...




--- Quote ---http://www.torah.org/learning/perceptions/5758/korach.html

However, another Midrash seems to indicate something quite different. Apparently Korach's wife was the catalyst for all that happened at the beginning of this week's parsha. After Korach returned from the purification ceremony that inaugurated the Levites into their Divine service, shaven bald (korach means "bald one") to the point of being unrecognizable, Korach's wife exclaimed:

"What happened to you?! I don't recognize you!"

Korach explained to his wife that Moshe had ordered the whole procedure, as well as the entire disgraceful episode of being lifted by Aharon and waved up and down.

"Then Moshe told me I was pure," Korach bemoaned, "but I feel anything but that!"

"No wonder," Korach's wife cried. "Moshe hates you, and he is trying to humiliate you!"

"But Moshe did the same thing to his own sons ..."

" ... What does he care," she finished. "As long as he can degrade you in the process!" (Midrash Aggadatah)

This was all Korach needed to hear. Korach may have been teetering between subjugation and rebellion, but it was his wife who pushed him in the direction of sedition. From that conversation, it was straight downhill until Korach would be swallowed up by the earth.

This is contrasted with Ohn ben Pellet's wife, who also played a role in her husband's involvement in the insurrection. However, instead of pushing her husband in Korach's direction she "dragged" him out of danger and saved his life. The next day, when Korach's messenger came to fetch Ohn to join in burning the Incense-Offering as Moshe had challenged them to do, Ohn's wife had already given him strong drink to make her husband sleep. Then she sat at the entrance of the tent with her daughter, each with uncovered hair.

The Midrash explains that when the messenger glimpsed these women with uncovered hair, he (and the others that had later been sent to bring Ohn as well) hastily made a retreat. It seems that even though they rebelled against Moshe, still, the messengers did not want to view a married woman's uncovered hair. As a result, Ohn was left safe-and sound at home while disaster brewed over yonder for his cohorts.

Ohn's wife's role in his salvation was not over yet. When the earth finally did split to swallow up Korach's followers, it continued to split in Ohn's direction as well. Soon, even the bed on which Ohn slept began to slide toward the abyss. It was only his wife, who prayed as she held on to the edge of his bed for dear life, that saved him from sliding into oblivion.

About these two wives, Shlomo HaMelech wrote:

"The wise among the women builds her house ..." this refers to Ohn ben Pellet's wife and daughter ... "But the evil woman demolishes it with her own hands" (Mishlei 9:1). This refers to Korach's wife, who ruined her husband and her household. (BaMidbar Rabbah 18:15)
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