Torah and Jewish Idea > Torah and Jewish Idea

Video Study for Parsha Korach : The Rebel with a cause

(1/3) > >>

muman613:
Shalom All JTF members, once again it is time for my weekly Torah portion thread. This week we are reading about the continuing decline of the generation of the desert through rebellion and treason. Moshe, our teacher, had an incredible task which he did out of love. The people wavered from being entirely committed to Hashem and his commandments, to march triumphantly into the land he promised, to being entirely rebellious by questioning every thing Moshe said and did.

This generation which saw the incredible 'signs and wonders' Hashem, our G-d, performed for us in Mitzrayim (Egypt) and witnessed the awesome power of Hashem at the foot of Mount Sinai and the giving of the Torah. This generation which lived miraculously in a desert of snakes and scorpions, fed with Manna from Heaven, clothes which did not wear out, and a cloud to protect from the heat of the sun, and a pillar of cloud to lead at night. These miraculous events were not satisfactory to the slaves who marched out of Egypt to the Sea of Reeds, even walking through the sea on dry land did not influence them sufficiently.

So Korach waited for the proper moment to foment the anger of the people. He realized that Moshe was fed up with his mission, and the people saw many of their associates die from various plagues which were sent as punishment (those who gorged on the quail). Korach felt that Moses was 'hogging' all the important positions within the people of Israel, Moshe was the king (leader) and his brother (Aaron) was the priest, his sister (Miriyam) was the prophet. Korach was actually a Levi but he felt 'passed over' in the selection of leaders in the people of Israel. It is this feeling which led him to start a revolt against our righteous leader Moshe.

We must learn what happened in this parsha in order to understand why a part of us often thinks along the lines of Korach. The mind-set of Korach affects most of us today. We need to understand our mission in life, and if we are not Kohenim, so be it. If we are not Leviim, so be it. As a Yisrael we all have missions, and we have to accept our mission in order to be able to achieve the ultimate mission (bringing Moshiach and the age of knowledge of HaKadosh Baruch Hu).

So let me bring the Chabad 'Parsha in a Nutshell' before starting the video presentation:


--- Quote ---Korach incites a mutiny challenging Moses’ leadership and the granting of the kehunah (priesthood) to Aaron. He is accompanied by Moses’ inveterate foes, Dathan and Abiram. Joining them are 250 distinguished members of the community, who offer the sacrosanct ketoret (incense) to prove their worthiness for the priesthood. The earth opens up and swallows the mutineers, and a fire consumes the ketoret-offerers.

A subsequent plague is stopped by Aaron’s offering of ketoret. Aaron’s staff miraculously blossoms and brings forth almonds, to prove that his designation as high priest is divinely ordained.

G‑d commands that a terumah (“uplifting”) from each crop of grain, wine and oil, as well as all firstborn sheep and cattle, and other specified gifts, be given to the kohanim (priests).
--- End quote ---

The first video is Rabbi Chaim Richmans latest post (2 days ago):

muman613:
Rabbi Richman talks about how the wives of two rebels influenced their husbands.... One, Korach's wife, pushed Korach to rebel. O'ne ben Peles' wife got him drunk so he could not participate in the rebellion... One lost his life and his entire family, the other's life was saved and his family spared...

muman613:
Ok, Rabbi Richman did not explain about how O'ne Ben Peli's wife finally got him to avoid the rebellion. I know I heard it from someone, but I guess it was not Rabbi Richman...

But it is an idea which I did not make up, and must have heard somewhere...


--- Quote ---http://www.shemayisrael.co.il/parsha/orchards/archives/korach60.htm

One of Korach’s colleagues, his wife made him drunk. He passed out and slept through the whole show down. She saved his life. There are indeed some people out there who if they just went to bed they'd be much better off. All sorts of mussar in all shapes and sizes.
--- End quote ---

And here is the full 'story' which I remember:


--- Quote ---http://www.torah.org/learning/kolhakollel/5762/korach.html

Rashi is referring to the complete story of Oan, whose name appears at the beginning of the Torah's narrative (Bamidbar/Numbers 16:1) but mysteriously never reappears, as told in the Talmud (Tractate Sanhedrin 109b) and Medrash Raba (Bamidbar 18:15). His wife elucidated to him that he was destined to be a follower. With Aaron in the position of Kohen Gadol (High Priest) Oan was just a follower and if Korach became Kohen Gadol Oan would continue to be just a follower; Oan stood to gain nothing from his participation in this high risk venture. Oan replied that he had contractually obligated himself to participate in this gamble and feared they would entice him to follow through. So she hatched a plot. First, she would get him drunk, so that he could not respond to their appeals from outside his tent. Furthermore, appreciating Korach's position that "the entire assembly - all of them - are holy and G-d is among them," (16:3) and trusting that Korach and his followers were sincerely motivated G-d fearing people whose clear thinking was tainted by their jealousy of Moshe and Aaron, she positioned herself just inside the tent's doorway, not appropriately dressed, secure with the knowledge anyone who would come in with the intent of physically removing Oan would quickly scurry out upon seeing her. The plot was executed flawlessly. In the interim, Korach moved forward with his challenge, the earth miraculously opened and swallowed him, his followers and their families...and Oan slept through it all, thanks to his wife.
--- End quote ---

muman613:
Rabbi Trugman from BeThereIsrael talks for 12 minutes on the Parsha:

muman613:
Rabbi Chaim Miller on the Kabbalistic ideas of our portion...

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page