Video Study for Parsha Korach : The Rebel with a cause

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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:

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).

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

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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...

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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...

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.

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

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.

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

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

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Rabbi Finkelstein is always interesting, always to the point...

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Rabbi Shafier always gives short and meaningful 'Shmuzim'...

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The great Rabbi Shafiers recent post on Arutz Sheva explores the idea of Machloket (Argument) which is a theme in the portion...


http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/13399#.UbDriudDtfQ

The Shmuz for Korach: The Danger of Machlokes (Strife)

Often, without meaning or intending to, we find ourselves on one side or the other, and before we know it, we are deep into the thick and thin of it.
From Rabbi BenZion Shafier

“…Dossom and Aviram went out upright at the entrance of their tents with their wives, children, and infants.” - NUmbers,I16:27

The Rebellion

Korach, carried away by jealousy, led two hundred and fifty men in rebellion against Moshe and HASHEM. These were all great individuals; they had all witnessed Moshe going up to Har Sinai to accept the Torah, and they all heard HASHEM speak through Moshe. Yet they willfully and intentionally set out to depose Moshe – to prove that he had veered off from that which HASHEM had told him.

Moshe, recognizing the danger that they were placing themselves in, did everything he could to get them to back down. Nevertheless, they remained steadfast in their revolt, and marched to their destruction. In the end the entire congregation, man, woman infant, and child – died a terrible death.

Rashi explains that this teaches us how terrible machlokes (conflict) is. “Bais Din (Jewish court) doesn’t punish a person until he is thirteen years old. The heavenly tribunal doesn’t punish a person until he is twenty years old. Yet here, even the nursing infants were punished.”

That is how far the punishment for conflict goes.

What was the sin of the infants?

This Rashi is very difficult to understand: Clearly, he is saying that the nursing babies were punished. Yet what sins could infants be guilty of? An infant doesn’t have premeditated thought. The infants were completely unaware of what was going on. How could they be punished?

The answer to this question requires a deeper understanding of some of the systems that HASHEM uses to run the world.

Immutable Laws of Nature

HASHEM created this world with immutable laws of nature. Gases tend to expand. Heat tends to rise. Heavy objects tend to fall. These laws are the bedrock foundation of this world that govern all of physicality throughout the cosmos. These laws, however, are neither cruel nor kind. For instance, if a baby is left unattended on a changing table and falls, likely he will be injured. The result may be tragic, but we wouldn’t accuse gravity of being heartless. Gravity doesn’t judge and it doesn’t decide. It is a fact—a part of reality.

Just as HASHEM created laws that govern the physical world, so too, He created laws that govern the spiritual world. These as well are specific and exact, and have real consequences.

One of these laws is din (justice). The basic tenet of din is accountability—simple and unadulterated. You are responsible for what you do.

However, while, din, loosely translates as justice it is quite different than man’s understanding of what is just and proper. Din is very demanding. Din is very exacting. It makes no room for mitigating circumstances. If something comes about through an action of yours, you are responsible – whether you intended it, or not. Whether you recognized the consequences, or not. If you brought it about or if through you it came about, the results are attributed to you and you are held accountable.

Din is just. Din is appropriate. If you are to be rewarded for what you have done right, you should be punished for what you have done wrong. Before HASHEM created the world, He considered (if it could be) creating it with the Middas Ha’Din (strict justice) in operation. However, if this system were in place, no man could survive.

The Mesillos Yesharim (Perek 4) explains that if din were in force, any sin that man might commit would bring about one result – his immediate death. The Kings of Kings said not to do X, and you violated His wishes! The consequence of any transgression would be death, immediate and irrevocable. And so, the world couldn’t exist.

Therefore, HASHEM created the world using the Middas Harachamim – the system of mercy. Rachamim introduces mitigating factors into the equation—You have to take into account who the person is, where he is coming from, what he was going through at the time… When taken in context, what the person did isn’t as egregious. Keeping in mind everything else that was going on at time, what he did is more understandable. And now a person is given leeway. He’s given time to understand the gravity of his actions, and the concept of teshuvah is possible.

The result is that the operating principle in our world is compassion. Justice, however, cannot be ignored. So both rachamim and din are in existence, and both have their say. The balance, however, between them can change. If you envision a slide rule, with din on one side and rachamim on the other,. The slide can be moved so that more of one or the other is introduced into the equation. If an average day might be 50/50, there are some days with more mercy, like Yom Kippur, which is a day of forgiveness. The person doesn’t change, and the act doesn’t change, but the system of judgment changes, and that change makes all the difference in the world.

There are other things that can influence the balance. Chazal tell us that the middah with which you judge others determines the way that you are judged. The amount of strictness or compassion that you exude becomes the standard by which you are then measured. And extremes in attitude or behaviors can bring extremes in the system of judgment.

Machlokes has the power to bring about extremes. When people cleave to hostile groups, their opinions and attitudes become severe. There is no tolerance, no understanding. You are on our side or theirs — you are a tzaddik or a rasha. Because the divide is sharp and acceptance non-existent, the middah of din flares, and when that happens, judgment is at its strictest.

The Result of Conflict

This seems to be the answer to Rashi. Korach launched a rebellion, bringing about a complete divide in the nation. Because of this, complete din was brought into operation. Now there were no mitigating circumstances. No considerations. If something comes about through you, you are responsible. And so, the nursing infants were judged. Not for their intentions, not for their plan, but for the outcome. Through them the rebellion was larger. It was no longer two hundred and fifty men against HASHEM. It was now two hundred and fifty men and their wives and children. Each person added to the group. Whether they recognized what they were doing or not, whether they realized it or not, the revolution was larger, and the price had to be paid.

This is a powerful lesson for us on two levels. Firstly, in terms of understanding the extent of responsibility and the remarkable advantage of being judged with mercy.

And secondly, in a very practical manner. While no one wants to be involved in a machlokes, unfortunately it is only too easy to get pulled in. Often, without meaning or intending to, we find ourselves on one side or the other, and before we know it, we are deep into the thick and thin of it. The Chofetz Chaim writes that machlokes is like a raging fire – anyone nearby gets burned. By recognizing the effect of such disputes and the mortal danger that we place ourselves and our families in when we get drawn into machlokes, it wise for us to heed the advice of our sages and run from it like we would run from a fire.

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As Rabbi Miller (I believe) explained in a video posted above, Korach and his wicked crew lobbed accusations against Moses including that he was involved in illicit relationships. Rabbi Frand explains this in his recent article

The Most Effective Way of Avoiding Disputes

Parshas Korach is the parsha in the Torah of "machlokes" [disputes], which all too often is a very practical topic. It would be pleasant if we would be able to say "This is an esoteric topic. When will we ever be involved in disputes in our lives?" Unfortunately, for those of us who do not live in caves but have to deal with people – and all too often with family members – the topic of "machlokes" is all too relevant. I would like to share two insights into how a person should react when he is involved in "machlokes".

The Torah teaches (when Moshe heard the remarks of Dassan and Aviram) "and he fell on his face" [Bamidbar 16:4]. The Gemara [Sanhedrin 110a] asks "What was it that Moshe heard?" Remember that Moshe was a person who had experience dealing with Klal Yisrael. This goes all the way back to Egypt. Clearly, Moshe was not a thin-skinned individual who was not accustomed to the rough and tumble of dealing with the Jewish people. What could Moshe have heard that made him fall on his face?

The Gemara says Moshe heard that they suspected him of having illicit relations – or at least allowing himself to be secluded privately -- with married women! The Gemara expounds the pasuk in Tehillim [106:16] "They were jealous of Moshe in the camp" (va'y'kanoo l'Moshe). The Gemara links the word for jealousy with the term "Keenui" used in Tractate Sotah regarding the warning of a jealous/suspicious husband that his wife not allow herself to be isolated with a specific man.

This is what Moshe was accused of – something that is literally mind-boggling! Truly incredible! It would have been totally understandable if Moshe's reaction would have been "You ungrateful, disgusting people! After all I have done for you!" He would have been 100% in the right to let them have it in the starkest of terms.

What was Moshe's reaction? The Talmud says his reaction was "He took his tent and pitched it outside the camp." [Shmos 33:7] His reaction was he walked away from the machlokes without saying a word! This is a difficult lesson to practice, but it is the most effective way of avoiding machlokes. Be quiet, do not say anything, and walk away! This method is guaranteed to nip machlokes in the bud.

I have a friend who is a very successful congregational Rabbi. He told me he has one rule which he has never violated in all his years in the rabbinate: Whenever a congregant accuses him of something or says something inflammatory or disrespectful – situations in which he has every right to put the congregant in his place, his rule is that he does not say anything. Invariably, the next Yom Kippur or 5 or 10 Yom Kippurs down the road, the person will come to him and say "I apologize for talking that way to you." This takes tremendous strength of character, especially when the charges are so outrageous!

This is the Torah's lesson when it says that "Moshe fell on his face": The best way to deal with ma chlokes is to avoid it.

Rav Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman, the "Ponevezher Rav", was not only a genius and a pious person; he was a loveable individual as well. He was perhaps the most effective fund-raiser among all Roshei Yeshiva in the 20th century. A person is not an effective fund-raiser if he is not a likeable individual. People do not like to give money to people they can't stand. This is Rule Number 1 that is taught in fund-raising school. Rav Kahaneman was an outstanding fund-raiser. He could get money out of a stone!

Rav Kahaneman tells the story that once when he went to London, a member of the community started yelling at him and hurling accusations at him. The London Rabbinate was appalled at what happened and they wanted to put the person in Cherem [excommunication]. The Ponevezher Rav told the Rabbis that he has a tradition from the Chofetz Chaim which precluded that option. The Chofetz Chaim gave Rav Kahaneman a blessing that he would be successful in all his endeavors except one: He will never be successful in any machlokes he takes part in! "Everything you touch will be gold. You will be tremendously successful. But you will lose badly every dispute in which you take part."

He urged the Rabbinate to take no action against the person who insulted him. This attitude takes a tremendous amount of self-discipline.

I saw a story in which a family who was involved in a machlokes came to Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach for guidance. Rav Shlomo Zalman expounded for them the pasuk in Tehillim [38:14] "And I am like a deaf person, I don't hear and like a mute person who will not open his mouth." Rav Shlomo Zalman notes that the beginning of the pasuk is in first person (Lo Eshma) while the end of the pasuk is in third person (Lo Yiftach Piv). This is grammatically inconsistent.

Rav Shlomo Zalman explained that the pasuk is emphasizing the proper way to deal with machlokes: If the person who is insulted can say "I will be like a deaf person and not listen to what was said against me" then he – the other party to the machlokes – will have no one to argue with and he will therefore also not open his mouth any further in the future! It takes two to Tango; it takes two to fight!

A Whimsical Comment On A Famous Mishna

A well-known Mishna in Pirkei Avos [Ethics of the Fathers] says: "Any argument that is for the sake of Heaven will in the end exist (sofo l'hiskayem) and any argument that is not for the sake of Heaven will in the end not exist (ayn sofo l'hiskayem)."

Rabbi Yisrael Salanter once said whimsically in homiletic fashion that we see from this Mishna that the worst kind of machlokes that exists is one that is "for the sake of Heaven". Those are the arguments that last forever. When a person argues with his neighbor over whether he is keeping his grass mowed properly or not -- and neighbors exchange words over such trivial matters –it is easy to forgive and forget. You called him a slob and he called you a slob, but when Erev Yom Kippur comes, you can say to each other "listen, it is only grass; neighbors should not fight over such things". A machlokes which is not "l'shem shomayim", which is over something menial and trivial, is not destined to last.

Ho wever, when a person has a machlokes that IS "l'shem Shomayim" – a machlokes over a shul or a school or a Rav or a Rebbi then watch out! I can be magnanimous when it comes to grass and overlook minor behaviors and differences of outlook when it comes to lawn mowing or watering. But I cannot give in on something that is "l'shem Shamayim", matters of holiness!

That is what Rav Yisrael Salanter whimsically said the Mishna alludes to. An argument for the sake of Heaven is the worst type of machlokes. It goes on forever! When one "fights for the Truth" there is little room for compromise. When each side has different visions of that "Truth", the dispute is unfortunately destined to go on and on.

A Typically Pungent Comment From the Kotzker Rebbe

The Medrash in Sefer Bereshis says that when G-d was about to create Man, the Heavenly angels took sides in the matter. Some angels advised that man should be created; others advised that he should not be created. The Medrash interprets the following pasuk in Tehillim [85:11]: "Chesed [Kindness] and Emes [Truth] met; Tzedek [Righteousness] and Shalom [Peace] kissed each other."

The Medrash elaborates: The Attribute of Chessed argued that Man should be created, for he does kindness. Emes argued that Man should not be created for he is full of deceit. Tzedek said Man should be created for people give charity [Tzedakah]. Shalom said Man should not be created because people are entirely quarrelsome. It was thus two against two. The Almighty had a dilemma. What should He do?

The Medrash continues that the Almighty seized Truth and threw it to the ground, as it is written [Daniel 8:12] "And He threw Emes to the ground." It was therefore two against one, and the Almighty created Man. Thus ends the Medrash.

The Holy Kotzker Rebbe asked, but how did the Almighty deal with Shalom? Shalom argued that Man should not be created because he is always fighting. What happened to that argument? In his classic pungent fashion, the Kotzker Rebbe answered: "When Emes is thrown to the ground, then peace can prevail." It is only when people are interested in !!EMES!! that there will be fighting. Once Emes is disposed of, the lack of Shalom amongst man is not that pronounced. Then we are merely dealing with our neighbor's grass. Those disputes can be resolved!

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The incredible Rabbi Ginsburg talks about Korach:

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Rabbi Odze on the portion:

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Rabbi Mordechai Hecht, Rabbi of Chabad Lubavitch of Kew Gardens, points a subplot in the story of the Korach rebellion against Moses: the story of one of the potential rebels, On Ben Pelet, and the surprising behavior of his wonderful wife.

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The Sons of Korach did not die with their father, while all others involved with the rebellion and their wives and children perished. The Sons of Korach repented right before the earth opened and swallowed the evil congregation...

http://www.torah.org/learning/rabbiwein/5761/korach.html

Korach

The great rebellion against Moshe, fomented by his jealous kinsman, Korach, turned into a disaster for Korach and his family. The earth opened under their feet and dwelling places and swallowed them, man, woman and child. The fires of dispute are always so great that they scorch even the otherwise innocent. Because of his venomous divisiveness, Korach and his family were doomed to destruction and to disappearance. But were they? In the book of Psalms, chapters of immortal poetry and comfort are attributed to "Bnei Korach" as well as other chapters authored by Assaf, who was also a descendant of Korach. So it seems, that Korach's family was not obliterated, even when the ground swallowed them whole. In fact, the Torah itself tells us in the Book of Dvarim that "the sons of Korach did not die." What are we to make of their survival? How did they extricate themselves from their doomed position?

The Midrash and the Talmud tell us that the sons of Korach did not fall all the way down into the bowels of the earth. The elegant phrase used to describe their rescue from oblivion is that "a place was fortified for them above Gehinom" where they were able to survive. And in that place, in the ruins of their lives and former beliefs, they rethought their father's erroneous and unfair rebellion against Moshe and admitted the truth to themselves and to others. Again, Midrash tells us that their voices could be heard proclaiming: "Moshe is true and his Torah is true." It is this act of honesty, of the ability to rethink and review one's positions and prejudices, that saved the descendants of Korach from death and oblivion and even brought them to immortality and piety. They were able to climb out of the pit when they realized how wrong and suicidal the path of their father had been. They stated loud and honestly that Moshe was right and true and that they and their ancestor were false and wrong. It is not easy to do so, even when the facts of the matter fly in your face and debunk your previously held theory and belief. It was therefore this act of moral courage and searing honesty that allowed the Torah to say "that the sons of Korach did not die."

The twentieth century has been to a large extent, the century of Korach. Rebellion against tradition and the old and the veneration of new theories of social engineering, morality and religion have been the unfortunate hallmark of this, the bloodiest of all centuries. Nowhere has this been more noticeable than in Jewish life. Socialism, Communism, Secularism, Nationalism, atheistic Zionism, Reform, Conservatism, Reconstructionism, Femininism and other assorted theories and movements arose in this century to claim the place of prominence in fashioning the Jewish people and its future. All of them have proven themselves to be woefully inadequate for the task set forth. Much of the ruin currently clearly visible in the Jewish world is directly traceable to the rebellion against Moshe and his Torah, against Holyoke and tradition, which marks every one of these theories and movements and is in fact the common denominator for all of them. From our perch just above the abyss of Jewish destruction and assimilation, there are determined Jews who shout out loudly that "Moshe is true and his Torah is true." But there are many sons of Korach who still maintain the belief in the false shibboleths of this past century. After an intermarriage rate approaching seventy percent in America, one strains to hear the admission of error from these groups. Unless there is an honest reappraisal of theory and belief on the part of these groups, these sons of Korach will not survive. An admission of change of policy would be most helpful on their part and a boon to the Jewish world at large.

Shabbat Shalom.
Rabbi Berel Wein

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A 10 minute talk by Rabbi Machlis from Jerusalem: