Numbers 16:1–18:32
Parshat Korach
Korach, a Levite, leads a rebellion against Moses and Aaron together with Datan, Aviram and 250 leaders, claiming that the whole congregation is holy. The earth swallows the leaders and fire consumes the rest. Aaron's staff blossoms with almonds to confirm his priesthood, and the portion closes with the gifts due to the kohanim and Levites.
Essays
Parsha Korach – Talis Versus Tzitzis Korach, Moses’ cousin, started a rebellion, directed against Moses and Aaron. Korach argued that Moses had arrogated to himself… Parsha Korach – Attachment Korach began as a righteous and learned individual who did not, however, see the need to subordinate himself to Moses and be a part of the organic unit of the Jewish people. By doing that he severed his ties from the very source of his G-dly energy. Once he was deprived of the Divine energy his “oxy Parsha Korach – Bittersweet or Sweet Bitter? Defeat of your enemy is sweet and gets the adrenaline flowing. But in the end, the quarrel turns ugly, and it destroys the lives of so many. What starts sweet turns very bitter. Pursuit of peace, by contrast, can be disconcerting and unpleasant. The very thought of not prevailing in what one thinks Parsha Korach – Connecting Through Our Leaders In our generation, the Lubavitcher Rebbe stands out as the “Moses” of our generation in the way he led/leads the Jewish people and the direction he charted for us. The Rebbe rebuilt the spirit of the Jewish people in the Post-Holocaust era. With optimism, love for everyone and selfless devotion to l Parsha Korach – Connecting to Moses and Aaron Torah is not just wisdom; it is an otherworldly wisdom. Torah is not a product of human intelligence. Torah is G-d’s wisdom. It is impossible to separate G-d from His wisdom, How does a mortal being master the infinite Divine wisdom of Torah? When we are person is self-effacing we can become recepti Parsha Korach – Go See Your Ophthalmologist, Now! T’cheiles, the blued dyed wool, related to the word that means to be consumed, we are taught in Kabbalah and Chassidic literature, represents the height of spiritual ambition, where one is totally consumed in his pursuit of spirituality. Parsha Korach – He Saw a Cow G-d not only transcends rationality; He also transcends going beyond rationality. G-d could make something trans-rational accessible to the mind of Moses or anyone else if He so chooses. Parsha Korach – Inferiority/superiority Complex The Talmud states that the entrance to Gehinnom is in the desert. The desert is the symbol of emptiness and desolation. When one loses self-respect, overwhelmed by the perception that he or she is insignificant, it can cause the Jew to degenerate and descend to the abyss—the entrance to Gehinnom. Parsha Korach – Korach’s Mistake Absolutely, we must treat each and every Jew as being equal in the eyes of G-d. The correct conclusion to draw from this realization is that no Jew has a right to look down at another just because he or she has less knowledge, observance, or occupies a “lower” position in the hierarchy of the Jewish Parsha Korach – Life in the Fast Track There are two modalities for G-d’s light to reach us. The first is the “slow-track” as the light gets filtered through every “world through which it passes. The second is the “fast-track.” The Priestly Blessing is an example of the “fast-track.” Parsha Korach – Moses Is True and His Torah Is True The Chasam Sofer was puzzled by the negative sentiment of one of his community members towards him. “I don’t know why he resents me so,” the Chasam Sofer asked rhetorically. “I never did him any favors…” Taking a gift can cloud your judgment, but sometimes it might actually turn you against your ben Parsha Korach – No Separation Not only is the core of Judaism derived from G-d and revealed at Sinai, but every minute detail of the Torah— from the basic laws to the most minute nuances—were given by G-d at Sinai. Moses was endowed with the ability to touch the core of the Torah and G-d’s essence. G-d also empowered him to tran Parsha Korach – Moses, King David and Moshiach Maimonides writes that it is the obligation of every Jew to participate in its construction of the Bais Hamikdash. Yet he also writes that Moshiach will build it. Both are true. While we, as a people, execute the actions necessary for its construction, it is Moshiach that will make it possible for o Parsha Korach – Preserving the Integrity of Our Marriage to the Torah Moshiach will gather all Jews from all parts of the world and bring them together both geographically and spiritually. Moshiach’s will also bring perfection and integrity to Torah. When we are unified under the banner of Moshiach our Torah learning will be free of any of the Galus tainted subtleties Parsha Korach – Riding Your Donkey! When Moses was sent to redeem the Jewish people from Egyptian bondage he also used the donkey that symbolizes the gross physical veneer that eclipses the Divine light. By using his donkey, Moses was underscoring the nature of exile as a cover that belies the true nature of existence. This served as Parsha Korach – Rich and Poor Months One of the richest months of the year is arguably the month of Sivan and one of the poorest months is Tammuz. How do we cope with the adversity of Tammuz? The answer is, by drawing inspiration from the month of Sivan and introducing it into the month of Tammuz. Sivan will neutralize the negative cha Parsha Korach – Take It Home! Instead of a negative reaction, the tribal leaders realized that their individual staff may not be so glamorous, but it was theirs. It was their G-d given role that was intended for them specifically, and it was through this individual path that one fulfills one’s purpose and life’s mission. Parsha Korach – Sleep on It Think about the “morning;” reflect on the future and how your entire perspective about yourself and your ambitions will change. We must saturate our minds with “futuristic knowledge; to the study of Torah; specifically the parts of Torah that deal with the future Messianic Age. Our minds will emerge Parsha Korach – The Future Is Now Convention requires looking at the past and learning from the good of our forebears, as well as from their mistakes. Korach, however, introduced a novel approach to our pursuit of truth and righteousness. We should behave today in ways that are consistent with the future. While we must reject Korach Parsha Korach – The Unbroken Chain The Messianic Age is when the experience of Sinai will become a permanent aspect of our lives. It will ensure a world of peace and heightened spiritual awareness by all. However all the intervening links are crucial for creating the connection between Sinai and the Age of Redemption. Each and every Parsha Korach – Truth Truth in Hebrew is Emes, which possesses a much deeper meaning than just the negation of a lie. Emes, the Jerusalem Talmud informs us, contains the first, middle and last letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Emes is more than just being truthful, but total consistency. Moses was unique because his subordi Parsha Korach – Ufos There is nothing wrong with the belief that there may be other forms of life in other parts of the universe. There is even a Talmudic statement that suggests the existence of life on other planets. Only when the belief in aliens assumes a religious character, or when it becomes one’s obsession, dist Parsha Korach – Workers of the World Unite! Moshiach is the leader who brings out the best in us and enables us to realize our G-d given potential. Only during this Messianic Age, ushered in by Moshiach, will the world experience true peace and unity. Parsha Korach – Where Do Moses and Aaron Belong? We are the generation charged with the responsibility of putting the finishing touches on the magnificent Messianic edifice—a world of peace, unity and holiness. Millennia of cumulative good, self-sacrificing dedication to the observance of the Mitzvos have brought this world to the point where it i