Hamaayan / The Torah Spring Edited by Shlomo Katz Korach Volume 24, No. 34 30 Sivan 5770 June 12, 2010 Sponsored by Mrs. Rochelle Dimont on the bar mitzvah of grandson Daniel Ginsburg and wishing a mazal tov to parents Yale & Sahra Ginsburg and siblings and grandparents Professor Gil & Faith Ginsburg and family The Sabrin family in memory of father Shlomo ben Chaim a"h (Sol Sabrin) Nathan and Rikki Lewin on the yahrzeit of his grandfather Harav Aharon ben Harav Nosson Lewin z"l Hy"d (the Reisher Rav) Today's Learning: Nach: Tehilim 109-110 Yadayim 2:2-3 O.C. 497:3-5 Daf Yomi (Bavli): Makkot 8 Daf Yomi (Yerushalmi): Kilayim 12 The Midrash Rabbah on our parashah quotes the verse in Mishlei (18:19), "A brother who fights with a kiryat ohz / fortified city; he quarrels with bri'ach / bolt of the palace," and states: This refers to Korach who fought with the Torah, which is called "ohz," as it is written (Tehilim 29:11), "Hashem will give ohz to His nation." He did not know that Moshe, with whom he was quarreling, was the central bolt; just as the central bolt never moves, so Moshe is immovable. [Until here from the midrash.] Where do we find that Korach fought with the Torah? Seemingly, Korach's dispute with Moshe was a personal disagreement over the apportionment of honor. R' Aharon Lewin z"l Hy"d (the Reisher Rav; killed in the Holocaust in 1941) explains: The Sefer Ha'ikkarim writes that the strongest foundation upon which our belief in the eternity of Torah rests is the belief that Moshe was the greatest prophet who ever was and ever will be. Just as the halachah states that one bet din cannot undo what an earlier bet din did unless it is greater than that earlier bet din, who can claim to replace the Torah that Moshe gave if we accept that Moshe was the greatest prophet and will never be equaled? In this light, we understand that when Korach challenged Moshe, he was undermining the entire Torah, for our acceptance of the Torah depends on Moshe's credibility as a spokesman of G-d who did nothing for his own honor. It was not Korach's intention to attack the Torah. But, he did not appreciate that he was quarreling with the central bolt that holds all of Judaism together, says the midrash. [Nevertheless, his challenge was serious and required an unambiguous response.] (Ha'drash Ve'ha'iyun) ******** "They gathered together against Moshe and against Aharon and said to them, `It is too much for you! For the entire assembly -- all of them -- are holy and Hashem is among them; why do you exalt yourselves over the congregation of Hashem?'" (16:3) R' David Dov Meisels z"l (1814-1875; rabbi of Lask, Poland) observes: We read in Tehilim (106:16), "They were jealous of Moshe in the camp, of Aharon, Hashem's holy one." Moshe's uniqueness was evident even when he was in the camp, i.e., among the common people; thus, his enemies were jealous of him even then. In contrast, Aharon worked among the people, always trying to renew broken friendships and restore harmony between husband and wife. Only when he was performing the avodah / Divine service in the mishkan did he stand out as a uniquely holy person; thus, they hated him only then. R' Meisels adds: Anti-Semitism, as well, comes from the other nations' jealousy of our holiness. They do not sense this, but subconsciously this is what is motivating them. Why else would powerful nations despise, or even take notice of, a tiny nation like Yisrael?! (Haggadah Shel Pesach Re'ach Duda'im p.66) ******** "Moshe said, `Through this shall you know that Hashem sent me to perform all these acts, that it was not from my heart. If these die like the death of all men, and the destiny of all men is visited upon them, then it is not Hashem Who has sent me. But if Hashem will create a phenomenon, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them and all that is theirs, and they will descend alive to the pit -- then you shall know that these men have provoked Hashem!" (16:28-30) Rambam z"l (1135-1204) writes: Bnei Yisrael did not believe Moshe Rabbeinu because he performed wonders, for one whose belief is based on wonders can always doubt whether they were performed through deceit or magic. Rather, all of the wonders that Moshe performed in the desert were to meet a specific need, not to prove that his prophecy was genuine. When it was necessary to drown the Egyptians, he split the sea. When food was needed, he brought down mahn. When they were thirsty, he broke the rock. When the congregation of Korach denied [the legitimacy of his prophecy], the earth swallowed them. The same thing is true of all of the wonders. Why did they believe him? Because of the revelation at Har Sinai. (Hil. Yesodei Ha'Torah 8:1) R' David Cohen shlita (prominent rabbi and prolific author in Brooklyn, N.Y.) asks: Our verse seems to contradict Rambam's assertion, for Moshe seems to be saying expressly that the truth of his prophecy will be proven if the earth opens its mouth and swallows Korach's congregation, and disproved if that does not happen! R' Cohen answers: A few verses earlier, Moshe told Bnei Yisrael (16:26), "Turn away now from near the tents of these wicked men." And we read (verse 27), "So they got themselves up from near the dwelling of Korach, Datan, and Aviram, from all around." Thus, the only ones who heard Moshe's statement that he would be vindicated when the earth opened up were the people who were shortly thereafter swallowed up. The sign was for them alone, and it was successful, for the Gemara (Sanhedrin 110a) relates that they stand in Gehinnom proclaiming the truth of Moshe's Torah. The rest of Bnei Yisrael, however, did not hear what Moshe had said, and their faith was not based on that event. To the contrary, we read a few verses later (17:6), "The entire assembly of Bnei Yisrael complained on the morrow against Moshe and Aharon, saying, `You killed the people of Hashem!'" [See below.] (Toldotan Shel Avot p.150) Granted that Moshe had to ask Hashem to perform a wonder to prove that Moshe was Hashem's messenger, but why was Moshe seemingly so cruel that he asked that Korach's congregation be swallowed alive? R' Reuven Margaliot z"l (1889-1971) writes that he heard this asked by R' Yissachar Dov Rokeach z"l (1854-1926; Belzer Rebbe) on Shabbat Parashat Korach 5673 (1913), and that the Rebbe answered in the name of his own father [R' Yehoshua Rokeach z"l; 1825-1894] as follows: In fact, Moshe Rabbeinu did these people a favor, for so long as a Jew lives, he can repent. Had Korach's congregation suffered a sudden death, they would never have had a chance to repent. This way, however, they did repent, as mentioned above. (Margaliot Hayam to Sanhedrin 109b, No.7) ******** "The entire assembly of Bnei Yisrael complained on the morrow against Moshe and Aharon, saying, `You killed the people of Hashem!' . . . "Moshe said to Aaron, `Take the fire-pan and put on it fire from upon the Altar and place incense, and go quickly to the assembly and provide atonement for them, for the fury has gone out from the presence of Hashem; the plague has begun!' Aharon took as Moshe had spoken and ran to the midst of the congregation, and behold! the plague had begun among the people. He placed the incense and provided atonement for the people. He stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was checked." (17:6, 11- 13) R' Maimon ben Yosef Ha'dayan z"l (12th century; father of Rambam / Maimonides z"l) writes: Our Sages relate that Aharon confronted the Angel of Death and told him, "Move aside! I wish to offer the incense here." The Angel of Death replied, "No! I am doing G-d's Will." Aharon retorted, "I am doing Moshe's will, and Moshe only says what is G-d's Will." Aharon then burnt the incense, and when the smoke rose Heavenward, Hashem told the Angel of Death, "Moshe's word is what I command." Thus, R' Maimon writes, the people's challenge was answered, for it was proven that those who deny Moshe's authority are denying G-d Himself. (Iggeret Ha'nechamah) ******** Shabbat Rosh Chodesh Two times on each day of the year, a korban tamid (literally, "constant offering") was brought in the Bet Hamikdash -- once in the morning and once in the afternoon. On Shabbat, Yom Tov, and Rosh Chodesh, the kohanim would also offer a korban mussaf (literally, "additional offering"). On Yom Tov and Rosh Chodesh, we take out a sefer Torah and read about that day's korban mussaf. Why do we not do this every Shabbat? The Shulchan Aruch (O.C. 283:1) explains that it is because the section which discusses the korban mussaf of Shabbat has only two verse (Bemidbar 28:9- 10), and we never take out a Torah to read a stand-alone section that has fewer than three verses. However, when Rosh Chodesh falls on Shabbat, we do read about the korban mussaf of Shabbat together with the adjacent verses regarding the korban mussaf of Rosh Chodesh since the latter section has more than three verses. ******** "You fashioned Your world from of old; You completed Your work on the seventh day; You loved us . . ." (From the mussaf prayer for Shabbat Rosh Chodesh) R' Yaakov Emden z"l (died 1776) writes that the above phrases are not a string of unrelated praises of Hashem. Rather, why did Hashem "fashion" (i.e., create) the world? For the purpose of loving us, the Jewish People. (Siddur Bet Yaakov)