Orach Chayim Way of Life - Jewish Life - Torah Insights - Current Events

Korach - Artist Yoram Raanan

וַיִּקַּח קֹרַח, בֶּן-יִצְהָר בֶּן-קְהָת בֶּן-לֵוִי; וְדָתָן וַאֲבִירָם בְּנֵי אֱלִיאָב, וְאוֹן בֶּן-פֶּלֶת--בְּנֵי רְאוּבֵן

Vayikach Korach ben-Yitz'har ben-Kehat ben-Levi veDatan va'Aviram benei Eli'av ve'On ben-Pelet benei Re'uven

BaMidbar 16:1 Korach son of Yitz'har (a grandson of Kehat and great-grandson of Levi) began a rebellion along with Datan and Aviram (sons of Eli'av) and On son of Pelet, descendants of Re'uven.

Korach incites a mutiny challenging Moshe’s leadership and the granting of the kehunah (priesthood) to Aharon. He is accompanied by Moshe’s inveterate foes, Datan 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. (Chabad.org) 

They were the ones who forced Moshe to flee from Egypt (by informing on him to Pharaoh that he killed the Egyptian -- Shemot 2:13-15). They were the ones who hurled harsh words at Moshe and Aharon in Egypt (ibid. 5:20-21). They were the ones who left over from the manna (in defiance of Moshe’s instructions -- ibid. 16:20) and went out to gather the manna on Shabbat (ibid. v. 27). And they joined in Korach's mutiny.

From this text the saying is derived: "Woe to the wicked and woe to his neighbor!" It applies to Datan and Aviram, neighbors of Korach, who both camped to the south side of the Sanctuary, as it is written: "The families of the sons of Kehat were to pitch on the side of the Sanctuary southward" (BaMidbar 3:29); and it says, "On the south side shall be the standard of the camp of Re'uven" (ibid. 2:10).

Said Rav: On the son of Pelet was saved by his wife. She said to him, "What matters it to you? Whether the one remains leader or the other becomes leader, you will be but a follower." Said he: "But what can I do? I have taken part in their counsel, and they have sworn me to be with them"... She said: "Sit here, and I will save you." She gave him wine to drink, intoxicated him and laid him down within [the tent]. Then she sat down at the entrance and loosened her hair. Whoever came [to summon him] saw her and retreated.

Meanwhile, Korach's wife joined in and said to him: "See what Moshe has done! He himself has become king; his brother he appointed High Priest; his brother's sons he has made the vice High Priests. If terumah is brought, he decrees: Let it be for the priest. If the tithe is brought, which belongs to you [i.e., to the Levi'im], he orders: Give a tenth part thereof to the priest. Moreover, he has had your hair cut off (cf. BaMidbar 8:7) and makes sport of you as though you were dirt... ; for he was jealous of your hair." Said he to her, "But he has done likewise!" She replied, "Since all the greatness was his, he said also, 'Let me die with the Plishtim'..."

Thus it is written, "A wise woman builds her house" (Mishlei 14:1) -- this refers to the wife of On the son of Pelet; "but the foolish woman destroys it with her hands" (ibid.) -- this refers to Korach's wife.

Korach was a Levi and moreover was the head of the Levi'im; he embodied the highest aspect of all states of gevurah, whereas Aharon embodied the highest aspect of all states of chesed. Their natures are fundamentally opposed and this was the basis of Korach’s quarrel. Thus, their quarrel was that of the left side with the right side. Chesed is the central sefirah on the right axis of the sefirot, while gevurah is the central sefirah on the left axis. Their natures are fundamentally opposed, chesed being the nature to give and gevurah being the nature to withhold. The tension between them is thus the fundamental tension of duality in all reality.

Korach refused to reconcile because his quarrel was not "for the sake of heaven."

The sages state that "Any quarrel that is for the sake of heaven will endure, while [any quarrel] that is not for the sake of heaven will not endure. What is [an example of] a quarrel for the sake of heaven? The quarrel between Hillel and Shamai. And [what is an example of] a quarrel that is not for the sake of heaven? The quarrel of Korach and his congregation." (Pirkei Avot 5:17) "For the sake of heaven" means "for the purpose of arriving at the truth, in order to further G-d’s purposes on earth" rather than "for the purpose of self-aggrandizement."

Because Korach caused all this, he descended to Gehinom as befitted him. (Ibid. 16:31-33)  Thus, we see how Korach reflected the very first quarrel, in which the [coarser aspects of] gevurah asserted themselves stridently.

The Haftarah of Korach is about Shmu’el, who, according to Chazal, is descended from Korach’s sons.  Shmu’el finds himself in a situation similar to Moshe’s in Parshat Korach

The nation gathers at Gilgal for a second coronation of King Sha’ul--the first one having lacked a convincing consensus. They offer sacrifices and rejoice together. The prophet Shmu’el then delivers a talk: he asks the people to testify that he never committed crimes against the people, and they confirm. He discusses how G‑d saved and aided them every step of the way and chastises them for wanting a flesh and blood king. He assures them that G‑d will be with them if they follow in His ways, and of the consequences they will face if they do not follow G‑d's word. To underscore the seriousness of his words, Samuel asks G‑d to send a thunderstorm, although it was not the rainy season. The Jewish people got the message and asked Shmu’el to intercede on their behalf and to have the thunderstorm cease. The haftorah ends with a reassurance: "For G-d will not forsake His people for His great name's sake; for G-d has sworn to make you a people for Himself."

The connection to this week's Parsha is the fact that Shmuel was a descendent of Korach. Whereas Korach expressed a right to interpret the Torah as he saw fit, Shmuel tells the people that the success of the king and the nation is totally dependent upon their adherence to the letter of the law. In the end, it was Korach's own grandson who founded our nations leadership upon the unquestioned teachings of Moshe Rabbeinu.

Striking among the common points between sedra and Haftarah is the invoking of a miracle to “back up” his credentials. The unexpected violent storm, then, parallels in a way, the flowering stick.