Korach tried to influence the nation to follow him with different arguments. He claimed that he was acting on their behalf, and that Moshe was taking unfair advantage of the people. He claimed the entire nation was holy and did not need a leader. The Rabbis explain that Korach was actually a great and wise person, yet he fooled himself into thinking that his intentions were sincere and that his arguments were logical. In reality, Korach was motivated by feelings of jealousy and arrogance. The bias created by jealousy is so powerful that it can often mislead a normally rational person into believing and doing irrational things.
Moshe suggested that Korach and his followers offer incense offerings together with Aharon, and that while G-d would accept the true offering, the impostors would die. Even then, Korach did not fear taking such a chance. He had deluded himself into believing that G-d would accept his sacrifice over Aharon’s.
The reason Moshe reacted so strongly was not because he felt the affront to his own honor. He was concerned that a challenge against his own leadership was a challenge against the authority of the Torah itself. If people thought that Moshe had misrepresented G-d on one point, they might think that he misrepresented Him on other points too. He therefore prayed that Korach’s challenge be stopped before it caused irreparable damage.
Even after Korach had been swallowed, there still remained doubts among the people and they complained again. It seems that Moshe’s concerns had actually materialized. Another plague killed over fourteen thousand people, until Aharon offered incense, which stopped the plague. This also served to legitimize Aharon’s appointment as High Priest.
After the incident involving Korach, the Torah promises different gifts to the Kohanim as an affirmation of their position and authority. They were given tithing from grain and fruits, from the meat of each animal, and the first seasonal fruits each year. They were also promised the firstborn of the animals, and five coins for the human firstborn male. They also received a part of each sacrifice.
The story of Korach illustrates an important lesson about following Torah authority and not letting one’s personal inclinations mask the truth.
“Dasan and Aviram went out erect...”(Num.16:27)
Despite Moshe’s chastisements, Dasan and Aviram were not humbled.
In Pirkei Avos we find two seemingly conflicting statements. On one hand we are taught (5:23) that one should be brazen as a leopard to serve G-d; yet immediately following it says that the brazen are destined for Gehinnom. The distinction is that one should take pride in serving G-d and not be ashamed before others of his service. In other areas in life, however, one should be humble and modest.
Unfortunately, people often do the opposite. Rav Shlomo Freifeld commented how ironic it is that people feel no shame jogging in public in shorts, yet when having to pray in the airport, they feel the need to go to a public phone and pretend they are making a call.
Did You Know...
The Tachanun prayers are said while sitting, reclining one’s head on the left arm. When one is wearing tefillin on the left arm, one should recline on the right arm. One should not recline on his bare arm, but rather on the sleeve.If there is no Torah scroll in the room where Tachanun is being recited, one should not recline on his arm, although some authorities permit it if there are other holy books in the room.
If one is unable to sit, the Tachanun may be recited while standing, although he should lean on a surface since that is considered like sitting in Jewish law.
