Parshas Korach 5766

Commentary by Rabbi Ephraim Nisenbaum

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Korach, a cousin of Moshe, gathered a group of dissenters to challenge Moshe’s authority, claiming that Moshe had usurped authority on his own, and not under G-d’s orders. Moshe, in an uncharacteristically sharp manner, prayed that G-d prove his innocence by having Korach die an unnatural death, by being swallowed into the earth.

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 the incense offering 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 should be stopped before it caused irreparable damage.

The incense of Korach’s followers was not accepted, and the people offering it were burned by fire, while Aharon’s incense was accepted by G-d. Korach and his family were swallowed alive into the bowels of the earth. Yet, even after Korach was gone there still remained doubts among the people and they complained again. 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 the tithings from grain and fruits, from the meat of each animal, and from the first seasonal fruits of the seven species each year. They were also promised the firstborn of the kosher 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.

“You should not be like Korach and his followers..”(Num.17:5)

Some townspeople from a distant village once visited the Sokachover Rav and complained that their Rav had been lenient regarding a question of milk and meat, against the majority of authorities who were stringent. They were now hesitant to rely upon his rulings, and wanted to hear the Sokachover Rav’s opinion.

“I cannot comment on the case without hearing all the details,” the Rav said, “but one thing is for certain. At the very worst, following your Rav’s opinion involves a Rabbinic prohibition. However, stirring up trouble against your Rav, speaking negatively about him, and causing him shame, are clearly Torah violations, and must be avoided at any cost.”

Did You Know...

The Kohain is honored with the first aliyah to the Torah, even if he is an ignorant person. If there is no Kohain present, a Levite or a Yisrael are called. If a Kohain or Levite was mistakenly called to the Torah but was not present, another person should recite the blessings on the Torah without being called by name, lest people think the first person was disqualified.

If the Kohain was present, but was in the middle of his prayers and thus unavailable to recite the blessings, another person may be called by name, since people will not make a wrong assumption, seeing that the first person is praying. If a Yisrael is mistakenly called to the Torah, another person may be called by name, since a Yisrael cannot be disqualified.