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“And he (Moshe) said to Hashem, ‘respect not their offering not one donkey from them have I taken.'” (16:15)

Rashi explains Moshe’s entreaty to Hashem. Moshe angrily said that he had never once benefitted materially from his position as leader of Klal Yisrael. Indeed, when he brought his wife and sons from Midyan to Egypt, he did not allow himself to utilize a donkey belonging to the people to transport them. Although he could have justified taking a “communal” means of transportation, he used only his own means of travel. This is vexing. What difference would it have made if he had used one of the people’s donkeys to carry out his mission? Is it not perfectly acceptable today…

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“You take too much upon you, o’ Bnei Levi.” (16:7)

Rashi asks, “Korach was a wise and prudent fellow. Why did he commit this folly? His eye deceived him, for he foresaw that great progeny was destined to descend from him, namely Shmuel Ha’Navi. Shmuel Ha’Navi weighs against Moshe and Aharon in terms of greatness.  Korach said, ‘In his merit, I will be saved.’” We may question Rashi‘s use of the use of the singular nouns “his eye deceived him.” Didn’t Korach have two eyes? Horav Boruch Sorotzkin z.l. explains that when one “looks” at something, he should perceive it from all angles. He should examine it with both eyes,…

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“Morning (tomorrow) and Hashem will make known who is his.” (16:5)

The Midrash questions Moshe’s choice of the word morning, instead of the more usual, tomorrow. They comment that Moshe told Korach, “Hashem sets boundaries in this world which you can not undo. As Hashem has separated day from night, so has He separated Bnei Yisrael from the gentile nations. Similarly, He has separated Aharon from His people. When you will be able to reverse the distinction set by Hashem between day and night, then you will also be able to reverse the separation between Aharon and the rest of Bnei Yisrael. In this vein, referring to the pasuk, and it…

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“And Korach took… and they all rose up in the face of Moshe and Aharon men of renown. And they assembled against Moshe and Aharon and said to them, ‘you take too much upon you… seeing that all the congregation is holy. And Hashem is in their midst, wherefore do you lift yourselves up above the congregation of Hashem?'” (16:1,2,3)

Korach’s criticism of Moshe seemed to be a reaction to Aharon’s assuming the role of Kohen Gadol. Thus, the two main personalities involved in this machlokes, strife, were Korach and Moshe. Korach was the classic scoundrel, evil throughout. An irate man may inflict damage upon an individual person, but others may nonetheless benignly attempt to understand the source of his anger and correct him. What makes a scoundrel such as Korach contemptible is his blatant hypocrisy. He hides his evil behind a sham of piety.  He unabashedly claims noble motives for his despicable act.  Indeed, he impudently attempts to enlist…

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