Shalom Friends;
This week, our Parshat HaShevua, Korach is being sponsored by Pinchas and P’nina Klahr of Ramat Beit Shemesh and dedicated for good health, and nachat for P’nina’s mother Mrs. S. L. Weisenberg, and for good health and success in both physical and spiritual matters for their grandchildren, Matisyohu Natan and Pessia Tov, as well as for the safe return of all Chayalim and the liberation of all remaining hostages — and salvation and true peace for all of Am Yisrael. To the Klahr family, many thanks for your sponsorship and for your continued kindnesses. To the Klahr family, many thanks for your sponsorship and for your continued kindnesses.
You can celebrate a Simcha — a birth, a Bar/Bat Mitzvah, a Chassuna or other Simcha event in your life, or commemorate a Yahrtzeit of a loved one, or for whatever other reason by sponsoring a Parshat HaShevua.
Please forward to your relatives and friends and encourage them to sponsor a Parshat HaShevua. And please be in contact with me with any questions, or for further details.
Best Regards,
Moshe Burt
olehchadash@yahoo.com
Subscribe to the Israel and the Sin of Expulsion blog, to ask questions or to sponsor a Parsha Vort at: olehchadash@yahoo.com
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This year’s vort on Parshat Korach is compiled against the background of Israel’s drive to control the entirety of Gaza, to eliminate Hamas and their other terror partners and to liberate the remaining hostages, the appointment by Prime Minister Netanyahu of Major General David Zini as the next head of the Shin Bet and the assassination, allegedly by a pro-Hamas, pro-“palestine
One media report indicates that the two Israelis were among those who attended a cocktail event at the museum held by the American Jewish Committee for young Jewish professionals and diplomats. Other media sources indicate that the event held by the American Jewish Committee was, ironically, an event to promote improvements in delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
That is not to overlook the recent despicable statements of reserve major general Yair Golan, which he subsequently recanted [verb (used with object) to withdraw or disavow, retract] (blaming Israel’s political leadership), where he accused Israel of engaging in war crimes, thus giving terror groups and the ICC (International Court] ammunition for their patently [Adverb: obviously] false accusations against Israel. Golan’s statement, like the statement nearly two years ago by former prime minister Ehud Barak predicting “blood in the streets” during anti-judicial reform protests, coupled with the politically-oriented misconceptions of Hamas’ intentions by the IDF high command echelons may well have given Hamas the psychological ammunition portraying Israel as weak and very divided and ripe for conquest. And it only serves to harden Hamas’ propaganda before the nations, the American mainstream media, college campuses and, yes, secular Jews and Jewish organizations such as the American Jewish Committee whose positions regarding Israel, over the years, have been weak, lame and counterproductive to the unity of Am Yisrael.
We open the vort on Parshat Korach with opening excerpts from Rabbi Shmuel Goldin’ Parsha summary in his Sefer, “Unlocking the Torah Text” (page 143) :
Moshe and Aaron face their greatest personal challenge to date: Under the leadership of Korach, Dasan, Aviram and On, two hundred and fifty prominent members of the community rebel against their [Moshe’s and Aaron’s] authority.
Torah records early in our Parshat Korach:
“They [Dasan, Aviram and On from Shevet Reuven] gathered together against Moshe and Aaron 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?'” (Sefer Bamidbar, Perek 16, posuk 3 rendered to English in the Artscroll Stone Edition Chumash)
The Artscroll Stone Edition Chumash provides a commentary on the above posuk, particularly the phrase “It is too much for you! ” (page 821) :
Korach began his tirade with an exclamation intended to put Moshe and Aaron on the defensive, accusing them of selfishly taking power and prestige for themselves at the expense of the rest of the nation, which was just as qualified as they. Then he continued by trying to curry favor with the masses, saying that since all Jews were equally holy, Moshe and Aaron had no right to take for themselves the two highest positions in the nation.
It is true that every Jew, from the Sage to the seamstress, is innately holy, but there is another aspect of holiness that depends on personal merit. The greater a person makes himself, the greater his degree of holiness. Korach referred only to the communal, common holiness. Moshe… spoke only of the individual who Hashem chooses, Moshe acknowledged the national holiness, but he added that leadership depends on personal merit, and it was in this that Aaron was superior to his detractors. (Artscroll Stone Chumash citing R’ Yosef Dov Soloveichik)
Rabbi Zelig Pliskin writes commentary on Sefer Bamidbar, Perek 16, posuk 3 in his Sefer, “Growth Through Torah” (pages 333 – 334) :
When someone speaks against others, realize that he could be just projecting his own faults.
The Kotzker Rebbe commented that people who quarrel with the righteous try to find complaints in ways that are the exact opposite of truth. Moshe was the most humble of men, and Aaron’s relationship with others was always to pursue peace which takes much humility. Nevertheless, this did not stop Korach and his followers from claiming that Moshe and Aaron were acting arrogantly and were taking too much power for themselves. (Rabbi Pliskin cited from Maayanah Shel Torah)
This is an important lesson in our being careful not to believe loshen hora. Some people have the attitude that if someone is critical of another person, what is said must have at least some truth to it. Not so! People can have the audacity to find fault with others even though the person excels in the exact traits being referred to [by his detractor in criticizing him]. Here, the motive of Korach was personal envy and he was projecting his own drive for power unto Moshe.
Remember that the Sages say that when a person finds fault with others, he frequently is just mentioning his own faults which he can wrongly assume someone else has.
Rabbi Pliskin adds, citing Rashi (ibid, page 332) :
Rashi explains that the key reason for Korach’s rebellion against Moshe was that he was envious of another relative who received honor while he didn’t.
Envy is destructive, ….When one focuses on the success of another person and feel pain because of it, one is likely to do things that are highly counterproductive. Envy is one of the three things that totally destroy a person. (Rabbi Pliskin citing Pirkei Avos 4:28) The downfall of Korach was because of this trait. Not only did he not get what he wanted, but he lost everything that he had. The ultimate that anyone can have in this world is happiness. When one masters this trait by focusing on those things conducive to happiness, one need never envy another person.
Rabbi Goldin, in his Sefer. “Unlocking the Torah Text” presents an approach regarding his envy of Moshe (Sefer Bamidbar, pages 145 – 146) :
Ibn Ezra argues that Korach’s rebellion actually occurs earlier than recorded. Central to the uprising is the deep discontent rising out of an event rooted at Sinai: Central to the uprising is the deep discontent rising out of an event rooted at Sinai: the transfer of ritual privileges [priestly service] from the firstborn Israelites to the Levi’im as a result of the firstborns’ participation in the sin of the golden calf. The rebels are able to play upon the nation’s suspicion that Moshe reassigned these powers on his own in order to benefit his own Levite relatives.
Although a Levi himself, Korach was also a firstborn and, therefore, a viable leader of the rebellion. Dasan, Aviram and On join the uprising because, as members of Shevet Reuven, they continue to harbor resentment over Yaakov’s transfer of firstborn inheritance privileges to Yosef [over Reuven’s defilement of his father’s bed] at the end of the patriarchal era. Even concerning this complaint, the Ibn Ezra suggests, the rebels effectively cast suspicion upon Moshe. Yehoshua, Moshe’s designated successor, belongs to the Tribe of Ephraim, one of the two tribes descending from Yosef. Ignoring the evidence from the patriarchal era, the rebels suggest that Moshe unilaterally bestows the birthright upon Yosef in order to raise Yehoshua’s political standing.
Finally, a number of Levi’im join the rebellion, frustrated over their forced subordination to Aaron and his sons, the Kohanim. (Rabbi Goldin citing Ibn Ezra on Sefer Bamidbar, Perek 16, posuk 1)
Rebbetzin Nechama Leibowitz cites an analysis of the Malbim in her Sefer, “Studies in Bamidbar” (page 182) :
“…The Mishnah was not worded as we might have expected it to be “A controversy pursued in a Heavenly Cause… that is the controversy between Hillel and Shammai. That not pursued in a Heavenly cause is the controversy between Korach and Moshe.” Instead it reads: “Korach and his congregation.” As Malbim explains, Korach’s followers were simply a band of malcontents, each harboring his own grievances against authority, animated by individual pride and ambition, united to overthrow Moshe and Aaron and hoping thereby to attain their individual desires. What would really happen, however, would be that they would quarrel amongst themselves, as each one strove to attain his selfish ambitions. The controversy therefore was rightly termed “between Korach and his congregation,” They would ultimately fight amongst themselves.
So, here we can see that, in the past, and in the present that controversies, not for the sake of Shemayim, but within “the congregation” against a prevailing government, and against Torah jeopardize the unity and security of Am Yisrael. As this author has cited numerous times in the past, our worst enemy arises from within. This internal divisiveness fuels the intentions of our enemies.
Torah records:
“Everything that is separated from the sanctities that the B’nei Yisrael raise up to Hashem have I given to you and your sons and daughters with you as an eternal portion; it is an eternal salt-like covenant before Hashem, for you and your offspring with you.” (Perek 18, posuk 19 rendered to English in The Artscroll Stone Edition Chumash)
Rabbi David Feinstein, z”l cites Rashi who notes on the words “eternal salt-like covenant” in his Sefer “Kol Dodi” (page 229) :
Rashi says that salt never rots, and even acts as a preservative for many other things, so this Covenant will stay fresh and preserve Aaron’s dynasty forever.
This has a very powerful implication: Even if some Kohanim go astray and pollute their special holiness, Hashem promises that in every generation there will always be some who remain true to the Covenant. Thus, just as salt preserves food and does not allow it to spoil, so the covenant will preserve Aaron’s Priestly family and ensure that its holiness is preserved in every generation.
This author would add on the above citing that, not withstanding those of the Am who sprout controversies and go astray, this Covenant ensures that the Kedusha of Am Yisrael is preserved always, B’Ezrat Hashem.
We hope for positive changes with appointments of a new defense minister, foreign minister and military chief of staff who seem to be signaling a more zealous, diligent command structure and strategy based on valid understandings of their adversary’s intentions and concern for Israel’s sovereignty and security. May we see our government and military become Totally self-sufficient as to manufacture of military equipment and aircraft, weaponry, munitions, as well as showing independence of actions responding to any threat, regardless of so-called “super powers.” And may see, from here on, that border guard personnel at all points of possible danger are listened to and treated with respect and dignity. May these words come to fruition B’Esrat Hashem.
Not withstanding the previous horrendous “ceasefires” and drips and drabs of hostages in exchange for thousands of bloody-handed terrorists, may it be that our Chayalim, regardless of the machinations of malfeasance and nonfeasance by their previous high command to date, but now under command of both a new defense minister and chief of staff, emerge totally victorious — eradicating from the face of the earth Hamas, Islamic Jihad, their other terrorist buddies, UNWRA and the so-called “innocent civilians” of Gaza who joined with Hamas in their murderous deeds. May our Chayalim return home whole — physically, mentally and spiritually and that the Chayalim Liberate and bring home all remaining hostages. May we see a Final and Decisive victory by our Chayalim, mandated by a government secure in it’s foremost service of and emunah in HaKadosh Borchu, B’Ezrat Hashem! And may we see the restoration of true unity within Am Yisrael.
May we, the B’nei Yisrael be zocha that our brethren — the refugee families from Gush Katif be permanently re-settled in Gush Katif, once the IDF, by the Yad Hashem, destructs and eradicates the wild beasts of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, all other terror entities, and if necessary Iran, and that our brethren be made totally whole — be totally restituted for all that was stolen from them, that the thrice expelled families of Amona be restored to their rebuilt homes and the oft-destroyed Yeshiva buildings in Homesh be rebuilt, as well as the buildings of Yishuv Elchanan, all at total government expense. May our Chayalim return from battle unharmed — physically, mentally and spiritually and may all of the remaining hostages brutally taken by the wild beasts of Hamas be liberated and brought home to their families. Baruch Hashem that our dear brother Jonathan Pollard is now in his fifth year at home in Eretz Yisrael and continues in a new chapter in his life. May Esther Yocheved bat Yechiel Avraham have an aliyah in Shemayim and may her spirit and memory continue to lift Jonathan to at least 120 years. May the MIAs be liberated alive and returned to us in ways befitting Al Kiddush Hashem — as with the return in April, 2019, via Russia, of the remains of Zachariah Baumel, and the recent recovery of the remains of Tzvi Feldman, as should the remains of the two chayalim from the Gaza War of ten years ago. May we have the courage and strength to stand up and physically prevent the possibility of Chas V’Challila any future eviction of Jews from their homes and prevent Chas V’Challila the handing of Jewish land over to anyone, let alone to enemies sworn to Israel’s and Judaism’s destruction and eradication. May we see, in 5785, the REAL Jews from the Ukraine and Russia as well as the US and Canada, the real Jews via matrilineal descent, make Aliyah enmass — via thorough review by Misrad HaPanim. And may we soon and finally see the total end to the Communist Chinese Wuhan Lab corona virus pandemic and all like viruses and variants. May we fulfill Hashem’s blueprint of B’nei Yisrael as a Unique people — an Am Segula, not to be reckoned with as with “the nations” and may we be zocha to see the Moshiach, the Ge’ula Shlaima, as Dov Shurin sings; “Ki Karov Yom Hashem Al’Kol HaGoyim”, the Ultimate Redemption, bimhayrah b’yamainu — speedily, in our time”, — Achshav, Chik Chuk, Miyad, Etmol!!!
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Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
Moshe is available for editing of English language documents, articles, manuscripts and more. Please be in contact with him at olehchadash@yahoo.com for your English language needs.
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