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Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Bamidbar
- Korach
If we look into Korach's complaint in this week's Parsha, we have to admit he may have a point. "The whole nation, every individual, is holy'', Korach exclaims. Rashi adds the punch line- We all heard God's voice at Mount Sinai. This is true. Although, to be accurate, the first two commandments came straight from Hashem. But the remaining eight commandments needed to be said by Moshe, as an intermediary. This was due to the nation being afraid of God's great voice. The Talmud (Shabbat 88) even stated that the people died and were revived. The nation then pleaded with G-d to not force them to hear His voice directly, but only through Moshe.
Korach is manipulating a piece of truth and trying to have it affect the lifestyle of Am Yisrael. This definitely sounds very brave, noble and even idealistic. If we heard G-d's voice directly, and we did, then we are holy, inherently. The question is: can we live up to this high level of holiness?
Are your intentions pure?
Rashi brings two additional claims that led Korach to his argument. He was jealous of Moshe, as he felt he was the person who should have received the mantle of leadership--believing that he deserves it by virtue of his Yichus. According to this claim, it was all coming from a impure desire to lead. Korach had this idealistic viewpoint, even translated into a political movement, (we can imagine the banners and interviews of "the whole nation is holy" party…) but it was mixed and combined with personal impure motives. In many cases in life we can see goodwill and fine intentions combined with more base and inappropriate desires. Things are not always black and white.
The need for a handle bar
The Midrash in Tanchuma cites that Korach asked Moshe in a provocative way- "Does a tallit that is entirely Techelet need Tzitzit. This challenging question is trying to say- if we are holy do we need all the Mitzvot? If someone has a direct connection with Hashem, does he need to proceed with acts that are supposed to bring him closer to Hashem? The person is already connected without the Mitzvot, because each Jew is holy (he is filled with Techelet).
The truth is, that the Tzitzit and all the Mitzvot are our "handle bar"- our way to grasp on to holiness. This is our ladder that allows us to elevate ourselves. The Korachs of the world would probably also be against having rabbinical interpretation of the laws of the Torah. No need for a "broker" to go between the people and their Master of the Universe.
The brings down an amazing fact brought in the Midrash. Using Ruach Hakodesh, Korach saw that Shmuel, the righteous prophet, was to be his descendant, actually his great grandson. Shmuel is known to be the equivalent of Moshe and Aaron together. Therefore, Korach understood that he himself can also be that figure. It was a matter of (bad) timing. This great personality was only supposed to bloom a few generations later. Many times we see that the difference between a success and a failure is the timing.
Throughout history we see many movements, religions, ideological groups rise and fall. All of them have a core truth. Some are mixed with low goals such as control or money. It is our mission to look into these groups and declare what is to be accepted and what needs to be rejected or merely objected to.
Everything good in life is a matter of the right measurement, and accurate timing.
In short, one can say that Korach- he had a point.
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 9 - "Seeing is Believing" (parag. 21-30)
These paragraphs elaborate on the theme that seeing and knowing is better than any attempt to prove logically, and begins explaining the difference between Israel and gentiles.
Ein Aya Various Universal Stages of the Geula Process
Rav Kook examines the various stages of redemption, explaining how (in addition to the obvious oft-mentioned stages of ingathering the exiles, reviving the Hebrew language, army, state etc.) the messianic dream of world prosperity, the State of Israel and world unity can and are realistically and logically gradually coming true.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
How do we know that the "claim" of mass revelation to 2,000,000 witnesses at Mt. Sinai is really true? This important class answers all of the questions skeptics ask about this claim of the Kuzari.
Ein Aya Armies Still Necessary for Balance & the War Against Wars
Rav Kook explains why the world was originally divided into the various seemingly contradicting ideologies and cultures, in order to develop each one respectively. Swords or armies symbolize how each respective ideology defends themselves, as well as deters their opposing ideologies and cultures. On the other hand, the messianic era will be one of peace, and Rav Kook explains the transition to that stage, which mankind is already undergoing.
The Land of Israel LGBT'S IN ISRAEL
The question was asked, how can one make Aliyah with the LGBT parades?
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 7 - Five Accumulative Proofs of G-d
As a preparation for the Kuzari's classic proof of G-d from the mass-revelation at Sinai, we start here with 5 other directions to strengthen our belief which also contribute to what the Kuzari will present as well.
Ein Aya Muscle & Meaning: The Dual Nature of Gevurah (Physical Strength)
Is physical strength and fitness a necessity or an ideal? Although it if often totally overlooked among topics of Judaism, Rav Kook writes that it clearly is also a necessity to deter the many enemies of Israel, but even in Y'mot HaMashiach, in the Messianic era, to a certain extent, it's ideal continues even after our enemies will have been finished off.
