Bostoner Torah Insights: Bostoner ‘Chassidus’ in English Parshas Korach – 1 Tamuz 5784
Bostoner Torah Insights - Yerushalayim
Bostoner Torah Insights
Bostoner ‘Chassidus’ in English
Parshas Korach – 1 Tamuz 5784
Bostoner Rebbe shlit”a – Yerushalayim
Secretariat Email: bosto...@gmail.com
»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»
We must understand why Korach would challenge Moshe after everyone saw how the Meraglim were punished, and how Moshe Rabbeinu was vindicated. Also, how could Klal Yisroel be so brazen and claim to Moshe, “You have killed the people of Hashem” (Bamidbar 17:6) after they saw Korach and his followers swallowed by the earth and “descend alive to the pit” (Bamidbar 16:30). Furthermore, why did the 250 leaders of Bnei Yisroel claim that the position of Kohen Gadol was fitting for them and not for Aharon. Also, how could Moshe command these men to offer incense knowing it was punishable by Heavenly death?
The Midrash (Bamidbar Raba 18:3) tells us that Korach made a Techeles-colored four-cornered Tallis garment and presented it to Moshe asking if this garment also needed a strand of Techeles-dyed string as part of the Tzitzis. The Midrash continues that Korach presented a second question regarding a house full of Sefarim. If a Sefer Torah has 275 paragraphs, which do not exempt a house from the need for a Mezuzah, why should two paragraphs affixed to the doorpost fulfill the requirement? By demonstrating the faulty logic of these rulings, Korach was implying that Moshe Rabbeinu must be inventing laws on his own without heavenly direction (Chas V’Shalom). Perhaps we can suggest that there was actually a theological point of contention between Korach and Moshe Rabbeinu.
Korach believed that the role of the Mezuzah was to remind a person to attain Fear of Heaven. If so, a person of Korach’s stature who was like a house full of Sifrei Torah, that always feared Hashem, had no need for a Mezuzah. Similarly, Korach viewed the requirement to have Techeles on the Tzitzis as a means to remember Hashem. As the Gemara (Sotah 17a) tells us, “Why was Techeles chosen among the other colors? It is because Techeles is similar to the sea, the sea is similar to the Heavens, and the Heavens is similar to the Kisay HaKavod. In addition, the Techeles comes to protect a person from evil thoughts, as the Gemara (Mencachos 44a) says, “The four Tzitzis come and tap him on his face”. Korach felt that a person always focused on Hashem, like a garment full of Techeles, did not need additional reminders to think about Hashem or to protect him from evil thoughts.
Moshe Rabbeinu, representing the view of the Torah, knew that there was another reason for requiring Mezuzah and Techeles on the Tzitzis. In order for Hashem to protect each Jew to observe the Mitzvos. The Zohar (Parshas Vayechi, 230a) asks why Yaakov Avinu says in the past tense, HaMalach HaGoel Oti MiKol Ra, “The Angel that redeems me from all evil” (Beraishis 48:16), when he should have said it in the past tense, ‘the Angel the redeemed me from all evil’. The Zohar explains that it was written in the present tense because this angel is referring to the Shechinah that is always with a person and does not leave him as long as he observes the Mitzvos of the Torah. However, when one does not follow the Mitzvos of the Torah, it is as if one walks alone without being joined to the Shechinah, like a person walking alone on a road at night.
The Zohar continues that before embarking on a journey, one should recite a prayer to Hashem to request that the Shechinah of Hashem should accompany him on his travels. This is the source for the custom of Boston Chassidus, that as we leave the house to begin a trip, we kiss the Mezuzah and read the first paragraph of Shema as well as HaMalach HaGoel, in order to unify with Hashem so that ‘the Angel’ will accompany us on our journey.
Regarding the claim of the people that Moshe was responsible for the deaths of those that died, the Ramban explains that the disagreement with Korach was that it was Moshe on his own who decided to exchange the first born Bechorim with the Leviim, in order to give prestige to his tribe and family. We can suggest that the 250 men who offered Ketores were all firstborn Bechorim.
As the Meshech Chachma explains, according to the laws of Temurah, if one tries to exchange a sanctified animal with a non-sanctified animal, both animals are sanctified with the identical sanctity. An exception to this rule is the B’chor, which if one attempts to exchange its sanctity on another animal, the second animal does receive sanctity but may not be brought as an offering. Thus, the Leviim, who were exchanged for the firstborn Bechorim, did receive sanctity, but could not serve in the Mikdash in the same capacity as the Bechorim were originally sanctified to do. Aharon and his sons, however, were not among the 22,000 Leviim that were exchanged with the Bechorim. Instead, they received their own sanctity directly from Hashem, which is why they could perform the Avodah in the Mikdash.
Regarding the 273 Bechorim in excess of the Leviim that needed to redeem themselves with silver, one could suggest that their redemption was different than those exchanged directly with Leviim and they were still fit to do Avodah in the Mishkan. I would suggest that the 250 individuals that offered Ketores were from these 273 Bechorim. This is why Moshe challenged them to bring Ketores, that if in fact they are claiming they are retained their ability to do Avodah and were not considered Zarim. We can also suggest that any leaders of the assembly who were not Leviim, who were not exchanged with the Bechorim could be endowed with Kedusha, like Aharon, and were fit to serve in the Mikdash. Thus, Hashem made the staff of Aharon to bloom to demonstrate that the Kehunah could not come from the branch of any other tribe for all generations
May we merit to see the Avodah Service of the Kohanim in the Beis HaMikdash with the coming of the Go’el Tzedek.
If you would like to be a sponsor: