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Parshas Korach - The Jew: Core Self Evaluation

By Rabbi Paysach Diskind

Posted on 07/08/16

Parshas HaShavua Divrei Torah sponsored by
Dr. Shapsy Tajerstein, DPM - Podiatry Care.
(410) 788-6633

In this week's Parsha, Korach, the Torah teaches us the tragic story of Korach. Korach was a cousin of Moshe and Aharon who was committed to undermine Moshe's authority.  He was driven by his envy of Aharon who was chosen to be the High Priest. Korach felt that the position of High Priest belonged to him. Since Moshe was the one who appointed Aharon, Korach argued that Moshe made that decision on his own, contrary to Moshe's claim that everything he did was ordered by HaShem. Korach gathered many supporters and together with them he publicly protested Moshe's position as being self appointed and not the orders of HaShem.


At one point Korach actually got most of the people of Israel engaged in the spectacle to test whether Moshe's authority was G.D given. He had actually succeeded in fermenting doubt in the minds of the people as to whether Moshe was appointed by G.D! At this point HaShem tells Moshe  "Separate yourselves from amid this assembly, and I shall destroy them in an instant!" Moshe responds immediately and says "O HaShem! Shall one man sin and You be angry with the entire assembly!"­  HaShem acquiesced and did not destroy the assembly.


To make sense of this terse conversation we must clarify. Was the assembly deserving to be destroyed or were they not. If they deserved to be destroyed then what is Moshe's argument. How can Moshe argue that only one man sinned. And if they did not sin why did HaShem wish to destroy them without Moshe's prayer?


It is clear that they definitely sinned. At Mount Sinai HaShem demonstrated in unambiguous terms that He chose Moshe to be His messenger and that His expectation of His people was that they would accept Moshe's authority. The assembly who gathered to watch the showdown indicated that their trust in Moshe was wavering. Had their trust been unwavering they would have adamantly refuted Korach and his cohorts and certainly not stand by as spectators. Therefore HaShem held them accountable for denying what HaShem demonstrated at Mount Sinai. This sin was unforgivable. Once the people of HaShem question the authority of Moshe then the entire Torah becomes irrelevant. The Jewish people without a commitment to HaShem’s Torah is like  a body without a soul - unworthy of life.Therefore HaShem argued that they ought to be destroyed.


Moshe's argument in favor of the people was that there is really only one guilty person. Korach is the only culprit. He is the one who sowed ferment in the people. Although the people did question Moshe's authority, that was only because they were under Korach’s influence. Deep inside the soul of the people they did not doubt for a moment the authenticity of Moshe's mission. Moshe’s accomplishment with his prayer was to underscore the primary essence of the people and to highlight their shortcomings as something secondary. Moshe therefore prayed to HaShem to look at who the core essence of these people. They are truly accepting of HaShem's authority and Moshe's authority. Their current condition is a result of negative influence which will pass with time. They need not be destroyed.


All of our qualities and shortcomings can be classified on one of two levels; the primary level and the secondary level. The primary level defines who we are and the secondary level tells us what we are carrying in our suitcase, but has no reflection on our core essence.


Perhaps the silver lining of this story is that Moshe established before HaShem to judge us by our core essence. Although we must answer for our behavior no matter whether it is core or secondary but the difference is between extinction or continuity.


How fortunate we are that through our experiences in the desert we were able to shape our core essence to become people whose trust in HaShem is unwavering. So although from time to time we do feel our trust wavering, we must appreciate that it only secondary. If we look deeper inside we will find the strength and trust to move forward.