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Parshas Korach - Who I Am... and Who I am Not

By Avraham Cohen

Posted on 07/08/16

Parshas HaShavua Divrei Torah sponsored by
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Pirkei Avos 4:1 – “Ben Zoma says: … Who is rich? He who is happy with his lot, as it says, ‘When you eat of the labor of your hands, you are praiseworthy and all is well with you’ (Psalms 128:2)


Pirkei Avos 4:28 – “Rabbi Elazr HaKappar says: Jealousy, lust and glory remove a person from the world


The following dvar Torah is by R’ Benjamin Yudin of Congregation Shomrei Torah, Fairlawn, NJ, with several emendations:


After the disaster of last week’s parsha – when it was Divinely decreed that the Jewish people would have to spend an additional forty years in the desert, Moshe’ popularity understandably waned. Korach then seized the moment to challenge the leadership of his cousin, Moshe. In the process of doing so, two hundred and fifty great men joined Korach because they wanted more for themselves. They lost their lives as well. A plague followed this terrible series of events and consumed fourteen thousand people in this week’s parsha – all in all, not a very happy story.


By relating the account of Korach, the Torah is not only relating a story of the historical past: the Torah is telling each and every person to look deeply and carefully into their own souls and see how the story of Korach relates to each and every one of us. We must all learn from the mistakes of Korach and, b’ezras Hashem, rise above that which resulted in his and his followers’ ultimate downfall.


Korach’s primary mistake was that he did not realize what he had; he did not appreciate the gifts which G-d had given him:  Korach had the gift of prophecy, and it was through this ruach hakodesh that he understood that from his own progeny would emerge the great prophet, Shmuel HaNavi.


In addition, within the family of Leviim (of which Korach was a part), there were three families: Gerson, Kehas and Merari. Korach was from the family of Kehas. Regarding the activities of Gerson and Merari, the Torah uses the term “avodah” (i.e. holy “service”) to describe their work in the desert Tabernacle, and subsequently in the Temple. The Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh and the Chasam Sofer zt”l both note that regarding the service of the family of Kehas, the Torah does not use the term “avodah”, but rather the term ”melachah” (a special kind of “work”) is used. This “work” or labor was of a different nature than that of their fellow Leviim:


The family of Kehas had the distinct honor of carrying the most holy vessels that were contained within the Mishkan (Tabernacle). Included amongst these vessels was the Aron hakodesh – the holy Ark containing the tablets of the Ten Commandments. The family of Kehas had the incredible honor and privilege of being the ones to carry the Ark (nosei ha’aron) whenever the Jews would travel in the wilderness.


The Gemara teaches us that, among the many miracles that occurred during this period of the Jewish people’s sojourn in the desert, was that the Ark was not ‘carried’ per se, but that actually the Ark was nosei es nosav – it carried those who seemed to be carrying it [Sotah 35b]! Korach was one of the unique individuals from all of Klal Yisrael who was able to experience this unique phenomenon.


Taking all this into account, it is clear that Korach (and his family) had tremendous honor, prestige and respect amongst their fellow Jews. And, if Korach would only have realized what a special position and unique gifts he had in his possession, he could have truly moved on to become great. The Imrei Emes zt”l tells us (in the name of the Zohar) that just as there was a Kohain Gadol – a High Priest – amongst the Jews who served in the Tabernacle and Temple – so, too, there was to have been a position of Levi Gadol as well! And the first person who would have been honored with this position would have been none other than Korach! If only Korach could have appreciated all that he had!


Unfortunately, he did not – because he was always looking over his shoulder to see what Moshe had. Not being satisfied with what he had in relation to his illustrious cousin, Korach could not appreciate – could not even ‘see’ – his own gifts. Not being able to see his own gifts, he would never be able to develop his own potential, using the tools and resources that already were in his hands.


G-d gives to each person his or her unique talents and gifts. One person cannot use what the other person has, and the other person cannot use what you have. Each one of us has to use our own unique tools and gifts to become the greater being we are meant to be. For each one of us, we have to be who we are in order to become who we are meant to be. By trying to take what is not prescribed for us, we are doomed to fail.


The flip side of the coin of this important teaching is to realize who we are not: Korach did not understand that he was not Moshe Rabbeinu, that he did not have Moshe’s capabilities which made Moshe (and not Korach) uniquely able to be the manheeg (leader) of Klal Yisrael.


The last of the Ten Commandments tells us ”lo sachmod” – do not covet what your neighbor has or be jealous of him. If one does covet what your neighbor has, it is not just simply a bad character trait. By being jealous of what the other one has, we are transgressing that most basic of our beliefs: namely, that G-d is the One in charge. Then, we are in open revolt against G-d, Who stated in the first Commandment, “I am Hashem your


G-d” – I am the One Who controls the world and decides who gets what! By being jealous and covetous, it is as if we are saying to G-d, “Hey – You got it all wrong! You really should have given me what you gave to him! You deposited the money in the wrong account; how could You have messed up like this!?” Of course, the confusion is not with G-d; rather it is with us not knowing who we are, and who we are not [see Sanhedrin 102b].


Scripture relates a similar story regarding a great personage who was not satisfied with his lot [Melachim I, Ch. 12]:


Yeravam ben Nevat was chosen by G-d to be the successor of King Solomon: after Shlomo Hamelech’s death, he would become King over the ten (northern) tribes of Israel while Shlomo’s son, Rechavam, would be ruler of the remaining two tribes, which included the territory of Jerusalem and the Bais HaMikdash. As this came to pass, Yeravam could not countenance the people of his realm traveling to Judah on the three Pilgrim Festivals (Pesach, Shavuos and Succos) where they would see Rechavam sitting on his own throne in the Bais HaMikdash. This jealousy possessed him so much, that he placed a golden calf in Beit El and in Dan – so that the people should worship the false deity there and forego the trip south!


As a kind of epilogue to this sad story, G-d Himself invites Yeravam to do teshuvah, saying to him, “after you do teshuvah, both you and ben Yishai (i.e. King David) will walk with me together in Gan Eden!” However, instead of jumping at this amazing, once in a ‘lifetime’ (sic) opportunity, Yeravam first wants to know, “Who is going to lead this procession?” G-d answers that He will lead. And then Yeravam wants to know … who is going to come next? When G-d answers that it will be “ben Yishai next, and then you,” Yeravam is blinded by his insane jealousy and lust for glory … and Yeravam rejects G-d’s offer.


So much anger; so much lost opportunity; so much foolishness and dysfunction – all because the other one seems to have what I deserve to have instead. We must learn to live with G-d at the controls, to always strive to understand both who I am, and who I am not.


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Commenting on Pirkei Avos 4:1 (see above), R’ Moshe M. Lieber shlit”a tells us stories about the Chofetz Chaim zt”l [from the Artscroll Pirkei Avos]:


On overhearing someone say about their financial condition, “B”H I’m doing okay – but it wouldn’t hurt if


business was a little better.” The Chofetz Chaim interjected, “Who says it wouldn’t hurt? Everything G-d does is for the best [Berachos 60b]. If this is the lot that G-d granted you in life, then it is good for you – so be happy with your lot!”


•The Chofetz Chaim once encouraged a wealthy acquaintance to spend more time in spiritual pursuits,


including prayer and Torah study. The wealthy man demurred, saying, “Well, I have no time.” The Chofetz Chaim responded, “If you have no free time, then you aren’t truly wealthy; you are nothing but a pitiful pauper, and there is no greater poverty than this.”


The Chofetz Chaim observed:  A carpenter needs a large saw. If we were to take this large saw from him


and replace it with a very small, fine diamond saw, then he would effectively be out of business – even though the diamond saw is a much more expensive tool then the regular carpentry saw. For his particular job, the carpenter needs the right tools. Similarly, one’s lot in life can be built only with the unique tools that G-d supplies him with. Some need financial wealth in order to function as distributors of G-d’s money, while others need to be poor in order to achieve the personal growth that is born of adversity. Only G-d knows who needs which tool. A truly wealthy person is one who is happy with the portion G-d has designed uniquely for him.


The Steipler Gaon zt”l would say, “beet’choni b’tzuree, hee oh’tzareemy faith in My Creator, that is my treasure.” A person’s faith in G-d is the treasure that allows them to be satisfied with their lot.