| "And Korach took…" — Onkelos translates this as "And Korach separated himself" (Bamidbar 16:1).
Our lives are made up of both an inner dimension and an outer one. On the side of holiness, the inner purpose of our existence in this world is to reveal and elevate the honor of HaShem. Outwardly, this is expressed through prayer, Torah study, mitzvos, and the like. The wisdom of the Torah is what drives us to bring glory to HaShem's Name and to diminish our own sense of personal honor.
On the other hand, in the realm of the Sitra Achra, the world is indeed full of incredible creations developed through profound intellectual effort—but the motivation behind them is often driven by desires and the pursuit of self-gratification.
Onkelos reveals to us the depth of Korach's flaw: "Va'yis'paleg" — he created separation. He broke the essential connection between inner purpose and outward action. He was unwilling to accept that HaShem desires to be served specifically through the concrete mitzvos that Moshe Rabbeinu taught the Jewish people—through things like the thread of tzitzis or a mezuzah on the doorpost. His personal pride and self-importance stood in complete contradiction to Divine wisdom, and this is what led him to rebel so severely—against HaShem and against the tzaddik, Moshe Rabbeinu.
We must take this to heart: the entire reason we were placed in this world is to reveal the honor of HaShem. We must internalize the truth that we are created beings—formed by HaShem, inherently limited—and that as long as we are sincerely seeking how to bring honor to Him, we are in a good place. But the moment we turn our focus toward seeking our own honor in this world, we are heading into deep trouble.
Shabbat Shalom |
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