NAALEH.COM Parshat Korach: Bedrock of Faith By: Rabbi Hershel Reichman

In this Torah shiur (class) Rabbi Hershel Reichman discusses this week's Torah portion, Parshat Korach, in which we read of the rebellion of Korach. Rabbi Reichman gives a deeper, Chassidic understanding of Korach's actions and thoughts, based on the Shem MiShmuel. This Torah class is available online in streaming video and for download in mp3 and ipod video formats.

OU TORAH When truth is sacrificed to power By Britain's Former Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks

What was wrong with Korach and his fellow rebels? On the face of it, what they said was both true and principled. “You have gone too far,” they said to Moses and Aaron. “The whole community is holy, every one of them, and God is with them. Why then are you setting yourselves above God’s congregation?”

RABBI WEIN ON KORACH 5775

In last week’s parsha Rashi commented that when the Jewish people stated that they wanted to return to Egypt rather than proceeding to the Land of Israel they thereby intimated that they wanted to replace Moshe as their leader and crown a new king over them. In this week’s parsha, that earlier murmur of dissatisfaction with Moshe and his leadership becomes a full-throated shout. Korach pounces on the opportunity to attempt to replace Moshe, who has been weakened by the debacle of the spies and the resultant decree of death on the Jewish people of that generation. Korach undoubtedly harbored such ambitions for himself and his family for a long period of time.

RABBI WEIN FACT AND OPINION

One of my daughters told me a wonderful story last week – a story that I have already used in one of my public lectures here in Jerusalem. The story goes as follows: A third-grade child that attends a Jewish day school in the United States has two teachers – one for religious Hebrew studies and one for the general studies program. The general studies teacher was trying to explain to her students the difference between a fact and an opinion.

RAV KOOK ON Korach Part 2: Separation and Connection

“The entire congregation is holy, and God is with them. Why do you raise yourselves over God’s community?” (Num. 16:3) This was the battle cry of Korach’s rebellion — a complaint that, at first glance, seems perfectly justified. Did not the entire people hear God speak at Sinai? It would seem that Korach was only paraphrasing what God Himself told Moses: “Speak to the entire community of Israel and tell them: you shall be holy, for I, your God, am holy” (Lev. 19:2). Why indeed should only the Levites and the kohanim serve in the Temple? Why not open up the service of God to the entire nation?

RAV KOOK ON Korach Part 1: Inclusion and Selection

“Korach was a clever fellow — what did he see to get involved in this folly? His mind’s eye fooled him. He saw by prophetic vision that a line of great men would descend from him, including the prophet Samuel, who was the equal of Moses and Aaron together.” (Midrash Tanchuma 5) While the Midrash appears to belittle Korach’s dispute as foolish, that argument that Korach put forth — “All of the congregation is holy, and God is in their midst” (Num. 16:3) — does not seem silly at all. Is not Korach simply restating what God told the entire nation, “You shall be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy” (Lev. 19:2)? What was so wrong with his claim? Why did Moses insist that only Aaron and his descendants could serve as priests?

OU TORAH MISHNA BERURA YOMI (DIRSHU) MB 40b: Wearing Tefillin on Shabbos, Yom Tov and Chol HaMoed (31:1-2) By Rabbi Aaron E. Glatt, MD

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