By: Steve Kirschenbaum
The Parsha begins VaYikach Korach. What exactly did Korach take? One opinion is that
he took himself off to the side to create his Machlokes. The Berditchever explains there
are some Tzadikim who serve G-d only to give pleasure to Him. It doesn’t matter to these
Tzadikim if they’re the ones to make HKBH proud or if it’s a different Tzadik. All they
care about is that HKBH is provided that pleasure. However, the second Tzadik is
interested in receiving a reward for his effort; he as an individual wants to be the one to
give that pleasure to HKBH. That’s the VaYikach Korach. Korach was the type of Tzadik
that felt he should be the one to provide G-d that pleasure. It wasn’t enough that G-d
would be pleased; it wasn’t enough for Moshe to be the one to serve G-d. Kulam
Kedoshim. He needed to be the one to give G-d that pleasure. This is what Rashi means
when he says Korach was Lakach Mekach Ra’ah L’atzma, he made a bad choice for
himself and aligned himself in a destructive fashion. He attempted to take something for
himself that wasn’t rightfully his. In that way, he created Machlokes.
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Rashi teaches that despite Korach being very smart, he separated himself and was Cholek
on Moshe Rabbeinu. Had Korach been more selfless and not focused so much on his
involvement in providing that pleasure to HKBH, he wouldn’t have argued that he should
be Kohen Gadol. Korach was a Tzadik and not a simple person for us to pass judgment
on. However, there was something within him that was caught up in this notion and
prevented him from realizing that the priority is ensuring that HKBH is properly served;
it doesn’t matter if I am the one to provide the service or someone else. The Chazon Ish
in his Sefer Emunah and Bitachon describes a litmus test that a person can use to know
whether his Mitzvos are about himself or truly for HKBH. For instance, a person invites a
guest for Shabbos. The person replies he already accepted an invitation from someone
else. If it’s simply about making sure the guest is provided for, then there’s nothing to be
disappointed about. But if someone feels they need to be the one to provide for this
individual, it’s not just about ensuring the guest’s needs are met but fulfilling some desire
within the inviter that I should be the one to host him; something very Lo Lishma about
that. Rav Avraham Schor described this Middah of ‘Anochius’ that it’s not enough that
the Chesed be done, but it should be done by me and my organization. As such, we
should ask ourselves, is what I’m doing about me or HKBH? It’s a hard question to ask,
one that even great Tzadikim have stumbled with.
What was it exactly that got Korach all worked up?
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Rashi says he was jealous of the
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Rashi says he was jealous of the
appointment of Elitzaphan ben Uziel as Kohen Gadol. He said my father, Yitzhar, was
Amram’s brother. One of four brothers: Amram, Yitzhar, Chevron and Uziel.
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Amram
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Amram
was the Bechor so his sons, Moshe and Aharon, received prominent positions. If I am
from Yitzhar, Korach, who is the second to oldest, said why am I being skipped over for
Uziel’s son, as Uziel is the youngest brother. Korach was jealous of his younger cousin
who received a position greater than his own; he felt he should have gotten that
appointment. Asks Reb Levi Yitzchak, why is Korach bringing this up now — Elitzaphan
was appointed a while back? He answers that originally the thought was that Klal Yisrael
would be entering Eretz Yisrael imminently, and so Korach had a Cheshbon. Elitzaphan
would be the Nasi for the short period of time Klal Yisrael was in the desert, but once
Klal Yisrael arrived in Eretz Yisrael, things would be done differently; Korach thought a
new Kohen Gadol would be appointed. But, after the decree was issued due to the Chet
HaMeraglim, he understood that Klal Yisrael would be in the Midbar for the next forty
years, and there isn’t going to be a new order or new appointments. As a result, Korach
became jealous of Elitzaphan that he was going to be the Nasi for 40 years. Korach was
willing to be Mevater for a short time, but not for 40 years.
This is an important Yesod when it comes to our own Avodas Hashem and self-
assessment. Sometimes a person can pretend a certain Middah for a moment of
time. While that’s not insignificant, it doesn’t mean the issue has been resolved. Showing
some restraint is good, but if that restraint is not overcome, it could all fall apart. The
goal in Avodas Hashem, which is Nitzchius, is that all our positive Middos should shine
all the way through. It shouldn’t matter if someone is given Kavod for a minute or 40
years. If I am not a person who’s chasing Kavod, I should be ok with the position of
authority that person has been given. Korach, although a Tzadik, hadn’t mastered that
restraint all the way. This was a struggle of Korach and one that we can all relate to.
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