|
This shiur has been
dedicated in honor of:
The upcoming marriage of Zahava Klein to Yoseph Shachna Gottlieb
--------------
L'ilui Nishmas HaRav HaKodosh Rebbe Menachem Mendel ben Levi Yitzchok
Zeichor Tzaddik v'Kadosh l'Varachah
--------------
by Mr and Mrs Yehuda Klein
Korach
I. Who is a leader?
1. 'And the man who HaShem* will choose, he is
the holy one.' (Bamidbar* 16.7)
My grandfather [Rebbe* Chaim of Tzanz] said that the mistake of Korach was
that he wanted to be a Rebbe. [Not only that but] he wanted that in Heaven
they should agree to this. He found support for this [idea, that from heaven
they should agree,] from what it says in the Talmud* [with regards to the
setting of the first day of the new
month even if done in error.] 'Even if done by mistake, Even if done on
purpose' Therefore [Korach said to himself] 'I will take the 250 heads of the
Sanhedrin* to be my Chasidim, and perforce from heaven they will agree to me.'
For this reason Moshe Rabbeinu* answered him, 'The man who HaShem will choose,
he is the holy one.' The idea of a 'Rebbe' is not one that depends on a drash*
from Chazal*. A Rebbe cannot be anyone except the one who HaSHem chooses and
not a Rebbe chosen by the Chasidim. (p. 22 sefer Chemdah Genuza teachings of
Rebbe Chaim of Tzanz that were recorded by his grandson Rebbe Sinai of Zmigid.)
* * *
II. Who can praise
2. 'The Tzaddik will bloom like a palm tree...
Planted in the house of HaShem, in the courtyard of G-d he will bloom.'
(Tehillim* 92.13-14)
It is taught in the sefer Lekutei Torah [from the Arizal*] that the last
letters of the words, 'The Tzaddik will bloom like a palm tree' [Heb. Tzaddik
k'tamar yifroch] spells out the word 'Korach.' [The meaning is] that in the
future he will bloom, [which will happen] in the days of the prophet Shmuel,
who came from the descendants of Korach. (Until here are his words.)
This verse in Tehillim is difficult to understand because it relates the
qualities of the Tzaddik, but not in the proper order. First it says, 'Planted
in the house of HaShem.' Then it says, 'In the courtyard of G-d he will
bloom.' Shouldn't the courtyard, which leads into a house, come first?
We can explain this according to what appears in the Talmud. 'Navuchadnetzer
prayed in his songs that all the songs that David said in Tehillim should be
praised. An angel came and struck him on his mouth." It is difficult to
understand in what way would he be able to praise the songs of David. Many had
sung them and they did not praise them.
We can explain this according to what Chazal say in the Talmud, 'In the place
where a Baal Tshuva* stands even a complete Tzaddik is not able to stand.' The
meaning is that a Baal Tshuva, through his tshuva*, is able to cause the souls
of Israel that are on a very low level to be raised up. This is something a
complete Tzaddik is not able to do. For this reason Navuchadnetzer
desired to praise the songs of David, since he was a Baal Tshuva.
We then have a question, why is it that the angel struck him on his mouth? [It
would appear that what he was doing was praiseworthy.] However we can say that
only when the person's soul comes from the source of the Jewish souls. Then if
he should sin and later do tshuva HaShem will accept him. However if his soul
has it's source in the source of uncleanliness [then he cannot.] Therefore the
angel came and struck him on his mouth [as he was unclean and not worthy to
praise David.]
This is then the reason the verse:
'The Tzaddik will bloom like a palm tree' is a remez* for Korach and the idea
that he will eventually find rectification for his soul.
The verse explains the reason: 'Planted in the house of HaShem.' The
reason is because his soul has a holy source. It was planted in the house of
HaShem. [It is one of those from the source of the souls of Israel.]
For this reason, 'In the courtyard of G-d it will bloom.' Little by little it
will find rectification, from one level to another. Until 'it will be fruitful
in it's old age.' (p. 47 sefer Divrei Yechezkel. Teachings of Rebbe Yechezkel
Shraga of Shinov, a son of the Tzanzer Rov*.)
* * *
III. Power of the Torah*
3. 'All of Israel that surrounded them fled at
their sound.' (Bamidbar 16.34)
We can explain the intention as follows. They fled [i.e. all the evil
things that attempt to attack Israel] because of their voice. [i.e.
the voice of Israel] This is, 'The voice is the voice of Yakov' which
refers to the [voice of their] learning Torah. The reason is that the
Torah protects and saves [those that learn it] from all manner of
suffering and punishment. (p. 34 vol 3 #8 Kerem Shlomoh a journal of
Torah and Chassidus. This teaching is from Rebbe Aharon of Tzanz, the
son of Rebbe Chaim of Tzanz.)
* * *
IV. Using both eyes
4. 'And Korach separated...' (Bamidbar 16.1)
Rashi* says, 'Korach was a wise person, so what did he see that made
him act so foolishly. His eyes [lit. his eye] caused him to stray.' I
heard in the name of the Holy Rebbe Boruch of Gorlitz Z'L [a son of
Rebbe Chaim of Tzanz.] The error of Korach was that he only
considered 'one eye'; that of observing the greatness of HaShem. But
he did not considered the other 'eye', of observing his own
lowliness. [There is a famous teaching of the Rebbe Reb* Zushya that
everyone has two eyes, one to see the greatness of HaShem, the other
to see his own lowliness.] 'His eye caused him to stray' means the
one eye [that he used.] (p. 47 sefer Ateres Chaim a collection of
teachings of Rebbe Chaim of Tzanz and his descendants.)
* * *
V. Moshe's humility
5. 'Moshe heard and he fell on his face.' (Bamidbar 16.1)
In the sefer Or HaChaim* is asks why does the verse need to say that
'He heard.' The verse already said that 'They said to them.' [i.e.
Moshe and Aharon] Would one every imagine that he didn't hear? Also
we need to understand what Moshe answered to them. 'In the morning
HaShem will make known who is His.' Why does he associate the answer
with the early morning"
The whole complaint of Korach was that all of the greatness and honor
that Moshe merited to achieve was because of Israel. That is what he
meant when he said, 'The whole congregation are all holy, and HaShem
is among them.' HaShem rests among them specifically because of their
holiness. It was only because of them and their merits that Moshe
achieved his greatness. Moshe also thought this way. [He felt that he
had achieved his status due to the merits of the Jewish people.] 'And
the man Moshe was very humble' and he held that his greatness came to
him 'from all the people that are on the face of the earth.' i.e.
Because of Israel. That is why it says, 'And Moshe heard.' That means
he also agreed with what Korach said. For that reason he fell on his
face, because he did not have what to answer. (p. 190 sefer Kedushas
Tzion. Teachings of Rebbe Ben Zion of Bobov, great-grandson of the
Tzanzer Rov.)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Glossary:
Arizal: Hebrew initials of the words: Adoni Rabbenu Yitzchok
Zechorono LeVaracha our master Rabbi Yitzchok. Better known as
Yitzchok Luria the great 16th century
Kabbalist
Baal Tshuva (Baalei Tshuva): Hebrew for someone who is a repentant
sinner.
Bamidbar: Fourth book of the Torah. Called in English Numbers
Chazal: Hebrew initials
for: Chochmenu Zichrona Levaracha (Our sages of Blessed
memory) Used to refer to Rabbis of the Talmud
Chesed: Hebrew word meaning acts of mercy
Drash: A method of Biblical interpretation ascribing moral or ethical
meaning to verses in the Torah.
HaShem: Noun used in place of G-d. Lit. The Name
mikvah:
Hebrew word referring to a ritual bath used for purification
Mishnah: An ancient Jewish work made of specific laws.
Moshe Rabbeinu: Hebrew for Moses our teacher. A common Jewish way of
referring to Moses.
Or HaChaim: Jewish Torah commentary
Rashi: The primary commentary on the Tenach.
Rebbe: Leader of a Chassidic group or a teacher
Rebbe Reb: A title added to a few special Rebbes as a sign of their
higher spiritual stature.
remez: A method of Biblical interpretation based on finding hints in
the Torah for various concepts.
Rov: An official rabbi who renders legal decisions. Many of the
Rebbes were both a Rebbe of Chasidim, and the Rov of the city in which they
lived.
Sanhedrin: 1. Tractate in the Talmud
2. Name of the highest level of the Jewish court system.
sefer
(seforim): A Jewish religious book.
Talmud: An ancient work of Jewish law.
Tehillim: Hebrew name for Psalms.
Torah: a. First 5 books of the Jewish Bible
b. Also refers to the whole of Jewish law
c. also common term for a chassidic teaching
Tshuva: Hebrew word for repentance
**************************************************************
Copyright (c) 1997 by Moshe Shulman
(mshulman@virtual.co.il)
All rights reserved.
Issur Hasugas Givilv |
