Reb Ginsbourg: The Levite who wanted to be High Priest

 

The Levite who wanted to be High Priest

Did the intelligent Korach not feel the contradiction in his words?

Our Parasha relates that Korach, and his assembly (16:1-3) /Gathered together against Moshe and against Aaron, saying:’It is too much for you! Israel For the entire assembly of Bnei Israel- all of them - are holy and Hashem is among them, why do you exalt yourselves over the congregation of Hashem?’

Moshe replied: ’In the morning Hashem will make known who is His own and the holy one; and He will choose’, setting the test of offering incense, to determine who ‘is the holy one’

Moshe said to Korach ‘Hear now O offspring of Levi: Is it not enough for you that that the G-d of Israel has segregated you from the assembly of Israel to draw you near to Himself..And He drew you near and all your brethren , the offspring of Levi with you - yet you seek priesthood as well?’

Midrash Tanchuma expounds that what led Korach to cast doubts as to the prophecy of Moshe, was his envy of the high office that Elizaphan the son of Uziel, the brother of his father was given - that he was made the head of the branch of Kehat.

Said Korach: there were four brothers, sons of Kehat: Amram, Yitzhar, Chevron and Uziel.

Amram, the first-born, merited that his son Aaron and his sons were appointed Kohanim, and Moshe, his brother, received kingship,

Who, then, deserved to head the family, if not the second son? - and I am the son of Yitzhar, the second son - so I was worthy to be the head of my family, and he - Moshe - appointed the son of Uziel, the youngest of the four brothers, to be over me.

I hereby dispute what was done, and nullify all that was done by Moshe’s hand.

He therefore rebelled.

Rav Chaim Friedlander comments: If we can understand the grievance of Korach, what did the two-hundred and fifty men - described in the Torah as ‘leaders of the assembly..men of renown’, who joined Korach - think?

Did they not know that only one man would remain alive, after the test of the offering of the incense, and that all the others would perish?

How were they not fearful to offer the incense, and to place their lives in mortal danger?

Rashi expounds:’They sinned against their own souls’ knowing it would cost them ‘their lives’ - what was their justification, for doing so?

The Netziv expounds, that they were truly ‘leaders of the assembly’ in every respect, including in their yirat shamayim.

Not being able to act as Kohanim - which would lead to cleaving and closeness to Hashem - burnt within them, like a fire.

They did not seek honor or rule, but only to be sanctified through serving Hashem - in contrast to Korach, who sought honor and rule.

This burning need, led them to agree to offer incense and to enter into disputation.

They knew in their hearts that Moshe truly acted as ordered by Hashem, and did not doubt the choice of Moshe, or his prophecy - yet, in their hearts, they second-guessed the Will of Hashem, and offered their souls to death- by offering the incense - so overwhelming was their need.

This is why they are referred to as ‘sinning against their souls’, readily offering themselves to death, if only they could achieve this lofty level of love of Hashem - which, however, was against the Will of Hashem.’

If we have elucidated the reasons for the actions of Korach, and of the two-hundred and fifty leaders, we still have to understand why the rest of the people were drawn to join Korach, as we read (16:19): Korach gathered the entire assembly to the entrance of the Tent of Assembly.. Hashem spoke to Moshe and Aaron, saying:’Separate yourselves from amidst this assembly, and I shall destroy them in an instant.’

Moshe and Aaron pleaded that the people be spared, as we read - and this plea was accepted.

We learn, then, that but for the prayers of Moshe and Aaron, the whole of the people would have perished - here we ask: Were the whole of the people, so stupid that they would join Korach in his quest?

The Ramban answers: When Korach and his assembly took their pans with the incense, by Moshe and Aaron, Korach called to all the people and said to them, that he was acting for all of their honor.

This swayed them, and they all assembled to see, perhaps it would find favor in the eyes of Hashem, and He would return the first-born to serve him - it was for this reason, that Korach assembled all the people.

Here we are compelled to ask: Did the intelligent Korach, not feel the contradiction in his words? After all, he was among the bearers of the Ark, which had previously been the work of the first-born, until it was taken from them and given to the Leviim, after the sin of the golden calf.

Yet now, he - a Levi - comes to persuade the people, that he is acting out of concern for their honor, to return the service to the first-born - which would result in removing this honor from himself, he being a Levite!

We learn from here a great lesson: when there is envy, and dispute, logic goes out of the door - leading him to seek to persuade the people, that perhaps, in spite of everything, the service would return to being the lot of the first-born.

This ‘possibility’ led this דור דעה: ‘generation of knowledge’, to join Korach, even though, as we brought, it almost brought to their death, at the hand of Hashem - had Hashem not accepted the plea of Moshe and Aaron, on behalf of the people:’Shall one man sin’ - meaning Korach - and You be angry with the entire assembly?’.

Concludes the Rav: According to this, we find that on the dispute of Korach, and the two-hundred and fifty men, and the entire assembly who joined this dispute, each of the parties was drawn in according to his נגיעה: personal interest: Korach, sought leadership for himself, the two-hundred and fifty’s interest was their yearning to ascend in the level of their service of Hashem - even being prepared to die in the process - and the rest of the people: perhaps they would also be elevated in their service of Hashem by the service returning to the first-born.

All of this, by the pretext of Korach, that he was acting in all of their interests:’For the entire assembly of Bnei- all of them - are holy and Hashem is among them.’

The Alshich Hakadosh also alludes to the internal contradiction in the words of Korach: Moshe made sure that his words to Korach, were said in the hearing of all the Leviim, as he receded his words to Korach, by saying: ’Hear now, the sons of Levi’, ‘as the purport of his message depended on it being heard by all the Leviim.

His message was: ’is it not enough for you that the G-d of Israel has segregated you from the assembly..to draw you near, and all your brethren, the offspring of Levi, with you - yet you seek priesthood.

Meaning: if your concern is for the honor of Hashem, that we - Moshe and Aaron - exalt yourselves over them - and that we do so from our own volition - clearly your hearts and your mouths are not as one, as ‘is it not enough..’ that you yourselves have been exalted over the rest of the people, for his service.

How is this at one with your words that:’the entire assembly of Bnei- all of them - are holy..why do you exalt yourselves over the congregation of Hashem’?

Further, it was a greater and more difficult thing, to elevate a group of people, than to elevate one man - which is your complaint

Therefore, if you accepted your elevation over the rest of the people, also accept the elevation of Aaron, over you.

Further , should you - Korach - say: Aaron, have you not given him two elevations in status: one, to Kehuna, and two: to Kohen Gadol, to this he said:’He drew you near, and all your brethren’, how can you claim the office of Kohen Gadol for yourself alone, or for the whole tribe of Levi.

If for you alone, that is inconceivable, aa why should you be elevated above all the members of your tribe - in elevating the tribe of Levi, Hashem did not separate you from the rest of the tribe, but elevated all the tribe, equally.

Therefore, if you should claim the office for yourself, you, too, will be seeking an elevation of two levels.

If, you should, on the other hand, the office for the whole tribe, this - as Midrash Tanchuma states - is not possible, as only one can serve in this office.

This is why Moshe took care to say his words to Korach, in the hearing of the whole tribe - as then Korach would not dare to claim the office for himself.’

Before the Kohanim were chosen all the people were eligible to serve, though the service was, in fact, performed by the first-born.

When the kohanim were chosen, all the others were removed from being able to serve, and - as their desire to do so remained very strong - they felt in themselves that they were worthy to continue serving, and their removal greatly upset them.

Whilst the Leviim did not complain when they were not given a share in the Land,their removal from serving in the Sanctuary greatly perturbed them. This was the reason for the dispute of Korach, the Leviim feeling that had Moshe asked on their behalf that they, too, be able to serve in the Sanctuary, it would have been granted - just as his pleas were accepted after the transgression of the golden calf, and their removal greatly episode of the spies.

Their grievance against Moshe, was on this matter, as they felt that he was the cause of their exclusion, as Hashem would have surely acceded to the will of His faithful tzaddik.’

Rav Zalman Sorotzkin, elucidates, that Moshe’s words to Korach, that, despite being a Levi, who had the zechut to serve in the Mishkan, ‘yet you seek Priesthood’, imply a rebuke to Korach:’That you, and to all your brethren sons of Levi - the Kehatim - an additional elevation, that ‘Hashem has drawn you closer from the rest of the Leviites, as you were chosen to bear the Ark, and the most precious vessels of the Mishkan. Meaning: You, the Kehatim, already have a special closeness to Hashem, within the tribe of Levi, ‘yet you seek’ also ‘Priesthood’!

Rav Yosef Eliyahu, in his notes to the exposition of Rav Aryeh Leib Heiman, points out that Korach dared to dispute Moshe’s choice of Aaron at this point in time, sensing that it was a propitious time to do so.

He adduces five reasons, for this:’First, that Aaron was ‘prevented’ by Hashem from participating in the offerings of the nesiim, as described at the end of Parashat Nasso - as our Sages say:’He was down hearted’ because of this - this is an aid to imputing that Hashem was not ‘happy’ with the appointment of Aaron.

Second, from the deaths of his sons - Nadav and Avihu- for offering ‘an alien fire’ - Korach ‘twists’ the reason that this occurred, to cast the blame on Aaron, their father - their death for offering incense, was - he implied - punishment for taking the service from the first-born and the rest of the Leviim, and giving it to Aaron.

‘Third, the opinion of Rabbi Akiva (Shab’ 97.), that Aaron, too - and not just Miriam - spoke lashon ha’ra, concerning Moshe and ‘the Cushite woman’, and that he, too, was afflicted by tzaraat - which Rashi ( on our parsha 17:5 ) comments is the punishment for those disputing the Kehuna.

‘Korach saw in the tzaraat of Aaron - for speaking concerning Moshe - a punishment, for the injustice that was done to the first-born and the rest of the Levites, by his disputing - taking away - their Kehuna.

‘Fourth : Korach noted that Moshe was - as we read in Parashat Beha’alotcha - ‘reduced in stature’, as Hashem saw the need to cast some of His spirit on seventy-one elders, to assist Moshe in leading the people.

This, in Korach’s eyes, was proof to his view, assuredly being due to the ‘removal’ of Korach, from the High Priesthood.

‘Fifth: the events at the inauguration of the Mishkan - as described in Parashat Shemini, and the Midrashim there - that the Shechina did not descend, until Moshe and Aaron prayed for mercy - in Korach’s eyes, more proof that Hashem was not pleased with the choice of Aaron as high priest.

‘That Hashem ‘relented’, to their prayers, was - to Korach - an act of mercy, and grace to Moshe - and not to Aaron.’

Rav Aaron Kotler adds: This whole parsha is very surprising, how could Korach dispute Moshe, after all the wonders that he had seen, wrought through Moshe - how could he, after them, dispute Moshe, so much that there was a need for further miracles and punishments, to be created.

The answer is, that due to their exalted level, and the spiritual heights that they had attained, they had a desire to draw closer to Hashem - as can be seen, by the sons of Kehat, who competed to carry the Ark, despite the toll it exacted for any impropriety when doing so.’

By your leave, let us conclude our study of this wondrous episode, with the exposition of Rav Dovid Hofstedter who also notes that Moshe addressed his remarks - not to Korach directly - but to the tribe of Levi.

The Rav brings the Midrash Tanchuma, that he did so, so that the tribe would not join with Korach.

He wonders: This Midrash requires elucidation - were not the tribe of Levi the tribe that cleaved to Hashem more than any of the other tribes, as evidenced by them not participating in the sin of the golden calf, and all gathering to Moshe, to answer his call:’Who is for Hashem, to me’?

Why, then, was Moshe concerned lest they rebel against him, and his prophecy? And because one member of the tribe sinned in this regard there was a fear that all the tribe would similarly transgress?

Further, in his words to them, he said:’Is it not enough that the G-d of Israel has distinguished you from the community..Will you seek priesthood as well?’ - this when they had not made any demand, and had not disputed the Kehuna.

Could he not have simply adjured them not to rebel - why did he address them with words which seem to have no relevance to them?

To clarify this, it needs to be said, that: true, Korach alone was the one who disputed the Kehuna - not for the honor of Heaven, but for his own honor - which led him to reach apostacy: to deny (Yerushalmi Sanhedrin) that the Torah was from Above, and that Moshe was a prophet, and that Aaron was the Kohen Gadol.

However,, there was room to worry that the rest of the tribe would join his demand for the Kehuna Gedola, for a reason unrelated to that of Korach - that they merit to rise in ststus and sanctity, by serving as Kohanim.

This was due to the members of the tribe of Levi always being of lofty status, as seen by they - unlike members of the other tribes - being circumcised and abstaining from idolatry.

Specifically, for this reason, Moshe was concerned that Korach might succeed in attractig them, by promising them that they would thereby be able to fulfill their yearning to fully serve in the Sanctuary - this perhaps leading to them joining his cause.

This fear is in fact supported by Moshe’s words to them:’Will you seek priesthood as well’ - the inference being that they sought priesthood for themselves, as were Aaron and his sons - this compared to Korach whose dispute ‘on the Kehuna’, was as our Sages teach, to be the Kohen Gadol, in place of Aaron.

In the face of this concern, Moshe reproached them: ’Is it not enough that the G-d of Israel has distinguished you from the community.. draw you near to Him, to perform the service in the Tabernacle..Will you seek the priesthood as well?’.

Concludes the Rav: ’True, no person should be satisfied in his spiritual endeavors, but should always strive to rise and to utilize all his talents and strength - but this only to fulfill the task that he has been allotted from Above.’

Source:  https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/410701