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Lehavas David · Parshas Korach · Maamar ג

Receiving Through Submission: Korach Against Creation's Order

From the Torah ofRav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitzהרב דוד מתתיהו בן יחיאל יהושע רבינוביץProfile ›
Bamidbar 16:1-3
וַיִּקַּח קֹרַח בֶּן־יִצְהָר בֶּן־קְהָת בֶּן־לֵוִי וְדָתָן וַאֲבִירָם בְּנֵי אֱלִיאָב וְאוֹן בֶּן־פֶּלֶת בְּנֵי רְאוּבֵן וַיָּקֻמוּ לִפְנֵי מֹשֶׁה וַאֲנָשִׁים מִבְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל חֲמִשִּׁים וּמָאתָיִם נְשִׂיאֵי עֵדָה קְרִאֵי מוֹעֵד אַנְשֵׁי־שֵׁם וַיִּקָּהֲלוּ עַל־מֹשֶׁה וְעַל־אַהֲרֹן וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֲלֵהֶם רַב־לָכֶם כִּי כׇל־הָעֵדָה כֻּלָּם קְדֹשִׁים וּבְתוֹכָם יְהֹוָה וּמַדּוּעַ תִּתְנַשְּׂאוּ עַל־קְהַל יְהֹוָה
Korach, son of Yitzhar, son of Kehas, son of Levi, took, along with Dasan and Aviram, the sons of Eliav, and On, son of Peles, the sons of Reuven. They rose up before Moshe, with two hundred and fifty men of Bnei Yisrael, leaders of the congregation, summoned to the assembly, men of renown. They gathered against Moshe and against Aharon and said to them, “You take too much upon yourselves! For the entire congregation, all of them are holy, and Hashem is in their midst. Why do you raise yourselves up over the congregation of Hashem?”
1“They gathered against Moshe and against Aharon and said to them, ‘You take too much upon yourselves! For the entire congregation, all of them are holy, and Hashem is in their midst. Why do you raise yourselves up over the congregation of Hashem?’”1 Notice that the verse seems to say the same thing twice. Once Korach had said, “For the entire congregation, all of them are holy, and Hashem is in their midst,” why did he need to add, “Why do you raise yourselves up over the congregation of Hashem?”
וַיִּקָּהֲלוּ עַל מֹשֶׁה וְעַל אַהֲרֹן וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֲלֵיהֶם רַב לָכֶם כִּי כָל הָעֵדָה כּוּלָּם קְדוֹשִׁים וּבְתוֹכָם ה׳ וּמַדּוּעַ תִּתְנַשְּׂאוּ עַל קְהַל ה׳ (טז, א-ג). יֵשׁ לְדַקְדֵּק כֶּפֶל הַלָּשׁוֹן בַּפָּסוּק, דְּאַחַר שֶׁאָמַר ׳כִּי כָל הָעֵדָה כּוּלָּם קְדוֹשִׁים וּבְתוֹכָם ה׳׳, תּוּ לָא הֲוֵי צָרִיךְ לְמֵימַר ׳וּמַדּוּעַ תִּתְנַשְּׂאוּ עַל קְהַל ה׳׳.
  1. Bamidbar 16:1–3; the words quoted are from 16:3. ↩
In shortOnce Korach had said that all are holy, why add “Why do you raise yourselves up over the congregation of Hashem?”
2Let us first cite a teaching of Chazal in the Gemara: “What is meant by the verse ‘Sun, moon stood still in zevulah’? But surely they are set in Rakia! This teaches that the sun and moon rose up from Rakia to Zevul and said before Him: ‘Master of the world, if You do justice for the son of Amram, we will shine; and if not, we will not shine …’”2 [Rashi explains: justice for the son of Amram against Korach and his company.] But what do the sun and moon have to do with Korach's dispute with Moshe?
וְנַקְדִּים מַאֲמַר חז״ל בַּגְּמָרָא (נדרים לט, ב), מַאי דִּכְתִיב (חבקוק ג, יא) ״שֶׁמֶשׁ יָרֵחַ עָמַד זְבוּלָה״ וְהָא בִּרְקִיעַ קְבִיעִי, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁעָלוּ שֶׁמֶשׁ וְיָרֵחַ מֵרָקִיעַ לִזְבוּל וְאָמְרוּ לְפָנָיו רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם אִם אַתָּה עוֹשֶׂה דִּין לְבֶן עַמְרָם אָנוּ מְאִירִין וְאִם לָאו אֵין אָנוּ מְאִירִין וְכוּ׳ [פֵּירֵשׁ רש״י, דִּין לְבֶן עַמְרָם מִקֹּרַח וַעֲדָתוֹ], וְיֵשׁ לְהָבִין אֵיזֶה שַׁיָּיכוּת יֵשׁ לַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וְלַיָּרֵחַ עִם מַחֲלוֹקֶת קוֹרַח עַל מֹשֶׁה.
  1. Nedarim 39b; Chavakuk 3:11. Rakia and Zevul are two of the seven heavens; the sun and moon are set in the lower one, Rakia. “The son of Amram” is Moshe. ↩
In shortThe sun and moon would not shine until Moshe was vindicated against Korach; what have they to do with his dispute?
3The Midrash comments on Moshe's reply, “In the morning Hashem will make known who is His”: “He said to them: The Holy One, blessed be He, set boundaries in His world. Can you mix day with night? It is written at the very beginning, ‘And God separated …’ So too He separated Aharon, as it says, ‘And Aharon was separated, to sanctify him …’ If you can mix up the separation that Hashem made between day and night, you will be able to annul this one too.”3 How are the boundaries of day and night connected to Aharon's priesthood?
וּבַמִּדְרָשׁ אָמְרוּ (במדבר רבה יח, ז) ״בּוֹקֶר וְיוֹדַע ה׳ אֶת אֲשֶׁר לוֹ״ (טז, ה), אָמַר לָהֶם גְּבוּלוֹת חָלַק הקב״ה בְּעוֹלָמוֹ, יְכוֹלִים אַתֶּם לְעָרֵב יוֹם בַּלַּיְלָה וְהָא כְּתִיב בַּתְּחִילָּה ״וַיַּבְדֵּל אֱלֹקִים״ וְגוֹ׳ (בראשית א, ד) וְכוּ׳, וְכֵן הִבְדִּיל אַהֲרֹן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברי הימים א כג, יג) ״וַיִּבָּדֵל אַהֲרֹן לְהַקְדִּישׁוֹ״ וְגוֹ׳, אִם אַתֶּם יְכוֹלִים לְעָרֵב אוֹתָהּ הַבְדָּלָה שֶׁהִבְדִּיל הקב״ה בֵּין הַיּוֹם וּבֵין הַלַּיְלָה כֵּן אַתֶּם יְכוֹלִים לְבַטֵּל אֶת זוֹ. וְיֵשׁ לְהָבִין הַשַּׁיָּיכוּת בֵּין גְּבוּלוֹת יוֹם וָלַיְלָה לִכְהוּנַּת אַהֲרֹן.
  1. Bamidbar Rabbah 18:7; Bamidbar 16:5; Bereishis 1:4; Divrei HaYamim I 23:13. ↩
In shortThe Midrash compares Aharon's priesthood to the separation of day from night; what links the two?
4Let us also first cite the words of my holy father and teacher, zt"l. We know that it is the tzaddik's task to raise Israel's Torah study, prayers and mitzvos on high. The Baal Shem Tov, zt"l, is known to have lifted up the prayers Israel had offered over several hundred years before his time. In this light my holy father explained Chazal's saying “One who prays must direct his eyes downward and his heart upward”:4 it hints that the tzaddik should set his mind on the prayers of Israel that have remained below and need to be raised on high. This is what Korach was protesting: “Why do you raise yourselves up over the congregation of Hashem?” Why must you, of all people, be the ones to lift up Israel's prayers, Torah and mitzvos? Korach held that even now things should be as they will be in the future, in the days of Moshiach, when Israel will attain the rectification of man's complete stature and each person will be able to raise his own prayers and avodah on high. That was his claim: we should be able to do so now. Those are his holy words.
וְנַקְדִּים עוֹד אִמְרֵי קוֹדֶשׁ כ״ק אאמו״ר זצלה״ה, דְּהִנֵּה נוֹדַע שֶׁעַל הַצַּדִּיק מוּטָּל לְהַעֲלוֹת אֶת הַתּוֹרָה הַתְּפִילָּה וְהַמִּצְוֹות שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל לְמַעְלָה, וְכַיָּדוּעַ שֶׁהַבַּעַל שֵׁם טוֹב זצלה״ה הָרִים וְהֶעֱלָה תְּפִילּוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁל כַּמָּה מֵאוֹת שָׁנִים לְפָנָיו. וּבָזֶה פֵּירֵשׁ כ״ק אאמו״ר זצלה״ה מַה שֶׁאָמְרוּ הַמִּתְפַּלֵּל צָרִיךְ שֶׁיִּתֵּן עֵינָיו לְמַטָּה וְלִבּוֹ לְמַעְלָה (יבמות קה, ב), שֶׁהוּא רוֹמֵז שֶׁיִּתֵּן הַצַּדִּיק דַּעְתּוֹ עַל תְּפִילּוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנִּשְׁאֲרוּ לְמַטָּה שֶׁצְּרִיכִים לְהַעֲלוֹתָם לְמַעְלָה. וְעַל זֶה הָיָה טַעֲנַת קוֹרַח ׳וּמַדּוּעַ תִּתְנַשְּׂאוּ עַל קְהַל ה׳׳, הַיְינוּ מַדּוּעַ דַּיְיקָא עַל יֶדְכֶם תִּהְיֶה נְשִׂיאַת וְהַעֲלָאַת הַתְּפִילּוֹת וְהַתּוֹרָה וְהַמִּצְוֹות שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְסָבַר שֶׁגַּם עַתָּה צָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת כְּמוֹ לֶעָתִיד בִּימוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ, אֲשֶׁר אָז יַגִּיעוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְתִיקּוּן קוֹמַת אָדָם הַשָּׁלֵם, וְיוּכַל כָּל אֶחָד לְהַעֲלוֹת בְּעַצְמוֹ אֶת תְּפִילּוֹתָיו וַעֲבוֹדָתוֹ לְמַעְלָה, וְזֶה הָיָה טַעֲנָתוֹ שֶׁכְּמוֹ כֵּן כְּבָר עַכְשָׁיו יִהְיוּ יְכוֹלִים לַעֲשׂוֹת כֵּן, עכד״ק.
  1. Yevamos 105b. ↩
In shortThe tzaddik raises Israel's prayers, the Rebbe's father taught; Korach wanted each Jew to raise his own now, as in the days of Moshiach.
5aIt seems that the whole matter can be explained as follows. Chazal comment on Moshe Rabbeinu's request, “Let Hashem … appoint a man over the congregation”:5 “What led him to ask for this right after the section on inheritances? Once the daughters of Tzelofchad inherited from their father, Moshe said: Now is the time to ask for what I need. If daughters inherit, it is only right that my sons inherit my greatness. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, ‘He who tends the fig tree will eat its fruit’ … Yehoshua served you a great deal and showed you great honor. He came early and stayed late in your meeting house; he set out the benches … Since he served you with all his strength, he is worthy … ‘Take for yourself Yehoshua bin Nun.’”6
וְנִרְאֶה לְבָאֵר כָּל הָעִנְיָן, דְּהִנֵּה אָמְרוּ חז״ל (במדבר רבה כא, יד) עַל מַה שֶׁבִּיקֵּשׁ מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ ע״ה (במדבר כז, טז) ״יִפְקוֹד ה׳ וְגוֹ׳ אִישׁ עַל הָעֵדָה״, מָה רָאָה לְבַקֵּשׁ דָּבָר זֶה אַחַר סֵדֶר נְחָלוֹת, אֶלָּא כֵּיוָן שֶׁיָּרְשׁוּ בְּנוֹת צְלָפְחָד אֲבִיהֶן, אָמַר מֹשֶׁה הֲרֵי הַשָּׁעָה שֶׁאֶתְבַּע בָּהּ צְרָכַי, אִם הַבָּנוֹת יוֹרְשׁוֹת בְּדִין הוּא שֶׁיִּרְשׁוּ בָּנַי אֶת גְּדוּלָּתִי, אָמַר לוֹ הקב״ה (משלי כז, יח) ״נוֹצֵר תְּאֵנָה יֹאכַל פִּרְיָהּ״, וְכוּ׳, יְהוֹשֻׁעַ הַרְבֵּה שֵׁרֶתְךָ וְהַרְבֵּה חָלַק לְךָ כָּבוֹד וְהוּא הָיָה מַשְׁכִּים וּמַעֲרִיב בְּבֵית הַוַּעַד שֶׁלְּךָ הוּא הָיָה מְסַדֵּר אֶת הַסַּפְסָלִים כו׳, הוֹאִיל וְהוּא שֵׁרֶתְךָ בְּכָל כֹּחוֹ כְּדַאי הוּא וְכוּ׳, ״קַח לְךָ אֶת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן נוּן״ (במדבר כז, יח).
  1. Bamidbar 27:16. ↩
  2. Bamidbar Rabbah 21:14; Mishlei 27:18; Bamidbar 27:18. ↩
5bBut why did Hashem explain His choice of Yehoshua as Israel's leader by saying that he served Moshe a great deal, showed him great honor and set out the benches of the beis midrash? Surely, at first glance, Yehoshua's chief virtue, the one that made him fit to head Israel, was his toil in Torah and his thorough knowledge of it. Why, then, did Hashem's answer stress Yehoshua's self-nullification before Moshe?
וְצָרִיךְ בֵּיאוּר מַה שֶׁנָּתַן הקב״ה טַעַם בְּחִירַת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ לְמַנְהִיג יִשְׂרָאֵל מִשּׁוּם שֶׁהַרְבֵּה לְשָׁרֶתְךָ וְהַרְבֵּה חָלַק לְךָ כָּבוֹד וּמַה שֶׁהָיָה מְסַדֵּר סַפְסַלֵּי בֵּית הַמִּדְרָשׁ, וַהֲלֹא לִכְאוֹרָה עִיקַּר מַעֲלַת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ שֶׁעַל יָדָהּ הוּא רָאוּי לִהְיוֹת רֹאשָׁן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, הוּא מַה שֶׁעָסַק יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בַּתּוֹרָה וְהָיָה יוֹדֵעַ אוֹתָהּ עַל בּוּרְיָהּ, וְלָמָּה הוּדְגַּשׁ בִּתְשׁוּבָתוֹ שֶׁל הקב״ה דַּוְקָא עִנְיַן הִתְבַּטְּלוּתוֹ שֶׁל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּפְנֵי מֹשֶׁה.
In shortWhy did Hashem choose Yehoshua for serving Moshe and setting out the benches, rather than for his mastery of the Torah?
6aThe explanation is this. As is well known, the world is conducted by an order in which everything has a receiver and a bestower, and without this the world could not exist. Being a receiver is possible only through submission and lowliness of spirit. This is how the Holy One, blessed be He, set up creation: in the work of creation He made the world's luminaries as bestower and receiver, with the sun bestowing its light on the moon. So it is with everything, in the spiritual realm too. The world's flow of blessing can be received only by way of bestower and receiver, teacher and student. In the same way, the whole of Israel must receive the flow from Above only through the tzaddik, for it is precisely through him that all its prayers and deeds rise.
אָכֵן הַבֵּיאוּר בָּזֶה הוּא, דְּזֶהוּ סֵדֶר הַנְהָגַת הָעוֹלָם שֶׁבְּכָל דָּבָר יֵשׁ בְּחִינַת מְקַבֵּל וּבְחִינַת מַשְׁפִּיעַ כַּיָּדוּעַ, וּבְלֹא זֶה אֵין קִיּוּם לְעוֹלָם, וּמִידַּת מְקַבֵּל תִּתָּכֵן רַק עַל יְדֵי הַכְנָעָה וְשִׁפְלוּת רוּחַ, וְכָךְ יָסַד הקב״ה בַּבְּרִיאָה, אֲשֶׁר בְּמַעֲשֵׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא הקב״ה מְאוֹרוֹת הָעוֹלָם בְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁל מְקַבֵּל וּמַשְׁפִּיעַ, שֶׁהַשֶּׁמֶשׁ מַשְׁפִּיעָה אוֹרָה לַלְּבָנָה, וְכָךְ הוּא בְּכָל דָּבָר אַף בְּרוּחָנִיּוּת, שֶׁהַדֶּרֶךְ לְקַבֵּל אֶת הַשֶּׁפַע בָּעוֹלָם הוּא דַּוְקָא בְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁל מְקַבֵּל וּמַשְׁפִּיעַ, רַב וְתַלְמִיד, וְעַל דֶּרֶךְ זֶה כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל צְרִיכִים לְקַבֵּל הַהַשְׁפָּעָה דַּוְקָא דֶּרֶךְ הַצַּדִּיק, אֲשֶׁר עַל יָדוֹ דַּיְיקָא מִתְעַלִּים כָּל תְּפִילּוֹתֵיהֶם וּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם.
6bSo the real reason Yehoshua rose so high, and was privileged to receive all of Moshe Rabbeinu's Torah and to succeed him as leader, was the depth of his submission and self-nullification before Moshe. The more he submitted and nullified himself, the more of the light of his teacher Moshe's Torah he received. This above all is what made him complete in the study and knowledge of the whole Torah, and in receiving the light of Moshe Rabbeinu. The same idea lies in Chazal's saying that serving the Torah, by attending its scholars, “is greater than studying it.”7 The more a student nullifies himself before his teacher, the more he can receive from him in his Torah study.
וְלָכֵן בֶּאֱמֶת עִיקַּר מַה שֶׁנִּתְעַלָּה יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וְזָכָה לְקַבֵּל כָּל תּוֹרַת מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ ע״ה וּלְהִתְמַנּוֹת תַּחְתָּיו לְמַנְהִיג, הַכֹּל הָיָה דַּוְקָא עַל יְדֵי גּוֹדֶל הַכְנָעָתוֹ וְהִתְבַּטְּלוּתוֹ בִּפְנֵי מֹשֶׁה, שֶׁכְּפִי מִידַּת הַכְנָעָתוֹ וּבִיטּוּלוֹ כָּךְ נַעֲשָׂה יוֹתֵר מְקַבֵּל מֵאוֹר תּוֹרַת מֹשֶׁה רַבּוֹ, וְזֶה הֱבִיאוֹ בְּיוֹתֵר לְהַשְּׁלֵימוּת בְּעֵסֶק וִידִיעַת כָּל הַתּוֹרָה וְקַבָּלַת אוֹר מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ ע״ה. וְעִנְיָן זֶה נִכְלָל בַּמֶּה שֶׁאָמְרוּ חז״ל (ברכות ז, ב) גְּדוֹלָה שִׁימּוּשָׁהּ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה יוֹתֵר מִלִּימּוּדָהּ, כִּי כְּפִי עֵרֶךְ בִּיטּוּלוֹ לִפְנֵי רַבּוֹ כָּךְ יוּכַל לְקַבֵּל מִמֶּנּוּ בְּעֵסֶק תּוֹרָתוֹ.
  1. Berachos 7b. ↩
In shortCreation runs on bestower and receiver, and receiving takes submission; Yehoshua received Moshe's Torah and leadership through self-nullification.
7This is why we find several times in Chazal that when a student asked his teacher a question of halachah, the teacher answered him, “When you measure out a kor of salt for this and give it to me, I will tell you,”8 or told him, “When you serve me, I will tell you.”9 For submission is a middah, a character trait, and through it a person becomes a vessel to receive the flow of the Torah and its crown. So Yehoshua, who spent all his days submitting and nullifying himself to Moshe as the attendant who “would not depart from within the tent,”10 was privileged to receive the Torah's flow and its crown, until in the end Hashem chose him to be Israel's bestower and leader.
וְזֶהוּ שֶׁמָּצִינוּ כַּמָּה פְּעָמִים בחז״ל (עירובין לו, א חולין קיב, א, ועוד), שֶׁכַּאֲשֶׁר שָׁאַל תַּלְמִיד דְּבַר הֲלָכָה מֵרַבּוֹ הֵשִׁיב לוֹ לִכְשֶׁתִּמְדּוֹד כּוּר שֶׁל מֶלַח עַל דָּבָר זֶה וְתִתְּנֵהוּ לִי אוֹמֵר לְךָ, אוֹ שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ לְכִי תְּשַׁמְּשֵׁנִי אוֹמֵר לְךָ (בבא קמא כ, ב), וְזֶהוּ מִשּׁוּם שֶׁעַל יְדֵי מִידַּת הַהַכְנָעָה נַעֲשֶׂה כְּלִי לְקַבָּלַת שֶׁפַע הַתּוֹרָה וְכִתְרָהּ. וְלָכֵן יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אַחַר כָּל הַכְנָעָתוֹ וּבִיטּוּלוֹ לְמֹשֶׁה כָּל הַיָּמִים, בִּהְיוֹתוֹ מְשָׁרְתוֹ אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָמִישׁ מִתּוֹךְ הָאֹהֶל (שמות לג, יא), זָכָה לְקַבֵּל שֶׁפַע הַתּוֹרָה וְכֶתֶר הַתּוֹרָה, עַד שֶׁבּוֹ בָּחַר ה׳ לִהְיוֹת הַמַּשְׁפִּיעַ וְהַמַּנְהִיג שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל.
  1. Eruvin 36a; Chullin 112a; and elsewhere. A kor is a large dry measure. ↩
  2. Bava Kamma 20b. ↩
  3. Shemos 33:11. ↩
In shortTeachers made students serve them before answering, since submission makes a vessel for Torah; so Moshe's attendant Yehoshua became Israel's leader.
8Moshe Rabbeinu's own words hint at this: “Let Hashem, the God of the spirits … appoint a man over the congregation.”11 The phrase “the God of the spirits” alludes to a lowly spirit. [So Chazal expounded: a leader who can bear with each and every person.12 It is like Rashi's explanation of the word anav, “humble”: “lowly and patient.”13] Moshe Rabbeinu was asking the Holy One, blessed be He, to appoint over them a leader who had attained submission, since only through such a leader can the Torah be attained in its completeness. And indeed Hashem answered him that Yehoshua was the one fit to lead Israel, for he had earned it by the power of his submission.
וְעִנְיָן זֶה נִרְמַז בִּלְשׁוֹן מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ ע״ה (להלן כז, טז) ״יִפְקוֹד ה׳ אֱלוֹקֵי הָרוּחוֹת וְגוֹ׳ אִישׁ עַל הָעֵדָה״, שֶׁלְּשׁוֹן ׳אֱלוֹקֵי הָרוּחוֹת׳ מְרַמֵּז עַל רוּחַ שְׁפִילָה [כְּמוֹ שֶׁדָּרְשׁוּ חז״ל (ילקוט שמעוני רמז תשעו, רש״י שם) שֶׁיְּהֵא יָכוֹל לִסְבּוֹל כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד, וְעַל דֶּרֶךְ שֶׁפֵּירֵשׁ רש״י (יב, ג) פֵּירוּשׁ תֵּיבַת עָנָיו, שָׁפָל וְסַבְלָן], הַיְינוּ שֶׁמֹּשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ בִּיקֵּשׁ מהקב״ה שֶׁיְּמַנֶּה עֲלֵיהֶם מַנְהִיג כָּזֶה שֶׁזָּכָה לְהַכְנָעָה, שֶׁרַק עַל יָדוֹ אֶפְשָׁר לְהַגִּיעַ לִשְׁלֵימוּת הַתּוֹרָה. וְאָכֵן הֵשִׁיב לוֹ הקב״ה שֶׁיְּהוֹשֻׁעַ הוּא הָרָאוּי לִהְיוֹת מַנְהִיג יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁזָּכָה לָזֶה מִכֹּחַ הַכְנָעָתוֹ.
  1. Bamidbar 27:16. ↩
  2. Yalkut Shimoni §776; Rashi on Bamidbar 27:16. ↩
  3. Rashi on Bamidbar 12:3, “And the man Moshe was very humble.” ↩
In shortMoshe asked “the God of the spirits” for a leader of lowly spirit, and Hashem named Yehoshua, raised by his submission.
9Korach, however, claimed that the world need not be conducted only through bestower and receiver, and so no one needs to submit and nullify himself before the tzaddik; each person can be bound to Hashem without any intermediary. That is the very opposite of how the Holy One, blessed be He, has conducted His world since the six days of creation. This explains why the sun and moon said, “If You do not do justice for the son of Amram, we will not shine.” Korach wanted to abolish their order and their task in the world, which is precisely to be bestower and receiver.
אָמְנָם קוֹרַח טָעַן שֶׁאֵין צְרִיכִים שֶׁתִּהְיֶה הַנְהָגַת הָעוֹלָם דַּוְקָא בְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁל מְקַבֵּל וּמַשְׁפִּיעַ, וּמִמֵּילָא אֵין צְרִיכִים לִהְיוֹת נִכְנָעִים וּבְטֵלִים אֶל הַצַּדִּיק, אֶלָּא כָּל אֶחָד יוּכַל לִהְיוֹת קָשׁוּר אֶל ה׳ בְּלִי שׁוּם אֶמְצָעִי, הֵיפֶךְ מִמַּה שֶׁהִנְהִיג הקב״ה בְּעוֹלָמוֹ מִשֵּׁשֶׁת יְמֵי בְּרֵאשִׁית. וּמוּבָן בָּזֶה הָעִנְיָן שֶׁהַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וְהַיָּרֵחַ אָמְרוּ אִם אֵין אַתָּה עוֹשֶׂה דִּין לְבֶן עַמְרָם אֵין אָנוּ מְאִירִין, מֵאַחַר שֶׁקּוֹרַח רָצָה לְבַטֵּל סִדְרָם וְתַפְקִידָם שֶׁנִּיתְּנוּ בָּעוֹלָם בְּדֶרֶךְ מַשְׁפִּיעַ וּמְקַבֵּל דַּוְקָא.
In shortKorach denied that the world runs through bestower and receiver, so the sun and moon, whose very task embodies it, protested.
10This is what Korach meant by his claim, “Why do you raise yourselves up over the congregation of Hashem?” Klal Yisrael, he held, can be “the congregation of Hashem” on its own, bound to Hashem, blessed be He, and receiving His flow directly from Him, not by way of bestower and receiver. So “Why do you raise yourselves up?” We have no need to submit to the tzaddik.
וְהוּא הַמְּכֻוָּון בִּלְשׁוֹן קֹרַח בְּטַעֲנָתוֹ ׳וּמַדּוּעַ תִּתְנַשְּׂאוּ עַל קְהַל ה׳׳, כִּי כְּלַל יִשְׂרָאֵל יְכוֹלִים לִהְיוֹת מֵעַצְמָם בִּבְחִינַת קְהַל ה׳ הַקְּשׁוּרִים אֶל ה׳ וּמְקַבְּלִים הַשְׁפָּעָתוֹ יָשָׁר מֵאִתּוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ שֶׁלֹּא בְּדֶרֶךְ מַשְׁפִּיעַ וּמְקַבֵּל, וּלְזֶה ׳וּמַדּוּעַ תִּתְנַשְּׂאוּ׳, שֶׁאֵין אָנוּ צְרִיכִים לִהְיוֹת נִכְנָעִים אֶל הַצַּדִּיק.
In shortTo Korach, “the congregation of Hashem” received from Him directly, so there was no need to submit to a tzaddik.
11[The words of my holy father on “Why do you raise yourselves up?” make the link between the verse's two statements clearer still. The tzaddik's power to lift up the prayers of Israel depends on the congregation of Israel submitting to him, as a receiver before the bestower. So when Korach claimed, “For the entire congregation, all of them are holy,” and that there is no need for the tzaddik to raise up the people's deeds, it followed: “Why do you raise yourselves up?” There is no need for all the people to submit to Moshe and Aharon and be lowly in spirit before them.]
[וּמְבוֹאָר בְּיֶתֶר בֵּיאוּר שַׁיָּיכוּת שְׁנֵי הָעִנְיָנִים שֶׁנִּזְכְּרוּ בַּכָּתוּב, עַל פִּי דִּבְרֵי כ״ק אאמו״ר זצללה״ה עַל ׳וּמַדּוּעַ תִּתְנַשְּׂאוּ׳, כִּי הַכֹּחַ שֶׁל הַצַּדִּיק לִהְיוֹת מְנַשֵּׂא וּמַגְבִּיהַּ תְּפִילּוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל, הוּא תָּלוּי בָּזֶה שֶׁקְּהַל יִשְׂרָאֵל נִכְנָעִים אֶל הַצַּדִּיק כְּדֶרֶךְ מְקַבֵּל לִפְנֵי הַמַּשְׁפִּיעַ, וְעַל כֵּן כַּאֲשֶׁר טָעַן קוֹרַח ׳כִּי כָל הָעֵדָה כּוּלָּם קְדוֹשִׁים׳ וְאֵין צוֹרֶךְ שֶׁיַּעֲלֶה הַצַּדִּיק מַעֲשֵׂי הָעָם, מִמֵּילָא ׳וּמַדּוּעַ תִּתְנַשְּׂאוּ׳ אֵין צוֹרֶךְ לְכָל הָעָם לִהְיוֹת נִכְנָעִים וּשְׁפָלִים בְּרוּחָם אֲלֵיהֶם.]
In shortThe verse's two claims are linked: the tzaddik raises prayers only through the people's submission, so denying one meant denying the other.
12This is also the meaning of the Midrash: “If you can mix up the separation that Hashem made between day and night, you will be able to annul this one too.” Korach went against the very order that the Holy One, blessed be He, set into the work of creation when He separated day from night. Ever since creation, Hashem has built into the conduct of His world that there must be a receiver and a bestower, and that the flow can be received only through submission, in the manner of a receiver. It is like “the lesser luminary to rule the night,”14 which receives all its light from the sun.
וְזֶהוּ גַּם מַאֲמַר הַמִּדְרָשׁ אִם אַתֶּם יְכוֹלִים לְעָרֵב אוֹתָהּ הַבְדָּלָה שֶׁהִבְדִּיל הקב״ה בֵּין הַיּוֹם וּבֵין הַלַּיְלָה כֵּן אַתֶּם יְכוֹלִים לְבַטֵּל אֶת זוֹ, כִּי קוֹרַח הָלַךְ כְּנֶגֶד אוֹתָהּ הַנְהָגָה שֶׁהִטְבִּיעַ הקב״ה בְּמַעֲשֵׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית, שֶׁהִבְדִּיל הקב״ה בֵּין הַיּוֹם וּבֵין הַלַּיְלָה, כִּי מֵאָז בְּעֵת מַעֲשֵׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית הִטְבִּיעַ הקב״ה בְּהַנְהָגַת עוֹלָמוֹ שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת מְקַבֵּל וּמַשְׁפִּיעַ, וְשֶׁהַדֶּרֶךְ לְקַבֵּל הַהַשְׁפָּעָה הִיא רַק עַל יְדֵי הַכְנָעָה כְּדֶרֶךְ מְקַבֵּל, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁהַמָּאוֹר הַקָּטֹן לְמֶמְשֶׁלֶת הַלַּיְלָה מְקַבֵּל כָּל אוֹרוֹ מֵאוֹר הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ.
  1. Bereishis 1:16. ↩
In shortDay and night show creation's order of bestower and receiver, as the moon receives from the sun, and Korach set himself against it.
13a[Korach claimed, then, that all are holy and that all heard at Mount Sinai “I am Hashem your God.”15 By his reckoning, there are no distinctions or differences of level among the people of Israel: between Moshe Rabbeinu, Aharon the Kohen, the nesi'im, the princes of the tribes, the elders of Israel and the rest of Klal Yisrael. That is what lies behind Chazal's account that Korach asked Moshe Rabbeinu whether a house full of sefarim needs a mezuzah, and whether a tallis made entirely of techeles, the sky-blue wool of the tzitzis, needs tzitzis.16 He meant that a house full of books of the Torah, Nevi'im and Kesuvim is entirely full of holiness, so there is no difference between it and the mezuzah. In the same way, a tallis made entirely of techeles is no different from the techeles threads that would be put on it. So too there are no differences of level within Klal Yisrael.]
*[וְנִמְצָא שֶׁלְּפִי טַעֲנַת קוֹרַח שֶׁכּוּלָּם קְדוֹשִׁים וְכוּלָּם שָׁמְעוּ מֵהַר סִינַי אָנֹכִי ה׳ אֱלוֹקֶיךָ, אִם כֵּן אֵין הֶבְדֵּל וְחִילּוּקֵי דְּרָגוֹת בְּעַם יִשְׂרָאֵל, בֵּין מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן הַנְּשִׂיאִים זִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וּשְׁאָר כְּלַל יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חז״ל (במדבר רבה יח, ג) שֶׁשָּׁאַל קוֹרַח לְמֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ אִם בַּיִת מָלֵא סְפָרִים חַיָּיב בִּמְזוּזָה וְטַלִּית שֶׁכּוּלָּהּ תְּכֵלֶת אִם חַיֶּיבֶת בְּצִיצִית, וְכַוָּונָתוֹ בָּזֶה שֶׁהַבַּיִת הַמָּלֵא בְּסִפְרֵי תּוֹרָה נְבִיאִים וּכְתוּבִים כּוּלּוֹ מָלֵא קְדוּשָּׁה וְאֵין הֶבְדֵּל בֵּינוֹ לִמְזוּזָה, וְכֵן טַלִּית שֶׁכּוּלָּהּ תְּכֵלֶת אֵין הֶבְדֵּל בֵּינָהּ לְחוּטֵי הַתְּכֵלֶת שֶׁיָּשִׂימוּ בְּתוֹכָהּ, וּכְמוֹ כֵּן אֵין חִילּוּקֵי דְּרָגוֹת בִּכְלַל יִשְׂרָאֵל.
  1. The sefer's note: An addition from students' writings. The verse quoted is Shemos 20:2. ↩
  2. Bamidbar Rabbah 18:3. ↩
13b[But in this he was mistaken. The whole order of creation is built on separation: between light and darkness, between sea and dry land. The Holy One, blessed be He, set up all of creation in this order, and this is what keeps the world in existence. One of the separations in creation is that Klal Yisrael has leaders and, facing them, those who receive from them. As Chazal said, Hashem showed Adam HaRishon each generation and its expounders, each generation and its leaders.17 From the very beginning of creation, from the time man was created on earth, Hashem established the way: Israel would have leaders, and Israel would conduct itself by their word. We also have a tradition from the disciples of the Baal Shem Tov that wherever there is a group of people with no head among them, the Satan becomes their head, Heaven forbid.]
אַךְ טָעָה בָּזֶה כִּי כָּל סֵדֶר הַבְּרִיאָה נִבְנָה עַל סֵדֶר הַבְדָּלָה, כְּמוֹ בֵּין אוֹר לְחוֹשֶׁךְ בֵּין יָם לְיַבָּשָׁה, והקב״ה הֶעֱמִיד כֵּן סֵדֶר הַבְּרִיאָה כּוּלָּהּ, וְזֶהוּ קִיּוּם הָעוֹלָם. וּבִכְלַל הַהַבְדָּלוֹת שֶׁבַּבְּרִיאָה הוּא מַה שֶׁיֵּשׁ מַנְהִיגִים לִכְלַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וּלְעוּמַּת זֶה יֵשׁ אֶת הַמְקַבְּלִים מֵהֶם, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חז״ל (אבות דרבי נתן פרק לא, בראשית רבה כד, ב) שֶׁהֶרְאָה הקב״ה לְאָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן דּוֹר דּוֹר וְדוֹרְשָׁיו דּוֹר דּוֹר וּמַנְהִיגָיו, שֶׁמֵּרֵאשִׁית בְּרִיאַת הָעוֹלָם מֵעֵת שֶׁנִּבְרָא אָדָם עַל הָאָרֶץ, יָסַד הקב״ה הַדֶּרֶךְ שֶׁיִּהְיוּ מַנְהִיגִים לְיִשְׂרָאֵל וְעַל פִּיהֶם יִתְנַהֲגוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְקַבָּלָה בְּיָדֵינוּ מִתַּלְמִידֵי הַבַּעַל שֵׁם טוֹב, שֶׁבְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁיֵּשׁ חֲבוּרַת אֲנָשִׁים וְאֵין בֵּינֵיהֶם רֹאשׁ אֲזַי הס״מ נַעֲשָׂה שָׁם רֹאשׁ ח״ו.]
  1. Avos deRabbi Nasan, ch. 31; Bereishis Rabbah 24:2. ↩
In shortKorach's questions denied any differences of level, but creation is built on separations, including leaders and those who receive from them.
14May the Holy One, blessed be He, help us nullify ourselves before a true tzaddik, and so be privileged to receive an abundance of blessing and success, spiritual and material alike, and to greet our righteous Moshiach. Amen, may it be His will.
הקב״ה יַעֲזוֹר שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה לְבַטֵּל עַצְמֵנוּ כְּלַפֵּי צַדִּיק אֱמֶת, וְעַל יְדֵי כֵּן לִזְכּוֹת לְשֶׁפַע בְּרָכָה וְהַצְלָחָה בְּרוּחָנִיּוּת וְגַשְׁמִיּוּת, וּלְקַבֵּל פְּנֵי מְשִׁיחַ צִדְקֵנוּ אָמֵן כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן:
In shortMay we nullify ourselves before a true tzaddik, receive blessing spiritual and material, and greet our righteous Moshiach.
Takeaway

Hashem built the world so that everything is received from a bestower, as the moon takes all its light from the sun, and what makes a person able to receive is submission. Yehoshua became Moshe's successor by serving him and setting out the benches, not by his learning alone. The more we nullify ourselves before a true tzaddik, the more Torah and blessing we can receive.

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English translation, notes and summaries © Zechusam.