This D’var Torah should be a Zechus L’Ilui Nishmas my sister, Kayla Rus Bas Bunim Tuvia A”H, my maternal grandfather Dovid Tzvi Ben Yosef Yochanan A”H, my maternal grandfather Dovid Tzvi Ben Yosef Yochanan A”H, my paternal grandfather Moshe Ben Yosef A”H, my paternal grandmother Channah Freidel Bas Avraham A”H, my uncle Reuven Nachum Ben Moshe & my great aunt Rivkah Sorah Bas Zev Yehuda HaKohein,
It should also be in Zechus L’Refuah Shileimah for:
-My father Bunim Tuvia Ben Channa Freidel
-My grandmother Shulamis Bas Etta
-MY BROTHER: MENACHEM MENDEL SHLOMO BEN CHAYA ROCHEL
-HaRav Shlomo Ben Shayna Zelda
-Mordechai Shlomo Ben Sarah Tili
-Noam Shmuel Ben Simcha
_R’ Simcha Yitzchak Ben Mirela Liyatka
-Chaya Rochel Ettel Bas Shulamis
-And all of the Cholei Yisrael, especially those suffering from COVID-19 and the Meiron tragedy.
-It should also be a Z’chus for an Aliyah of the holy Neshamos of HaRav HaGa’on V’Sar HaTorah Shmaryahu Yosef Chaim Ben HaRav Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky A”H, Dovid Avraham Ben Chiya Kehas—R’ Dovid Winiarz ZT”L, Miriam Liba Bas Aharon—Rebbetzin Weiss A”H, as well as the Neshamos of those whose lives were taken by terrorists (Hashem Yikom Damam), COVID-19, and the Meiron tragedy.
-It should also be a Z’chus for success for Tzaha”l as well as the rest of Am Yisrael, in Eretz Yisrael and in the Galus.
בס”ד
The rest of my audio content can be found here:
https://jewishpodcasts.fm/thedatabeis
Parsha Paradise/פרשה פרדס – Korach: What Did Korach Take? (“וַיִּקַּח קֹרַח”) ❤️🔥🤑👥️️👕🙅🏽♂️
https://jewishpodcasts.fm/thedatabeis/38558
“וַיִּקַּח קֹרַח”
You can’t get off the first word in our Parsha without asking this obvious question. What did Korach take? The Torah doesn’t seem to say…
P’shat:
Rashi, based on Targum Onkelus, explains that Korach took himself away, to dispute Moshe. Alternatively, Korach took people, the Roshei Sanhedrin, with his compelling words.
Ibn Ezra suggests two similar possibilities that Korach took people or he seized pretexts with which to argue against Moshe.
Chizkuni explains that although the Pasuk states that Korach took “and Dasan, and Aviram…,” the first Vav (“and”) is really extra and the Pasuk means that Korach took these people. (He quotes other examples of extra letters.)
Remez:
Ba’al HaTurim says that Korach “took” a “bad taking,” a “Mekach Ra,” i.e. he made a bad deal. In Gematria, the words “Vayikach Korach” equal “Zeh B’Mekach Ra.” He bolsters this Remez with a Pasuk in Koheles [5:12] which states that “Osher Shamor L’Ba’alav L’Ra’aso,” which means that a wise person miserly hoards his money to his detriment. Explains Ba’al HaTurim further, in Gematria, this Pasuk equals “Ashro Shel Korach L’Ra’aso Hayah Lo”-“the wealth of Korach was to his detriment.”
Drash:
The Midrashim suggest that Korach took Taleisim of Techeiles (but lacking Tzitzis strings of Techeiles) to dispute Moshe’s authority. This is based on the juxtaposition between the last topic of Shelach, i.e. Tzitzis, and Korach [Tanchuma Korach 2:1]. He argued that a full Techeiles garment shouldn’t need any little Techeiles string, and similarly, a holy nation shouldn’t need a single holy leader like Moshe Rabbeinu. Of course, he was incorrect on both counts.
The Tanchuma [3:1] also suggests that he took and donned his own Talis and consulted his wife for Eitzah (advice) that would cause his demise.
Sod:
Kedushas Levi differentiates between two kinds of Jews, one who serves Hashem for reward. He is a fundamentally a “taker.” This was Korach who seized Avodas Hashem to receive from it. However, Moshe is another kind, one who serves Hashem just to please Him.
Megaleh Amukos [181:1], based on Targum Onkelus and Rabbeinu Bachya, explains that Korach’s roots can be found in the Dor HaPlagah, the Generation of rhe Dispersion who sought fame. Similarly, Korach took “Anshei Sheim” (famous people) [16:2]. Thus, the Targum of “Vayikach”-“And he took” is “V’Ispalag” which means to separate and disperse. That is the only motivation to rebel against the leading Torah authorities; to dispute, to make and “take” a name for oneself. It’s not worth it.
We should be Zocheh to be givers and not takers, to Hashem, to Torah, to Acheinu Kal Beis Yisrael, and Hashem should ultimately give us the Geulah with the coming of Moshiach, Bimheirah BiYomeinu! Have a wonderful Shabbos!
-Yehoshua Shmuel Eisenberg