This week’s parsha tells of how Korach led a rebellion against Moshe’s authority as G-d’s prophet. He claimed that the appointments Moshe made, such as appointing his brother Aharon to be Kohein Gadol (High Priest) were Moshe’s own doings. The Midrash Tanchuma in this week’s parsha (3:1) relates an episode with Korach that took place before he launched his rebellion.

First, some background. Originally, the Bechorim, the first born male children from every tribe were meant to be the Kohanim, the Priests who were to administer the Tabernacle and perform the sacrificial services. As a matter of fact, they actually served as Kohanim at Mount Sinai. Shemot 24:4-5 reads, "Early in the morning, he (Moshe) set up an altar at the foot of the mountain, with twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel. He designated some young men among the Israelites, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed bulls as peace offerings to the LORD." Who were these young men? Rashi in his commentary explains that these were the first-born sons. Because of the sin of the Golden calf, this status as Kohanim was taken away from the first-born and given to the Levites who did not participate in that sin. This meant that Moshe’s brother Aharon and his family who were Levites would become the Kohanim (the Priests) who would perform the sacrificial services and the rest of the Levite tribe would assist the Kohanim in administering the Tabernacle.

In Bamidbar 8:5, G-d says to Moshe, "Take the Levites from among the Children of Israel and purify them." This would be how they would be initiated into their new role. Two parts of this process was to shave off all their hair and to be physically lifted upwards, downwards, and in all four directions (as we do the Lulav on Sukkot).

Midrash Tanchuma relates that the first Levite to have this done to them was Korach. He began to go around all Israel, but they did not recognize him. They said to him, “Who did this to you?” He told them, “Moses. And not only that, but taking me by my hands and by my feet, they waved me and said to me, ‘See, you are purified.’ Moreover, he brought his brother Aaron, adorned him like a bride (with the garments of the High Priest), and had him sit in the tent of meeting.” The enemies of Moses immediately began to incite Israel against him…. Immediately (16:3) “They gathered together against Mosheand against Aharon, and they said unto them, ‘You have gone too far, for all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is in the midst of them; so why do you elevate yourselves over the community of the Lord?’”

Korach comes across as very vain. Is looking bald and being waived such a problem if it means being elevated as a Levi (a Levite)?

I would suggest that we see this in a greater context. Not only was Korach a Levite, he was a bechor (a first-born son). Although his status as a Levite was now elevated, he lost the status of Kohein which meant he would be unable to perform the offering of Korbanot (sacrifices). Korachwas extremely disappointed by this and thus the Levite status meant little to him. Therefore the initiation process was a degrading experience rather than an elevating one.

There are times in life that we face disappointments. Although we don’t understand, we have faith and trust that the Almighty has His plans which are for our best. But we can’t just remain at that. We should see the positive. We should be focused on what He has blessed us with, appreciate it, and feel blessed for it! That’s where Korach fell short.

This lesson is brought out in the following Midrash (Bereishit Rabbah 64:10). In the days of the Talmudic sage, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananiah, the evil kingdom (Rome) allowed the Jewish people to rebuild the Beit HaMikdash (the Temple). Some Kuthites (a non-Jewish people living in Israel at the time) went [to the emperor] and said, "The king should know that if this rebellious city is built and its walls fortified, 'they will not pay tribute, poll-tax, or land-tax.'" He said to them, "What should I do, I have already made the decree?" They said to him, "Send to say to them [that] they either change the place of the Temple or add or remove five ells (a measure of length) from it and they will recant on their own." All of the [Jewish] people were gathered in Beit Rimon. When the king's edict arrived, they began to cry. They sought to rebel against the king. [The sages] said, "Let a wise man go up to quiet the assembled." They said, "Let R. Yehoshua ben Chananiah go up, as he is learned in the Torah." R. Yehoshua ben Chananiah went up and expounded, "A lion was devouring prey [and] a bone got stuck in its throat. It said, 'I will give a reward to anyone who comes and removes it.' An Egyptian heron with a long beak put his beak into the mouth of the lion and extracted the bone. It said to the lion, 'Give me my reward.' The lion said to it, 'Go and praise yourself, "I went into the mouth of the lion in peace and I came out in peace" -there is no greater reward than that.' So too, it is enough for us that we entered into this nation in peace and came out in peace."

Even if you don’t get what you want, remember to count your blessings and thank the One Above for the privilege to have them.

Shabbat Shalom,
Yitzchak