Parashah Roundup: Korach 5769

by Steve Brizel

The Common Sense Rebellion Against Moshe Rabbeinu and the Mesorah

Rav Soloveitchik, ZTL, explains the nature of the challenge of Korach to the authority of Moshe Rabbeinu ,cautions against appeasing similar challenges to the Mesorah and urges us to reject challenges to Halacha that are not rooted within the Halachic system: link

R Herschel Schachter reminds us that the acceptance of Torah SheBaal Peh is the ultimate form of rejecting the claims of Korach: link

R Mosheh Lichtenstein suggests that the supporters of Korach wanted to take the sacred out of the domain of the physical and remove the physical element out of the realm of the sacred: link

R Jonathan Sacks reminds us that arguments for the sake of Heaven are always preferred over an argument for the sake of victory: link

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R Berel Wein suggests that the objective of Korach was to deny the critically important element of Divine Revelation of the Torah and to substitute ersatz human created ideologies: link 1, link 2

R Yissocher Frand explains why On Ben Peles did not meet with the same fate as Korach's other supporters: link

The Nesivos Shalom, as explicated by R Yitzchak Adlerstein, suggests why Korach and his followers met such a harsh fate: link

R Yitzchak Etshalom analyzes the relationship between the Mitzvah of Tzitis, the Anan and the Ktores: link

R Ephraim Buchwald, based upon the teachings of Nechama Leibowitz , Zicronah Livracha , and the insights of Akeidas Yitzchak and Netziv explains the symbolic role of the fire pans and why we should avoid the contemporary equivalents of the fire pan: link

R Asher Brander discusses the viewpoints of Ramban and Ibn Ezra in determining when the rebellion of Korach occurred: link

R Eli Baruch Shulman, based upon an observation of R Shneur Kotler ZTL, suggests that Korach erred in viewing HaShem's closeness as limited to any one geographical location and reminds us that wherever Torah is studied, HaShem is near: link (audio)

R Avigdor Nevenzal warns against being a Nogea BaDavar: link

R Avraham Gordimer explores and discusses why Korach targeted the role of Aharon and Kehunah: link

The Election of the Tribe of Levi

R Ezra Bick discusses the election of the Tribe of Levi: link

R Zvi Sobolofsky explains the unique role of the Levi: link

Shmiras HaMishkan, Maaser and Trumas Maaser

R Avraham Gordimer discusses so many mitzvos associated with the Kohanim and Leviim appear in this Parsha: link

Almonds, Blossoms, Aharon HaKohen and the Congregation

R Dovid Horwitz, based upon a Drasha of R Fabian Schonfeld and a famous discussion between the Vilna Gaon and the Magid of Dubno, explains why the staff of Aharon HaKohen was placed together with the staffs of the other tribes: link

The Prohibition of Machlokes

R Dovid Gottlieb and R Daniel Z. Feldman explore the probibition of Machlokes: link 1 (audio), link 2 (audio)

The Matnos Kehunah

R Herschel Schachter discusses the Matnos Kehunah: link (audio)

Special Features

R Assaf Bednarsh discusses combatting Kfirah on college campuses: link (audio)

R Baruch Simon explores the halachos of Kavod Sefer Torah: link (audio)

Shoalin Vdorshin Department

R David Brofsky discusses the Halachos of the Fast Days commemorating the Churban HaBayis: link

Last year's roundup: link