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How could Korach challenge Moshe after witnessing Sinai? Korach accepted Torah (תורה)'s divine origin but saw Aharon's appointment as nepotism, believing God merely accommodated Moshe's personal desire. The key insight: Moshe was God's representative to the people, not their representative to God—making Kehunah about divine representation, not human employment.
This shiur presents a profound analysis of the Korach rebellion, addressing the fundamental philosophical question of how Klal Yisrael could challenge Moshe Rabbeinu after witnessing the Sinaitic revelation. Rabbi Zweig suggests that Korach and his followers never doubted the divine origin of the Torah (תורה), but rather believed that God commanded Aharon's appointment as Kohen Gadol only because Moshe desired it, following the principle of 'derech she'adam rotzeh leilech molichin oso' (God assists people in the direction they wish to go). The core issue was their perception of nepotism - that Moshe was consolidating too much power within his family. The shiur explores Tosafot's insight regarding Moshe's separation from Tzipporah, where Miriam and Aharon understood that God commanded it but believed it originated from Moshe's own desire. Rabbi Zweig argues that the fundamental error of Korach's faction was misunderstanding the nature of Jewish leadership. They viewed Moshe as the people's representative to God, making his appointment of Aharon appear as self-serving nepotism. However, Moshe's response - 'lo chamor echad mehem nasati' (I didn't take even one donkey from them) - reveals the truth: he was God's representative to the people, not their representative to God. This explains why Moshe didn't charge his travel expenses to return to Egypt to the community - he was serving as God's agent, not their employee. The shiur connects this to the Gemara (גמרא)'s discussion of King Ptolemy's Greek translation of the Torah, which changed 'va'yarkivem al hachamor' to avoid showing Moshe traveling humbly on a donkey. This distinction between divine representation and human representation extends to the institution of Kehunah. The Kohen Gadol is not the people's representative to God but God's representative to the people. This explains the complex system of Terumas Ma'aser, where Yisraelim give to Leviim who then give to Kohanim - it's not merely about financing religious functionaries but about creating connections to increasingly higher levels of divine representation. The shiur addresses why even after witnessing the miraculous punishment of Korach's followers, the people continued to complain ('atem hamitem et am Hashem (ה׳)'). They misunderstood the nature of divine justice, thinking Moshe exercised royal discretion in executing rebels (moreid b'malchus), when in reality it was direct divine judgment for rebellion against God's sovereignty (moreid b'malchus shamayim). This principle also explains how Moshe could judge monetary disputes through the mann and how Melech HaMoshiach will judge 'meiruach v'dayin' - these are functions of divine kingship (dinei melech) rather than standard Sanhedrin procedures requiring witnesses. The shiur concludes that Matanot Kehunah are not payments to religious employees but gifts that create connection to God through His representatives, which is why they should preferably be given to Torah scholars among the Kohanim who are closer to the divine.
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Parshas Korach, Bamidbar 16-17
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