No community start suggestion yet.
Why does the Torah (תורה) use both 'melach' and 'olam' to describe the eternal covenant with kohanim? Salt creates barren land where nothing else grows, symbolizing how true bris means cutting off other relationships to create exclusivity with Hashem (ה׳). The kehunah represents a unique bond of simcha - divine joy in giving - that parallels how yissurim also purify by eliminating competing influences and connecting us to our essential selves.
This shiur delves into the concept of 'bris melach olam' mentioned in Parshas Korach regarding the kehunah, analyzing why the Torah (תורה) uses both 'melach' (salt) and 'olam' (eternal) when describing this covenant. The Rav examines Rashi (רש"י)'s explanation that salt preserves and maintains other things, drawing a parallel to how this covenant preserves the relationship between Hashem (ה׳) and the kohanim. The core insight centers on understanding why the word 'melach' is necessary when 'bris olam' already implies permanence. Through analysis of Ibn Ezra's commentary, the Rav explains that salt creates a barren land where nothing else can grow - it cuts off all other possibilities. This leads to the fundamental understanding that 'bris' means 'cutting' - specifically cutting off other relationships to create exclusivity.
Looking for the full summary?
Full access is available to members of the TUF Alumni Association or the Yam Hagadol Foundation.
Already a member? Let the admin know!
Dedicate a Shiur in Parsha
L'ilui nishmas a loved one. In honor of a simcha or yahrzeit. As a zechus for a refuah sheleimah. Your dedication helps carry Rabbi Zweig's Torah to learners around the world.
Up Next in this Series
Why does the Gemara derive minyan requirements from negative examples like the spies and Korach's rebellion? The shiur develops that communal prayer requires true unity, not just ten individuals, and that a minyan represents all of Klal Yisrael. This framework explains the power of individual influence to sway entire communities for good or evil.
Why does the Midrash connect Pharaoh's expulsion of the Jews to the mitzvah of shiluach hakan? The shiur develops a chiddush that Pharaoh's sin wasn't only drowning the children, but the insensitivity of expelling the parents afterward. The deeper analysis reveals that Pharaoh may have valued the Jews greatly and wanted to control them—making his expulsion an act of tremendous cruelty, not liberation.
Why does Moshe respond to the splitting of the sea with shirah rather than praise or thanksgiving? Rashi's use of "al libo" reveals that shirah is an emotional expression—a response of love to love. When Hashem shows personal care, the only adequate response is "I love You too," not mere gratitude or praise, and this principle applies to all relationships.
Parshas Korach - Bamidbar 18:19
Looking for the full transcript?
Full access is available to members of the TUF Alumni Association or the Yam Hagadol Foundation.
Already a member? Let the admin know!
How can a hierarchical system create more unity than Korach's egalitarian message of 'kulam kedoshim'? The Maharal's analysis reveals that Korach wasn't seeking truth through disagreement but establishing permanent division ('vayikach Korach'). True machloket l'shem shamayim occurs when each party believes the other acts for Heaven's sake, seeking unified conclusions rather than perpetual separation.
