ParshaPix: The Earth Opened & Swallowed

The earth beneath them opened its mouth and swallowed them and their houses, and all the men who were with Korah and all the property.

Sicha of the Rebbe – Parshas Korach

The Rebbe says:

1. In this week’s Torah portion the Torah tells us about how Korach incited the people against Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses our teacher) and his brother Aharon Hakohen (Aaron the High priest). This comes after last week’s story of the Miraglim (the spies) who had their own agenda and reported to the Jewish assembly that the Land of Canaan was not for them, even though Hashem (G-d) had promised to take the Jewish people into the Land of Canaan.

The basic thrust of Korach’s argument was that if every single Jew is a part of one, “Holy Nation”, as Hashem calls us, why is there only one Kohen Gadol (Aharon)? Korach said, “Why do you exalt yourselves over the congregation of Hashem?”

What finally pushed Korach to fight publicly with Moshe Rabbeinu was when Moshe appointed his younger cousin Elizaphan to be the Prince (Nassi) of the tribe of Levi and not Korach.

Holy Idealism Or Good Old Mischief? – The Tell Tale Signs of Destructive “Machlokes”

The following mindboggling incident, involving the saintly Chafetz Chaim, is related in the name of Rabbi Berel Wein:

Two people have become embroiled in an obsessive argument. The ugly dispute grew so out of control that it consumed their very lives and affairs, yet there was no end in sight, even after the sudden death of some of the quarreling partners’ children R’L.

Upon learning of the mysterious deaths, the Chafetz Chaim saw fit to personally intercede. He is said to have engaged one of the partner’s pleadingly: “Do you not see how this is harming your children! Don’t you think it is time to stop?”

The following is the answer that the man is purported to have given: “I will bury all of them, but I am going to win.”

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“He who establishes his argument by noise and command shows that his reason is weak.”

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