Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Daily Aliya for Korach, Shlishi (3rd Aliya)

From Chabad.org: G‑d is angered by the Jews' association with Korach, and wishes to destroy them. Moses and Aaron pray on the Jews' behalf and the decree is averted. The earth opens up and swallows Korach and his family, and a heavenly fire consumes the rest of the 250 rebels. Moses instructs Aaron's son Elazar to retrieve the frying pans which were used for the incense offering, to flatten them and plate the altar with them--a visible deterrent for any individual who ever wishes to challenge Aaron's priesthood. The next day, the community complains that Moses and Aaron are to be blamed for the deaths of "G‑d's people."

As we reach the crux of the Korach confrontation, we reach about Moshe telling the people that the next morning they will see that everything he's said and done is all G-d's doing and wishes, and the proof will be that Korach and his followers will die an unnatural death. Sure enough, everyone is instructed to keep their distance, and Korach and his gang are swallowed by the ground. Incredibly, the very next day the Jews complain to Moshe that he's killed people of the Lord (6). After all the elaborate explanations and presentation proving that it's G-d behind all this, they still claim that it's Moshe's doing. Yet, the Torah doesn't describe anger or disappointment by either Moshe or G-d. Rather, it lets it go and moves on to describing the heavenly cloud that lowered. An interesting anecdote to complaints following a monumental event. Perhaps human nature was allowed a day to process, to vent, and then move on, as everyone apparently did.

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