From: Weekly Torah To: parsha@torahzone.com Subject: Weekly Dvar Torah B"H "Path Markers" Korach: By: Yaacov Silverstein e@mail: hm16@popeye.cc.biu.ac.il HomePage: http://faculty.biu.ac.il/~hm16/ Year: 5762 This Years Parsha Series is prepared in the memory and merit of my grandfathers: Rav Yitzchak Zev Ben Yisroel Mordechai Hakohen Solomon Z"L Rav Chaim Meir Ben Yakov Silverstein Z"L *****^^^^^^^***** Did you tell your friend or relative how to subscribe to this Parsha List?? It's simple, just tell him to send a blank E-mail to: parsha-subscribe@torahzone.com And it is and always will be (B"H) FREE!! Purchase discounted Seforim online at: http://www.artscroll.com/torahzone Download the free DafYomi Calendar - http://faculty.biu.ac.il/~hm16/downloads Pasuk (16:15): "This distressed Moshe greatly, and he said to Hashem, "Do not turn to their gift-offering! I have not taken even a single donkey of theirs, nor have I wronged even one of them." Moshe beseeched Hashem to ignore the incense that Korach and his followers would offer the next day. To justify his outrage at the claim that he sought to dominate the nation for his own benefit, Moshe argued that he had not even taken compensation for the donkey he used to bring his family from Midian to Egypt on his mission to rescue the nation. Even though he was surely entitled to be reimbursed for that, he never took anything for himself. The Chasam Sofer explains that there is a Gemarah in Kidushin (7:a) which teaches us that when an important person accepts a present from a woman, he can use this act towards marriage. This is so, because when an important person accepts a gift, it gives the woman the pleasure of "honor". From this we can learn that when an important person denies to accept a present from someone, it is as if he doesn't respect him, and can even cause the person embarrassment. Thus Moshe is telling us that, not only did he not honor them by accepting a present from them, but he also did not embarrass them, as the Pasuk continues, "nor have I wronged one of them". Moshe did not cause any of them to feel pain or to have a lowly feeling, by his non-acceptance of a gift. We can learn from here that when someone wants to do a favor for us, or give us a gift, we can't only think of ourselves, but must also consider the other person. At times we should give in and accept favors from others, even if we feel we don't need those favors, for we may in effect be hurting the other person through our non acceptance. You have to take great consideration before you say no thank you or thank you to a present. We see that after the accusation, Moshe seriously sought to find where he might have gone wrong, what could have caused their wrong claims. Moshe did a true soul searching, even though he knew their accusations were false, he was open to criticism, and proved his case by saying that he didn't even take a donkey from them. There is an obvious question on this Pasuk. Why was Moshe supposed to take a donkey from the community? Rav Schawb gives an answer based on Chazal. When the time comes for Moshiach, if we merit his coming, and we recognize that our redemption from our exile will only be from heaven, we will see great miracles in the coming of Moshiach. However, if G-d forbid we don't merit such a redemption, we may mistakenly think that the redemption comes from the "hand of man", and not G-d forbid, the Hand of Hashem. In such a case, the redemption will be through Moshiach riding on a donkey, which is to show us that he (Moshiach) himself has no power, and that all the power comes from Hashem. We will then see that even something which is physical can bring out the Divine Presence which is hidden in our exile. Moshe Rabeinu came from Midian riding on a donkey to free the Jewish people from the land of Egypt. His coming on a donkey was a sign that the nation did not deserve a great redemption but rather a "poor person riding on a donkey". A poor person who didn't even have the money to pay for his own donkey. In such a case we would assume that he would request the money from the Bnei Yisroel, yet he didn't. May we merit the coming of the Moshiach through great miracles! (Adapted from - Artscroll Chumash, Talelei Oros, Maayan Beit ha'Shoeiva, Rav Farbstein - Parshas Behar/Bechukosi) --------***********-------- A special Thank You to my mother for checking & correcting the first DT draft. A special Thank You to Project Genesis - http://www.torah.org for hosting this list. If you ever want to remove yourself from this mailing list send a blank email to the following address: --------***********--------