Becky worked as volunteer, delivering kosher meals to elderly, home-bound Jews. Every day she would drive her route in a car adorned with various Jewish bumper stickers. One day, when she happened to be a long way from any gas station, she ran out of gasoline. She had no choice but to walk to a station and bring back a container of gasoline. She searched the car for an appropriate container, but found only a bedpan. She carried it to the nearest station and filled it up with gasoline. As she walked back to the car, carefully balancing the full bedpan, the people on the street stopped and stared. When she finally reached the car and opened the tank, two drunkards were observing her with great wonder. As Becky poured the gasoline into the tank, one drunkard grabbed the other and cried, “Frank! If that car starts, I swear to you, I’ll convert to Judaism!”

* * *

Korach: Threads of Comprehension

In this portion, Korach, a smart and wealthy entrepreneur and a member of the tribe of Levi, jealously desired the High Priesthood. His arrogance caused him to challenge Moses’ authority. Ultimately, because of Korach’s stubbornness, A-mighty G-d miraculously opened the ground, causing him and his family to be swallowed alive.

Why is this Torah portion named after such an evil personality? The Talmud teaches us not to name something after such a person.[1] The Book of Proverbs goes as far as to say, “The name of the evil person shall rot.”[2]

True, the portion of Balak is also named after an evil person. Balak, however, was not Jewish, and an evil non-Jew is not as bad as an evil Jew. For example, a Torah scroll written by an idolatrous gentile must simply be hidden away, while a Torah scroll written by a Jewish heretic must be burned.[3] The question becomes even stronger: how could a portion of G-d’s Torah be named after a Jew that denies G-d’s authority?

STRINGS ATTACHED
The Midrash tells us that Korach tried to ridicule Moses. He came to Moses with 250 men wearing tallesim, four cornered garments, that were completely dyed blue. He asked, self-assuredly, ‘Rabbi, does this blue tallis need four blue tzit-tzis strings tied to its corners?’ Korach was not expecting Moses’ answer: ‘Yes, of course it needs tzit-tzis.’ Korach argued, ‘Oh? Then tell me, if a blue four-cornered garment is not kosher on its own, then how can a few blue strings make it kosher?’

Korach then asked, ‘Rabbi, if a house is full of holy Jewish books, does it require a mezuzah?’ Again, Korach was convinced of his own wisdom. Moses replied, ‘Yes, of course it would require a mezuzah.’ Korach argued, ‘Oh? How can this be-if a Torah scroll, having 275 chapters, cannot make a house kosher, then how can a mere mezuzah, which has only two paragraphs, make a house kosher?’

Finally, Korach’s negative intentions flared forth: ‘Look, Moses, why do you and Aaron exalt yourselves above the congregation? We’re all holy, you know. All of us heard the Ten Commandments from G-d.’[4]

THE TORAH OF KORACH
The Lubavitcher Rebbe explains this story using a novel approach.[5] He finds clues in the three letters of Korach’s name: Kuf ( ), Reish ( ),and Ches ( ). One of the similarities between these three letters, is that they are each graphically related to the letter Hei ( ). The Kuf is very similar, except it has a longer left leg. The Reish is missing the left leg, while the left leg of the Ches is fused to the roof of the letter.

HEI
The Talmud tells us that G-d created the world with the letter Hei.[6] Therefore everything in Creation must be consistent with the graphic design of this letter.

The letter Hei has three lines: a roof, a right leg, and a disconnected left leg . Chasidus says the roof of the Hei symbolizes ‘thought’, the right leg is ‘speech’, and the short left leg is ‘action’. Serving G-d through ‘thought’ suggests studying Torah. Serving G-d through ‘speech’ suggests praying and communicating Torah wisdom. Serving G-d through ‘action’ suggests doing mitzvos and acts of goodness and kindness.[7]

KUF
The left leg of Kuf extends lower than the left leg of Hei. This shows a problem in Korach’s relationship to mitzvos-they extended below the baseline of Torah knowledge.

This explains the first argument of Korach regarding the blue garment. The cloth of the tallis represents the mitzvos, the actions prescribed by the Torah. Just like a tallis surrounds the outside of the body, most mitzvos are beyond our comprehension, ‘surrounding’ our awareness, so to speak. We do mitzvos simply because we accept G-d’s will upon ourselves, not because we understand them.

The tzit-tzis strings are ‘threads of comprehension’. Placing tzit-tzis into the holes in the corners of the tallis symbolizes placing Torah knowledge into our minds. When we internalize Torah knowledge, we bring the ‘surrounding’ light of mitzvos down into our awareness and action.

Korach was saying that if you fulfill mitzvos without needing to understand them, why do you need to study Torah at all? Moses’ response meant, ‘Of course you need to study. If not, the mitzvos would be done according to each person’s own will and understanding. The mitzvos would then extend below the baseline of Torah, like the left leg of the Kuf.

REISH
The Reish lacks the left leg of ‘action’ altogether. It only has ‘thought’ and ‘speech’.

This sheds light on the second argument of Korach, regarding a mezuzah for a house filled with books. Affixing a mezuzah to a doorpost is another mitzvah, a practical ‘action’ commanded by the Torah. Korach argues ignorantly, ‘You just emphasized the importance of tzit-tzis-that is, ‘thought’ or Torah understanding-over tallis, ‘action’. If understanding is the main thing, then a person who is entirely immersed in Torah study shouldn’t have to practice the mitzvos at all. Moses responds, ‘Of course you need a mezuzah.’ Even a person who studies all day, who is like a house filled with holy books, needs to perform the mitzvos. In fact, ‘action’ is primary.[8]

CHES
The left leg of Ches touches the roof and doesn’t leave a gap, as with Hei. This gap is a distance between ‘action’ and ‘thought’. It represents the yearning of ‘action’ to be imbued by greater wisdom.

A working person, who is fulfilling the practical mitzvos of the Torah, is solidly in the world of ‘action’. This person accurately senses a certain distance from Torah study. He must cultivate a thirst and a yearning for study, and to humbly cleave to Torah scholars.

Finally Korach snapped, ‘If, as you say, the main thing is the action, then why do you act as if you’re higher than us? We are all equal. We are all holy.’ He had no yearning for greater Torah knowledge, nor did he have the humility necessary to receive higher understanding. In truth, G-d demands a healthy equilibrium and harmonization of physical action and spiritual contemplation. This includes respecting Torah scholars.

THE MERIT OF KORACH
Why then is the portion called Korach? Obviously the Torah is warning us to stay away from Korach’s brand of confused Torah thoughts, chutzpadik speech, and rebellious actions. Still, the Torah wouldn’t use his name as a title, unless there was a positive lesson that we could learn from him. The answer is [9], we must learn from Korach’s unsatiable yearning to become the High Priest. Even Moses himself desired to be a High Priest-according to Rashi, Moses says, “Even I desire to be a Kohein Gadol.”[10] Essentially this is a yearning to come closer to G-d, and to be immersed continuously in the light of His Holy Temple.

Maimonides[11] explains that today anyone who dedicates his life to G-d-who aligns thought speech and action in the service of the Creator-can indeed reach the level of the High Priest.

A STORY [12]
We all say or do things we regret, sometimes descending below our own spiritual base-line, like the leg of the letter Kuf. The upper opening in the letter Hei, however, reminds us that when we fall, we can always do teshuvah–we can return; the window of opportunity is always open.

* * *

Rabbi Chaim Miletzky, head of a yeshiva in Jerusalem, had suffered for many years from leg problems. The condition worsened until he was bed-ridden. The doctors began discussing amputating one of his legs.

In 1954, one of Rabbi Miletzky’s daughters was married, and he attended the celebration in a stretcher. From the stretcher he related the following story to the guests:

“When I was young, I went to yeshiva in Kovno, where there lived a drunkard, whom everyone called “Itche the Drunk”. He could almost always be found passed out in the shul, where the yeshiva students also spent their time.

One winter night as we were studying, in rushed a wagon driver, shouting, “My wagon overturned and landed on my horse. The reins are around his neck, and if we don’t turn the wagon immediately, he will choke. If my horse dies, G-d forbid, I’ll be left with no means of livelihood. Please help me!” The man stood there while we discussed the pros and cons of abandoning our studies to help him: Was it permissible to interrupt our learning, or not? In the end, we concluded that the transgression of neglecting our studies was too grave a sin to risk. The poor wagon driver left the shul, angry and bitter.

All of a sudden, Itche roused himself from his stupor and cried, “Young men! Go right now to help that Jew before his horse chokes! If you don’t, you’ll never walk again!”

A little later, the desperate wagon driver returned, pleading with us to come to his aid. Again we discussed it, this time deciding that it was permissible. We ran, only to find that we were too late. The horse was already dead.

When I arrived in shul the next morning, my fellow students said that Itche wished to speak to me. “I have something to ask of you. Tonight I am going to die. I would like you to come to my house to be with me when my soul departs,” he said. I thought he was only joking, but he repeated his request. I asked him where he lived, and he described an old ruin on the edge of town.

Evening came. I took my Talmud and set off for Itche’s hovel. When I got there, I found Itche stretched out, asleep. I sat down and began to study. After several hours had passed I decided to leave, but as soon as I stood up, Itche awoke. “Don’t leave!” he said. “I’m going to die at exactly 4:00 a.m.” Itche then told me that I should arrange to have him buried next to the grave of a certain scholar, a tzaddik. “You want to be buried next to that great tzaddik? The Burial Society will never listen to me,” I protested. Itche said, “Under the chest with my tefillin is a small box. Inside, you will find all my writings. If you show them to the Rav, he will fulfill my request.” I opened the box. A quick glance revealed a number of Kabbalistic treatises, involving concepts many of which I could not understand. One thing was clear, however: The man lying on his decrepit bed was a hidden tzaddik.

At that point I begged Itche to rescind the decree he had decreed on us for not helping the wagon driver rescue his horse. Itche replied, “As soon as the words left my mouth, I regretted them. But I was so upset at hearing yeshiva students use Torah-study as an excuse for not helping a Jew, I couldn’t control myself. Afterwards I tried to nullify the decree, but I was unsuccessful. The only thing I can tell you is that in your case, it will affect only one leg.” At exactly 4:00 a.m. he died, and I immediately followed his instructions. The whole city was in an uproar over the story, and a large and stately funeral was held for Itche, with the city’s prominent Jews attending.”

At this point in telling the story, Rabbi Miletzky began to weep. “I have no doubt,” he said, “that my years of suffering and incapacitation are the result of Itche’s curse.” There wasn’t a dry eye among the wedding guests. Rabbi Leib Friedman was one of them. For days he could not get the story out of his mind. Since he regularly corresponded with the Lubavitcher Rebbe, he decided to mention Rabbi Miletzky in his next letter. He asked the Rebbe to pray for him and give him a blessing for health.

Rabbi Friedman soon received an answer: ‘Everything that happens in the material world begins with its source in spirituality. Tell Rabbi Miletzky that he should begin to study the daily portions of Torah, Psalms, and Tanya (the basic book of Chabad philosophy), as instituted by the Previous Rebbe. Not only should he do this, but he should make sure that everyone under his influence does so, as well. In the merit of walking in the Previous Rebbe’s ways, G-d will bless him with the ability to walk….’

Rabbi Friedman ran to show Rabbi Miletzky the letter. Rabbi Miletzky was so happy and excited that he kissed the piece of paper. About six months later, when Rabbi Friedman visited him, Rabbi Miletzky was sitting at his desk. He said the doctors no longer spoke of amputation, only of progress and rehabilitation. Rabbi Miletzky’s condition continued to improve, and he eventually regained the ability to walk.

ACTION: If you’re a working person busy with mitzvosand making this world a dwelling place for God, you must also find time to study Torah. You should enter this period of study as if you are the High Priest entering the Holy of Holies–with a deep sense holiness, and freedom from interruptions, disturbances, cell phones, or meetings. You should make that daily hour their utmost priority. The world can wait. You’re worth it.

FOOTNOTES
[1] Yoma, 38b
[2] Proverbs, 10.7
[3] Rambam. Laws of Tefillen, Ch. 1:13.
[4] Bamidbar Raba, 18:3; Tanchuma on our parsha; Yalkut Shimoni at the beginning of parsha, etc.
[5] Likkutei Sichos, Vol. 8, p. 102 and further
[6] Menachos 29B.
[7] Torah Ohr 95B, Basi Legani 5710, Ch. 8, and see Letters of Light on the letter Hei.
[8] See Ethics of our Fathers, Ch. 1:17. Also, see Hayom Yom, 3 Adar II.
[9] Sefer HaSichos 5748, p. 500-501.
[10] See Rashi on Numbers, 16:6
[11] Mishna Torah, at end of Laws of Shemitta and Yovel
[12] L’Chaim Newsletter, Vol. 915