Korach תרמ”ב

בוקר ויודע ה’ כו’ אשר יבחר כו’. הגם כי כבר בחר השי”ת באהרן. רק בכל יום יש בחירה מחדש. כמו שבנ”י מקבלין בכל יום מלכותו ית’. כמו כן כביכול הקב”ה בכל יום בוחר בבנ”י ובמנהיגיהם. וכ”כ את ה’ האמרת היום וה’ האמירך. והוא בכל יום ויום ובכל יום שורה חוט של חסד על בנ”י כמ”ש יומם יצוה ה’ חסדו והוא בחי’ אהרן הכהן ממש שהי’ כלי מוכן בעבור בנ”י. וזה שרמזו שחלק קרח על מצות ציצית כי הציצית הוא אותו החוט של חסד והוא בחי’ אהרן ואיתא בזכות שאמר אברהם אע”ה אם מחוט כו’ זכה לחוט תכלת והוא כנ”ל להיות חל חן ורצון על אותה נקודה משהו שנמצאת תמיד בבנ”י הן רב הן מעט. לכן הקדימו מצות ציצית בכל יום קודם התפילין שהוא לעורר חסד אל כמ”ש מה יקר חסדך כו’ בצל כנפיך יחסיון. אח”כ תפילין. וב’ המצות הם בחי’ משה ואהרן שלח אורך ואמתך. והם שכל בנ”י נשען עליהם ומתעורר זכותם בכל יום. וזה שהראה להם מרע”ה כי אין אהרן איש פרטי במקרה אבל הוא כלי מוכן לבנ”י כשם שבוקר ואור הם דברים שיש בהם קיום העולם כן אהרן כ”ג. וזה הי’ ג”כ אות מטהו יפרח שמי שצריך לעורר החיות בעולם א”י להיות רק ע”י שהוא מתחילת בריאתו כלי מיוחד לזה. וזה בחי’ בחירה. כמ”ש במד’ אשרי תבחר ותקרב כו’. יש שבחרו ויש שקירבו ע”ש פ’ במדבר. ופי’ בחירה הוא בעצם. וקירבה ע”י מעשים שלו כמ”ש מעשיך יקרבוך. ואהרן בחר בו השי”ת ואח”כ נתקרב ג”כ אחר ששבו בנ”י מהחטא. וכנראה שקרח עמד כנגד אהרן ע”י ששבט לוי לא היו בהחטא. ולאהרן הי’ שייכות בהחטא. מול זה מגיד הכתוב כי אהרן הי’ בחיר ה’ כמ”ש אשר יבחר כו’ כמה פעמים. ובלוים כתיב להקריב אתכם אליו. ויקרב אותך כו’ ולא כ’ בהם בחירה. [הגם כי במד’ במדבר מביא בחירה על שבט לוי נראה שכוונתו על הכהנים כי פסוק בו בחר ה’ אלקיך שמביא שם קאי על הכהנים ע”ש]. וז”ש אשר אבחר בו מטהו יפרח כי הוא מיוחד לזה מתחלתו כנ”ל:

https://www.sefaria.org/Sefat_Emet,_Numbers,_Korach_8.2
When Korach argued with the leadership of Aharon, Moshe’s response was, “In the morning, Hashem will choose who is for Him.” This implies that there was indeed an opportunity for Korah to become a leader. How can this be if Aharon was already chosen as the leader?

However, we see from here that every day Hashem makes a new choice of Bnei Yisrael and their leaders. Just as we choose and accept Hashem’s dominion over us each day, so too He chooses us! This is explicit in the pasuk (Devarim 27:17), “You have chosen Hashem today, and He has chosen you.”

This is because each day a “thread of kindness” rests upon Bnei Yisrael, as it states (Tehillim 42:9), “In the day Hashem commands His kindness.” This is the idea of Aharon (who presents the kindness) and was always ready to be a vessel for the sake of Bnei Yisrael. Our sages explained that when Aharon would see two people arguing, he would tell each person that the other wanted to appease him. Aharon was able to do this because he could see the point of kindness that was really there in each person.

With this, we can understand the teaching of our sages that Korach argued on the mitzvah of tzitzit. For the tzitzit represents this thread of kindness, the concept of Aharon. The mitzvah of the thread of techelet in the tzitzit was given to us in the merit of Avraham (the pillar of kindness). This thread of techelet represents the part of a person that is unblemished and untainted. Even if the entire garment is techelet, there is still a mitzvah to put a techelet thread. This is because the mitzvah of tzitzit teaches us that one cannot be completely perfect. It is through the techelet threads, the thread of kindness, that one is able to uplift everything else. This was Korach’s argument. He dressed all his followers in techelet garments and said, “The entire nation is holy,” meaning that he was saying that everyone can be a leader. However, the response to that was that it is only possible if they nullify themselves to the will and decision of Hashem.

It is for this reason that before we put on Tefillin in the morning, we first wear tzitzit, which is there to awaken the kindness. This idea is hinted at in the pasuk (Tehillim 37:8), “How precious is your kindness (tzitzit), and in the shade of your garment, we will find shelter” (this is said when wearing the tzitzit), and afterwards, we wear the tefillin.

These two mitzvot of Tefillin and tzitzit parallel Moshe and Aharon, where Aharon is compared to the light, the tzitzit, and Moshe to truth and to tefillin. “As the pasuk states (Tehillim 43:3), ‘Send your light and your truth, they will guide me.” It is these two that the entire nation of Bnei Yisrael relies on, and their merit is awakened each day. This is why Moshe used the idea of the morning (boker) and light, which the world is dependent on, so too the world is dependent on Aharon.

This is also the idea of Aharon’s staff blossoming. The idea is that for a person to awaken the divine force in the world, it can only be someone who has been chosen. The pasuk states, “Praiseworthy is one who is chosen, and one who comes close.” These are two different elements: one who is chosen is chosen inherently, whereas one who comes close does so through doing good deeds. Aharon was first chosen and subsequently brought close once Bnei Yisrael had repented from the sin of the Golden Calf.

Perhaps this is why Korach argued against Moshe and Aharon, for the tribe of Levi had no involvement in the sin, whereas Aharon did. To combat this argument, the pasuk states time and again that Aharon was the chosen one of Hashem. And yet, with regards to the Levites, it states “to be brought close to Him” and “And He brought you close,” where we see the expression of having come close through their actions. (Now even though the Midrash does indeed state that the tribe of Levi was chosen, it is actually referring to the Kohanim when the reference of “chosen” is used.) Therefore, this is the idea that Moshe said: Whoever was chosen, his staff shall blossom. This means that he is especially chosen for this originally.

ובמשנה מחלוקת שאינה לש”ש מחלוקת קרח.
The mishna in pirkei Avos distinguishes between an argument for the sake of Heaven, that of Hillel and Shamai as opposed to an argument that is not for the sake of heaven, Korach and his clan.
וקשה כי בזה המחלוקת נראה שהי’ עבירה גדולה ואיך יחסו לו שהוא רק מחלוקת שלא לש”ש.
This is problematic because it seems that the sin of Korach on arguing with Moshe was itself a serious offense. Yet the Mishna above implies that the only issue with Korach was that he was not arguing for the sake of Heaven?
אבל הנראה בזה כי בודאי הי’ קרח מוכן להיות בר פלוגתא לאהרן כמו שמאי והלל.
It would therefore seem that Korach could have also been a partner with Aharon just as the partnership of Hillel and Shamai
וכמו שיש גם בשמים אש ומים כמ”ש עושה שלום במרומיו.
Just as in heaven there is fire and water (two opposing forces) yet HaShem makes peace between them (and they can coexist)
וכמו כן בכלל ישראל כ’ל’י מחזיק ברכה כהנים לוים ישראלים שיש לכל אחד ענין מיוחד
So too with Bnei Yisrael they are a kli – vessel they hold the bracha. The word kli is an acronym for kohanim Leviim and Yisrael, which teaches us that each (opposing force) has a specifc mission.
רק שצריכין לבטל עצמם להשי”ת.
However the prerequisite is that they nullify themselves to HaShem.
וזה השלימות שנולד מן המחלוקת.
And this (nullification to something greater) is indeed what brings about the perfection (of the opposing forces)
וע”י שמתחלתו לא הי’ מחלוקותו של קרח לש”ש לכן בא אח”כ לידי חטא זה ונאבד.
Therefore since Korach and his cahoots did not originally intend that their argument be for the sake of heaven (rather for their own needs) therefore they sinned and got lost.
וז”ש ויקח קרח שלא הי’ המחלוקת לשם ה’ רק לעצמו.
This is what is meant by the words “and Korach took”. He did not argue for the sake of heaven rather he “took” something for himself.
וזהו שהשיבו בוקר ויודע ה’ אשר לו פי’ שיברר מי שכוונתו אליו ית’ כנ”ל.
This was therefore Moshe’s response: “In the morning HaShem will make known what is His”. Meaning that each person should clarify (boker implies the idea of scrutinizing) whether their intentions are truly for the sake of HaShem or for selfish reasons.
והגם כי הי’ קרח חכם גדול על זה כתיב אל יתהלל כו’ בחכמתו כו’. בחכמתו דייקא.
Even though Korach was indeed wise, this is already addressed in Koheles a wise man should not praise himself with his wisdom. The point here is that it is his wisdom that is problematic. (He is attributing it to himself)
כי אם בזאת כו’ השכל וידוע אותי שצריך להיות המכוון לשם ה’ ית’:
However this is what you should praise yourself in etc, know Me, meaning that one’s intentions must always be for the sake of Heaven.