Chesed and din in Korach's dispute

איתא בזוה"ק אהרן ימינא קרח שמאלא כו'.

It is brought in the Zohar HaKadosh: Aharon is the right side (yamina), Korach is the left side (smola), etc.

The Sefas Emes frames the dispute kabbalistically: Aharon embodies the "right," the attribute of chesed (kindness), while Korach embodies the "left," the attribute of din (strict judgment).

ולכן הי' צריך קרח לבטל עצמו אל אהרן וזה הי' תנופת הלוים כמ"ש בזוה"ק פקודי דבזהב כ' זהב התנופה ולא בכסף כי מדה"ד כל מה שמתפשט למטה מוסיף דינים תקיפין ולכן צריכין להרים ולהעלות מדה"ד לשורשו ובזה נימתק.

Therefore Korach needed to nullify himself (bittul) to Aharon, and this was the "tenufah" (waving/elevation) of the Leviim, as stated in the Zohar (Pekudei) that regarding gold it is written "gold of the wave-offering," and not regarding silver — for the attribute of din (middas hadin), the more it spreads downward the more it adds severe judgments. Therefore one must lift up and elevate the middas hadin to its root, and through this it is sweetened (nimtak).

Korach, the "left," was meant to subordinate himself to Aharon, the "right" — and that subordination is the meaning of the Leviim being "waved" and lifted upward. Din, when it descends and spreads, only intensifies into harsh judgments; the remedy is to raise it back to its source, where it is sweetened. Gold (red, like din) is the metal of the wave-offering, because din specifically needs elevation.

אבל מדת החסד כל מה שמתפשט יותר למטה מתרבין החסדים ומתקיים העולם.

But the attribute of chesed (middas hachesed), the more it spreads further downward, the more the kindnesses multiply and the world is sustained.

Chesed works in the opposite direction from din: spreading it downward and outward only increases blessing and upholds the world. So chesed belongs below, while din must be raised up.

ונראה שלכן הטביע הקב"ה להיות טבע אש עולה למעלה ומים יורדין למקום נמוך.

And it appears that this is why the Holy One, blessed is He, implanted in nature that fire rises upward while water descends to a lower place.

Nature itself mirrors this truth: fire (representing din) naturally rises to its root above, while water (representing chesed) flows downward to sustain what is below.

כי עוה"ז יסודו רק על המים כמ"ש רוקע הארץ על המים.

For this world's foundation rests only upon water, as it is written, "Who spreads out the earth upon the waters" (Tehillim 136:6).

Since the world stands upon water — chesed that descends — kindness is the very basis of creation's continued existence.

וכתיב עולם חסד יבנה.

And it is written, "The world is built upon chesed" (Tehillim 89:3).

The verse states it plainly: kindness is the building principle of the world. Din alone could not sustain creation.

ומדה"ד ג"כ אחד מעמודי העולם אבל הוא לפרקים ולפי שעה.

And the middas hadin is also one of the pillars of the world, but only intermittently and for the moment (l'fi sha'ah).

Din has its place and is genuinely a pillar of the world, but its role is occasional and temporary, never the constant foundation.

וזהו רמז תפוחי זהב במשכיות כסף.

And this is the hint of "apples of gold in settings of silver" (Mishlei 25:11).

The image of golden apples set within silver frames captures the relationship: the gold (din) is held within, surrounded and contained by the silver (chesed).

שהעיקר מדת החסד רק שנסבך עמו מדה"ד.

For the main thing is the attribute of chesed, only that the middas hadin is interwoven together with it.

Chesed (silver) is the primary framework; din (gold) is woven into it as an accent, not as the dominant force.

ולכן עיקר שם לוים להיות טפלים להכהנים כמ"ש ונלוו עליך שכן הוא מדתם בשורש להיות מדה"ד טפל למדה"ח.

Therefore the very essence of the name "Leviim" is to be subordinate (tefelim) to the Kohanim, as it is written "and they shall be joined (v'nilvu) to you" — for such is their attribute at the root, that the middas hadin be subordinate to the middas hachesed.

The name "Levi" itself comes from "joining/accompanying." The Leviim's spiritual role is to attach themselves to and serve the Kohanim — mirroring how din must remain subordinate to chesed.

ולכן מה שנתקנא קרח באהרן טעה טעות גדול ולא ידע כי בזה ההכנעה אל אהרן בזה יבוא על מקומו ושורשו.

Therefore, in that Korach grew jealous of Aharon, he erred a great error, and did not know that specifically through this submission (hachna'ah) to Aharon he would arrive at his proper place and root.

Korach's tragic mistake was thinking that subordination diminished him. In truth, by humbling himself before Aharon (chesed), Korach (din) would have reached his own root and fulfillment. His rebellion cut him off from the very elevation he craved.

והנה זה תכלית האדם שימצא מקומו ושורשו.

Now, this is the ultimate purpose of a person: that he find his place and his root.

The whole goal of life is for a person to discover his unique place and source. Korach forfeited this by refusing to occupy the role meant for him.

ומשה רבינו ע"ה הוא בחי' התורה ורצה לעשות שלום ביניהם כי התורה נותנת מקום לכל המדות.

And Moshe Rabbeinu, peace be upon him, is the aspect of the Torah, and he wished to make peace between them, for the Torah gives a place to all the attributes (middos).

Moshe represents Torah, which harmonizes all forces. Because Torah finds a proper place for every middah — both chesed and din — Moshe sought to reconcile Korach with Aharon rather than let either be eliminated.

כמו שיש בתורה חסדים ומשפטים.

Just as there are in the Torah "chasadim" (kindnesses) and "mishpatim" (strict judgments/laws).

The Torah contains both the gentle laws of kindness and the exacting laws of judgment, showing that it embraces and balances both attributes.

ונמצא גם בתורה הוראת שעה.

And there is also found in the Torah a "hora'as sha'ah" (a temporary ruling for the moment).

The Torah even allows for one-time, situational rulings that depart from the permanent law — paralleling din's role as something valid "for the moment."

ואיתא בנשיאים שהקריבו קטורת מבחוץ והי' הוראת שעה שדרשו חז"ל ע"ז יפה כו' רעיתי כתרצה בשעה שאתם מתרצים לי וכאן נשתתפו הנשיאים שרצו לעשות מזה סדר קבוע וזה לא יוכל להיות כנ"ל.

And it is brought regarding the Nesi'im (the tribal princes at the dedication of the Mishkan) that they offered ketores (incense) outside (the inner altar), and this was a hora'as sha'ah — upon which Chazal expounded, "You are beautiful, My beloved, ke'Tirtzah" — "at the time when you appease (misratzim) Me." But here the Nesi'im "joined in," in that they wished to make of this a fixed order (seder kavua), and this cannot be, as above.

At the Mishkan's dedication the princes offered incense outside the normal place — permitted only as a one-time, situational ruling that pleased Hashem (the play on "ke'Tirtzah / misratzim," from acceptance/appeasement). The error of Korach's faction was wanting to turn such a temporary allowance into a permanent institution — exactly what din-as-occasional cannot become.

[ובס' לקוטי תורה כתב פי' הגון על מאמרם ז"ל כשהי' הלל כפוף לפני שמאי הי' קשה לבנ"י כיום שנעשה העגל. וצריך ביאור.

[And in the sefer Likkutei Torah he writes a fitting explanation of the statement of Chazal that "when Hillel was subdued before Shammai, it was as hard for Bnei Yisrael as the day the Golden Calf (Egel) was made." And this requires explanation.

The Sefas Emes now opens a bracketed digression citing the Arizal's Likkutei Torah on a puzzling teaching: why would the school of Shammai prevailing over Hillel be compared to the catastrophe of the Egel?

ופי' הוא ז"ל כי בהתפשטות הדינים אחוזים הקליפות והסט"א וזה הי' חטא העגל כמ"ש ודי זהב.

And he, of blessed memory, explained that in the spreading of the dinim (judgments) the kelipos (husks) and the sitra achra grasp hold — and this was the sin of the Egel, as it is written "v'di zahav" (and an excess of gold).

The Arizal explains: when din spreads downward, the forces of impurity attach themselves to it. The Egel arose precisely from such a spread of harsh judgment, hinted in "di zahav" — the gold (din) that, brought down, gave the kelipos a foothold.

ולכן הלכה כב"ה כי החסד צריך לגבור כמ"ש לעיל.

Therefore the halachah follows Beis Hillel (the school of Hillel), for chesed must prevail, as stated above.

Since chesed must dominate over din, the law is fixed according to Beis Hillel, the school aligned with kindness and leniency.

וכשגבר שמאי היו יראים שלא יהי' אחיזה לסט"א.

And when Shammai prevailed, they feared that there might be a hold (achizah) for the sitra achra.

Because Beis Shammai represented the stricter side of din, its momentary dominance raised the danger that impurity could take hold — hence the comparison to the day of the Egel.

ולכן לעתיד כשיתבערו אלהים אחרים יהי' מדה"ד עיקר ע"ש.

Therefore in the future (l'asid lavo), when the "other gods" (forces of impurity) will be eradicated, the middas hadin will be primary — see there.

Only in the future, once all impurity is destroyed and din can no longer be exploited by the sitra achra, will strict judgment become the dominant attribute and the law follow Beis Shammai.

ולפי זה נראה כי ביום כלות משה שכלו המזיקין כמ"ש במד' ובזוה"ק דכפית לסט"א בע"כ ע"ש.

And according to this, it appears that on "the day Moshe finished (ki'los Moshe)" erecting the Mishkan — when the destructive forces (mazikin) ceased, as stated in the Midrash and the Zohar, that the sitra achra was bound against its will — see there.

On the day the Mishkan was completed, the Midrash and Zohar teach that destructive spiritual forces were subdued and the sitra achra was forcibly bound. This created a unique moment when din could be expressed without impurity attaching to it.

לכן נתקבל הקטורת מבחוץ.

Therefore the ketores (offered) outside was accepted.

Precisely because impurity was bound on that day, the princes' incense offered outside the normal place could be accepted — the danger of the sitra achra grasping the "spread" of din was momentarily removed.

אבל כתיב ויהי ביום רמזו במד' שם שהיה גלוי לפניו כי ישתתפו אח"כ במעשה קרח ע"ש.

But it is written "Vayehi ba'yom" (And it was on the day) — the Midrash there hinted that it was revealed before Him (Hashem) that they would later "join in" with the deed of Korach — see there.

The word "Vayehi" (which often signals distress) hints that Hashem already foresaw that this very faction of princes would later make common cause with Korach's rebellion. The seed of trouble was already present.

והיינו כנ"ל שרצו אח"כ לעשות מזה קבע וזה לא יתכן.

And this is as above, that they later wished to make of this a permanent fixture (keva), and this cannot be.

Their later error was the same as before: trying to make permanent what was only ever a one-time allowance. A momentary expression of din cannot be turned into a fixed institution.

כי מעשה זה הוא רק לפי השעה כמ"ש.

For this act is only for the moment (l'fi sha'ah), as stated.

The whole validity of offering the ketores outside hinged on its being a temporary, situational act — exactly the nature of din itself.

ונמצא כזה בדבריהם ז"ל אלו הי' נותנין קורטוב של דבש בקטורת אין אדם יכול לעמוד מפני ריחה ולמה אין מערבין מפני שהתורה אמרה כל שאור כו'.

And we find something like this in the words of Chazal: "Had they put a measure (kortov) of honey into the ketores, no person could withstand its fragrance — and why do they not mix it in? Because the Torah said, 'all leaven (and all honey you shall not burn as a fire-offering)' (Vayikra 2:11)."

Chazal note that honey would make the incense overwhelmingly fragrant, yet the Torah forbids it in regular offerings. Honey, like the sweetness associated with chesed/expansion, is normally barred from the permanent service.

ובנשיאים דרשו אכלתי יערי עם דבשי שהי' הוראת שעה כנ"ל.

But regarding the Nesi'im, Chazal expounded "I have eaten My honeycomb with My honey (ya'ari im divshi)" (Shir HaShirim 5:1) — that it was a hora'as sha'ah, as above.

At the Mishkan's dedication Hashem "accepted the honey," as it were — a one-time exception expressed in the verse about eating honey. What is normally forbidden was permitted just for that singular, beloved moment.

ואפשר זה כוונת חז"ל במה שניחם הקב"ה לאהרן שלך לעולם קיימת כי קרבן הנשיאים רק לפי שעה כמ"ש]:

And it is possible that this is the intent of Chazal in (the Midrash) where the Holy One, blessed is He, comforted Aharon, "yours is established forever" — for the offering of the Nesi'im was only for the moment, as stated.]

When Aharon felt diminished that his tribe had no part in the princes' dedication offerings, Hashem comforted him that his own service (the lighting of the Menorah / the ketores of the Kohanim) is permanent. The princes' incense was only a temporary hora'as sha'ah, whereas Aharon's avodah — chesed, the right side — endures forever. This closes the bracketed digression.

Summary: Drawing on the Zohar, the Sefas Emes maps the Korach dispute onto the attributes of chesed (Aharon, the "right," silver/water that sustains by flowing down) and din (Korach, the "left," gold/fire that must be raised to its root to be sweetened). The world is built on chesed; din is real but only "for the moment," interwoven within chesed like golden apples in silver settings. The Leviim's very name means being subordinate to the Kohanim — so Korach's jealousy was a tragic error, since only through bittul to Aharon would he have reached his own root, the purpose of every person. Moshe, embodying Torah which gives every middah its place, sought peace. A long bracketed section (from the Arizal's Likkutei Torah) develops the theme: spreading din downward lets the sitra achra grab hold (the Egel, "di zahav"), so halachah follows Beis Hillel now and Beis Shammai only in the future when impurity is gone. The princes' incense offered "outside" at the Mishkan's completion was accepted only as a temporary hora'as sha'ah — like the honey normally barred from the ketores — and their error, like Korach's, was wanting to make a momentary allowance into a permanent fixture; hence Aharon was comforted that his own avodah endures forever.