Chapter Previewהַקְדָּמָה
In this opening aliyah of Parshas Korach, we encounter one of the most painful and challenging episodes in the midbar. Korach, a prominent Levi, joins forces with Dathan, Abiram, and On from the tribe of Reuven, along with two hundred and fifty distinguished leaders of the community. Together, they confront Moshe Rabbeinu and Aaron HaKohen, challenging their leadership and accusing them of raising themselves above the rest of Hashem's holy congregation.
Upon hearing their rebellion, Moshe Rabbeinu falls on his face and proposes a test for the following morning. He instructs Korach and his assembly to take fire pans and offer incense before Hashem, declaring that the one whom Hashem chooses will be recognized as the holy one. Moshe then speaks directly to the Levites, reminding them of the great privilege they already have in serving in the Mishkan, and rebukes them for seeking the Kehunah (priesthood) as well.
All introductions, summaries, and contextual notes are the editor's commentary and are not part of the original text.אַלע הַקְדָּמוֹת, סִכּוּמִים, און הערות זענען דעם רעדאַקטאָר'ס באַמערקונגען און זענען נישט קיין טייל פונעם אָריגינעלן טעקסט.
פָּסוּק א
Pasuk 1
וַיִּקַּחAnd tookקֹרַחKorachבֶּןson ofיִצְהָרYitzharבֶּןson ofקְהָתKehasבֶּןson ofלֵוִיLeviוְדָתָןand Dasanוַאֲבִירָםand Aviramבְּנֵיsons ofאֱלִיאָבEliavוְאוֹןand Onבֶּןson ofפֶּלֶתPelesבְּנֵיdescendants ofרְאוּבֵן׃Reuven
פָּסוּק ב
Pasuk 2
וַיָּקֻמוּAnd they roseלִפְנֵיbeforeמֹשֶׁהMosheוַאֲנָשִׁיםand menמִבְּנֵיfrom the children ofיִשְׂרָאֵלYisraelחֲמִשִּׁיםfiftyוּמָאתָיִםand two hundredנְשִׂיאֵיleaders ofעֵדָהthe congregationקְרִאֵיthose summoned ofמוֹעֵדthe assemblyאַנְשֵׁיmen ofשֵׁם׃renown
פָּסוּק ג
Pasuk 3
וַיִּקָּהֲלוּAnd they assembledעַלagainstמֹשֶׁהMosheוְעַלand againstאַהֲרֹןAharonוַיֹּאמְרוּand they saidאֲלֵהֶםto themרַבMuchלָכֶםfor youכִּיforכָלallהָעֵדָהthe congregationכֻּלָּםall of themקְדֹשִׁיםare holyוּבְתוֹכָםand in their midstיְהוָהHashemוּמַדּוּעַand whyתִּתְנַשְּׂאוּdo you raise yourselvesעַלaboveקְהַלthe assembly ofיְהוָה׃Hashem
פָּסוּק ד
Pasuk 4
וַיִּשְׁמַעAnd he heardמֹשֶׁהMosheוַיִּפֹּלand he fellעַלonפָּנָיו׃his face
פָּסוּק ה
Pasuk 5
וַיְדַבֵּרAnd he spokeאֶלtoקֹרַחKorachוְאֶלand toכָּלall ofעֲדָתוֹhis assemblyלֵאמֹרsayingבֹּקֶרIn the morningוְיֹדַעand will make knownיְהוָהHashemאֶת—אֲשֶׁרwhoלוֹis Hisוְאֶתand —הַקָּדוֹשׁthe holy oneוְהִקְרִיבand He will bring closeאֵלָיוto Himselfוְאֵתand —אֲשֶׁרwhoeverיִבְחַרHe choosesבּוֹin himיַקְרִיבHe will bring closeאֵלָיו׃to Himself
פָּסוּק ו
Pasuk 6
זֹאתthisעֲשׂוּdoקְחוּtakeלָכֶםfor yourselvesמַחְתּוֹתfire pansקֹרַחKorahוְכָלand allעֲדָתוֹ׃his assembly
פָּסוּק ז
Pasuk 7
וּתְנוּand putבָהֵןin themאֵשׁfireוְשִׂימוּand placeעֲלֵיהֶןupon themקְטֹרֶתincenseלִפְנֵיbeforeיְהוָהHashemמָחָרtomorrowוְהָיָהand it shall beהָאִישׁthe manאֲשֶׁרwhomיִבְחַרHe will chooseיְהוָהHashemהוּאheהַקָּדוֹשׁis the holy oneרַבmuchלָכֶםis for youבְּנֵיsons ofלֵוִי׃Levi
פָּסוּק ח
Pasuk 8
וַיֹּאמֶרAnd saidמֹשֶׁהMosheאֶלtoקֹרַחKorachשִׁמְעוּhearנָאpleaseבְּנֵיsons ofלֵוִי׃Levi
פָּסוּק ט
Pasuk 9
הַמְעַטIs it too littleמִכֶּםfor youכִּיthatהִבְדִּילhas separatedאֱלֹהֵיthe God ofיִשְׂרָאֵלYisraelאֶתְכֶםyouמֵעֲדַתfrom the congregation ofיִשְׂרָאֵלYisraelלְהַקְרִיבto bring nearאֶתְכֶםyouאֵלָיוto Himselfלַעֲבֹדto performאֶת—עֲבֹדַתthe service ofמִשְׁכַּןthe Tabernacle ofיְהוָהHashemוְלַעֲמֹדand to standלִפְנֵיbeforeהָעֵדָהthe congregationלְשָׁרְתָם׃to minister to them
פָּסוּק י
Pasuk 10
וַיַּקְרֵבAnd He brought nearאֹתְךָyouוְאֶתand —כָּלall ofאַחֶיךָyour brothersבְנֵיthe sons ofלֵוִיLeviאִתָּךְwith youוּבִקַּשְׁתֶּםand do you seekגַּםalsoכְּהֻנָּה׃priesthood
פָּסוּק יא
Pasuk 11
לָכֵןThereforeאַתָּהyouוְכָלand allעֲדָתְךָyour assemblyהַנֹּעָדִיםwho are gatheredעַלagainstיְהוָהHashemוְאַהֲרֹןand Aaronמַהwhatהוּאis heכִּיthatתלונוyou complainתַלִּינוּyou complainעָלָיו׃against him
פָּסוּק יב
Pasuk 12
וַיִּשְׁלַחAnd he sentמֹשֶׁהMosheלִקְרֹאto callלְדָתָןfor Dathanוְלַאֲבִירָםand for Aviramבְּנֵיsons ofאֱלִיאָבEliabוַיֹּאמְרוּand they saidלֹאnotנַעֲלֶה׃will we go up
פָּסוּק יג
Pasuk 13
הַמְעַטIs it too littleכִּיthatהֶעֱלִיתָנוּyou brought us upמֵאֶרֶץfrom a landזָבַתflowing withחָלָבmilkוּדְבַשׁand honeyלַהֲמִיתֵנוּto kill usבַּמִּדְבָּרin the wildernessכִּיthatתִשְׂתָּרֵרyou make yourself a rulerעָלֵינוּover usגַּםalsoהִשְׂתָּרֵר׃surely ruling
Chapter Summaryסִכּוּם
The aliyah details the initial confrontation of the rebellion, where Korach and his followers accuse Moshe and Aaron of taking too much power for themselves. Moshe Rabbeinu responds by setting up the test of the fire pans and incense for the next morning to let Hashem show who is truly chosen. He then tries to reason with the Levites about their ingratitude for their existing holy duties, and sends for Dathan and Abiram, who insolently refuse to come and instead accuse Moshe of bringing the nation out of a land of milk and honey just to die in the wilderness.
לְמַעֲשֶׂהWhat To Take Home
My dear talmid, look at what happened to Korach and his followers. These were not simple people; they were leaders, men of great stature, yet they fell into the trap of looking at what others had instead of appreciating their own beautiful portion. Moshe Rabbeinu pleaded with them, "Is it not enough for you that the God of Israel has set you apart?" He was trying to show them the immense chessed Hashem had already bestowed upon them. But when the yetzer hara of jealousy takes over, a person becomes completely blind to his own blessings.
This is a profound lesson for our daily avodah. How often do we look at someone else's life, their parnassah, their children, or even their spiritual achievements, and feel a sense of dissatisfaction with our own? We forget that Hashem has custom-tailored our specific life circumstances, our talents, and our challenges precisely for our neshama's tikkun. When we desire someone else's role, we are essentially saying that Hashem's plan for us is not enough.
True peace of mind and genuine yiras Shamayim come from looking inward and asking, "What does Hashem want from me with the tools He gave me?" instead of "Why does he have more than me?" When we celebrate our own unique portion in Torah and life, we protect ourselves from the destructive fire of machlokes and merit to serve Hashem with joy.
Today, when you feel a pinch of envy or comparison to someone else, stop and list three specific, beautiful blessings that Hashem has uniquely given to you, and say a heartfelt thank you for your own portion.