“I Know I’m Right” – The Dangerous Mindset of Korach

“I Know I’m Right” – The Dangerous Mindset of Korach

Summary:  The rebellion of Korach is about far more than a dispute over leadership. Rabbi Kalatsky delves into the motivations behind Korach’s challenge, the psychology of refusing to hear opposing viewpoints, and the spiritual dangers of believing we cannot be wrong. Along the way, he reveals the extraordinary lesson of Korach’s sons and their role in producing generations of greatness, reminding us that our choices—not our past—ultimately define who we become.

Transcript

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Rashi cites the gazal that although Korach was a smart man, wise, accomplished, nevertheless, somehow getting involved in the situation where literally it was a no-win situation because the litmus test, which was going to determine who was to qualify to be the Kohen Gondel, was the story with the fire pen with the incense. And he told them all to take the fire pen, the incense. So the 250 people who are qualified to be leaders of the Sanhedrin, together with Korach, and only one was going to survive. So what's the chance that you're going to be the one? So Rashi Satz Kam, Awitoso. His eye misled him because he had seen that Shmuba Novik, who was the equivalent of Motion Aron in terms of his spiritual standing, was going to descend from him. So he says, How's it possible if I'm going to be I'm going to perish and I'm not going to be the survivor, there is no shmuel. So evidently I'm the one survivor. That's why Korak was convinced that his position is correct, and somehow Moshe is misleading all the people. So Khazal tell us that the reason why I mentioned the other day that Korak's understanding was incorrect because at the last moment his two sons did shuva. And because they did shuva, they did not perish together with Korach and his community. So Schwul descended from one of these two sons. Therefore, it's Ainu Hitoso, his eye misled him. But Demindresh tells us, as I mentioned, that when Moshe, right before it happened, he came to try to convince Korach that his behavior was unacceptable and his position was baseless. Korach would not speak to him. Why? He said, I'm not going to enter into dialogue with Moshe, because Moshe will win the argument. And I don't want to get involved in a situation where he wins the argument. So therefore I will not respond. It's like a person says, I know I'm right. Even if you prove me wrong, I know I'm right. That's how convinced Korach was. You're going to outsmart me. And I don't want to be convinced that I'm wrong. Korah's two sons, one was sitting at each side of him. They see Moshe entering into the tent. As I mentioned, they had a quandary, a dilemma here. Should they stand for Moshe and acknowledge Moshe for who he was, although it'll be a slight to their father, or what? Or they'll sit. They decided they're going to stand. And because they stood, they merited to have Hihurai Chuba. They merited to have stirrings of Chuba, and because of those stirrings, they did not go along with their father because of the stirrings of Chuba, and therefore they survived. But what do you see from the Medj? You see from the Medj that when a person crosses certain lines, literally you're at a point of no return. They needed a special merit to be able to extricate themselves from that situation. And it's only because they did something which was against the grain, although they were sliding their father, but nevertheless they did the right thing to acknowledge Moshe for who he was. And the merit of that, they merited to do chuva. But if they wouldn't have stood for Moshe, as Moshe came and whatever he represented, they wouldn't have done chuva. Because they already passed a certain point of no return, you're not coming back. Because it was so extreme what they had done. It's only because what they had done, which was against the grain, something which was something which goes beyond what one expects a person to do, the American Duchu Thuva. There's a concept by Corbanos that's called Dihui. That a korbon, if it's consecrated, is questioned, but once the Kohen is doing the service, he slaughters the korbum. And before he finishes the ritual of Zrico, something interferes that he's not able to continue with the service. For instance, let's say the misbehag is chipped. If the misbehak is chipped, the stone on the misbeh is chipped, one cannot officiate at that moment, because the korban cannot be brought on that misbeh, because it's a damaged misbeh. So let's say he's slaughtered to get ready to receive the blood. And now the misbehair gets damaged. And they repair the misbeh. Could he afterwards continue? And still during the daytime, could he continue? Dances in Kisami, but then you why? It's called Dihuy. That because since in the middle of the service there was an interruption, and because that interruption, once it's interrupted, you can't continue. You have to start all over again. You have to bring another animal, another consecrated animal, do the slaughtering and do it over. Because that's called dichui. It's been interrupted, pushed aside. Once it's pushed aside, it's put on hold, it doesn't come back. So the but the Gemara says, what's the haloch of if the coin receives the blood in the ministry vessel and he spill accidentally spills out, and the blood goes into a depression in the in the in the Azura, in the sanctuary, and immediately he's able to scoop it up. He's able to scoop it up. So the Gemara says, in that case, it's not Dih, that since whatever happened, he's able to pick up immediately without any hesitation, that interruption is not considered an interruption. Because that's beyodo, because it can be corrected immediately. So Tosa has a question how is this person who eats caliph? Inadvertently he has to bring a katos. And then after he eats, he consecrates the khatos, he becomes a heretic. He becomes a heretic. Satosis asked a question, just as when the blood spilled on the floor, since he's able to scoop it up without hesitation, it's not considered interruption. So after he became the heretic, he's able to do trugo. It's beyond though it's within his ability to do chuva. So since it's within his ability to do chuva immediately, it should not be considered deruption. So why is the car bought and wise disqualified? Even after he does chuba. That's Tosas' question, Zoak. So Tos' answers when it comes to chuva, it's not so simple. It's not beyond. You need a tremendous amount of effort and schools and merit to come to a level of clarity to make that difference. To do chuva. The blood spills out immediately and wet into a depression since you could scoop it up immediately. That interruption is not because you have control above that situation. When it comes to chuba, it's not simple. When you bomb down in that state of mind, whatever it is, the comeback's not so simple. Therefore, the carbon is disqualified, so I'm saying. But if they caught up, especially with them, they were so entrenched with their father. And here, to be able to pull themselves out, it wasn't so simple. And they crossed lines, which was participating with this group, and to be able to extract themselves, they were goners. But because they stood for Moshe Menu, there was special divine intervention which allowed them to have storings of Truba in their heart, and because of that, they did true. Don't pass judgment on your fellow unless you're standing in his shoes. You never know what the other person's predicament is. You never know. It may be easy for you, but it's not so simple for the other person. And we have many questions. He should he should do it differently. He should be better. You know what his what his demons are. You don't even know what he's dealing with. As a result of that, don't be so quick to pass judgment on someone else. The answer is exactly what I'm saying. To be able to make changes in your life, you need special Siat with Dishmaya. When it comes to truva and do things do things better, it's not so simple. Therefore, as a result of that, maybe he doesn't have discuss, you have discourse for whatever reason. For you it's easier, for him, it's more difficult. You want to assist him to do the right thing, assist him the right thing. But don't judge him that he is whatever he may be, because his situation may be different than your situation. Why? That's only if you're going to listen to the rebuke or the mussa review of you should live in this community. Why? Because if that is the case, although under normal circumstances, you would justify doing the wrong thing, but if your Rebbe is in the community and he's aware of what you're doing, you're not going to do the wrong thing. So, offense to behavior is you should be in the community with your Rebbe. That will prevent you from crossing lines that normally you would justify to cross. Where do we see this? Of course, he's fine. Shloma Mellet, he married Basparo. He married, of course, she converted, whatever the Rama speaks about, what the quality of the conversion was. And when he married Basparo, it was disastrous for Claudus. But when did he marry Basparo? After his Rebbe passed away. As long as his Rebbe was alive, he did not marry Basparo. When he passed away, he married Basparo. So you see that, and he did the wrong thing. So you see how important it is to be in the community where your Rebbe is, because as long as your Rebbe is there, he'll prevent you from forcing certain lines. So I asked the question. He believed and he was convinced marrying Baspar was not a problem. So if his Rebbe would say to him, Shloma, you're doing the wrong thing, he would explain to his Rebbe why it's the right thing. Shlomach is Khachamikal, he's the wisest man ever lived. He'd be able to convince his rabbi that he's right. So why did he wait till his Rebbe passed away to marry Basparo? So what I once explained, that although Shlomo will explain to his Rebbe why he's right, and his Rebbe may not be able to respond to Shlomo's proof, convincing argument, but Shlomo knows if his Rebbe feels it's wrong, it's wrong. Although I can't respond to point out the fallacy in your justification, and Shlomo knew this. So once his Rebbe was no longer alive, if nobody there is represents something which is contrary to what my decision is, I can live with my conscience. Therefore, part when Shlomo married Baspar for that reason. So you see a person when you're in a certain position and you want to do something, you we delude ourselves in the way, we're convinced. But if something else is in the place there, because that there he didn't yet cross the line. But once you cross the line, to come back to say face, you're not coming back so quick. There, you need special to be able to see it right, to be able to do the chuba. Okay, Parshis Korak has mosh licroll the dozen avirum veneyov. Moshu sent more sent an agent of the court to call doesn't aviram. He subpoenaed them to come. The Yom Rul Naluk. They said, We're not coming up. That's the word they used. We're not ascending. So Rashi says, The Yishtambi Khan, Shane Bachzikimabak Lokus. From here we learn that as much as there's such history with these two characters with Dos Navirum, they were a bone of contention, which caused initially Moshe to flee from Egypt. He fled because they informed on him that he killed the Egyptian. And all the various issues when he when he they came he came back, Moshe, they were always a bone of contention. There was always Dosnahavirum. So they had such a negative record with Moshe. I mean, now they're party to this mutiny, which is Akhilashem. Moshe says, Nevertheless, I'm going. I'm going to summon them. I'm just not going to drop the boom on them. So maybe we say machlokus that you don't can you don't participate in machlokis. If any way you could somehow defuse it, you defuse it. So you moshe, bhazar, achraim, la shlemum, divri sholo. Moshe left no stone unturned to establish some kind of rational relationship with them, peaceful relationship that they should have an understanding and they shouldn't go forward with this mutiny. They said, Lo nawah shalom. Sometimes the person makes it expresses in a certain way, which is a confirmation of what's going to happen. Shaylem Urido. Shaylem Elo Yurido. We will not ascend. That means what they said was you're only but they're they're ready, like saying, We're only going down on this one. We're going down, we're not coming up. You know, words have a lot of truth to them, and sometimes a person says certain words, not understanding what the ramifications or the connotation of those words are. Listen what they said. You took us up from a land that flows of milk and honey. Egypt is a land that flows of milk and honey. That we should die in the desert because of the Moragli. Do you think you're going to lord over us? No way. Af Lowell Eric Zod, you told us you're going to bring us to a land of milk and honey. You took us from a land of milk and honey. You told us you'd take us to a land of milk and honey. But you did not. Meaning, even if you gouge at our eyes, Lord Now, we're not coming up. We're not coming, we will not listen to you under any circumstance. So Rashi says, even if you send someone to gouge out our eyes, L Nowla, Elachor, we're not coming. Now, where are they coming from? The Jews were slaves in Egypt. We were killed, we were tortured if we didn't make meet the quotas. And he says to Moshe Abainu, you know what you did to us? You took us out of land of milk and honey. And the only reason why it was acceptable, because you promised there's gonna be something even better than that, or military equivalent of that. At the end, it's a disaster. We're all gonna die. It took us in the desert to die. Therefore, the liberate, livered at him, and they they will not even look at him. You tell me, here we talk about Avernofar with slaves in Egypt, Mandij. It's as well. He speaks about Aver's Pereth, how they they afflicted us, and how they tortured us, and how they we were overwhelmed, and this and that. And they speak about Egypt being a land of milk and honey. You understand what this is? It's like, God forbid, being in Auschwitz and being and say, you know, this is great, this is the land of milk and honey. I mean, how could he even depict it or see it and put it to see through that lens? Now, why was Dos Navirum initially able to inform a Moshe Bainna when he killed the Egyptian? Because even within the slave class in Egypt, there were Jews that were very wealthy. Those Aviram were very wealthy, and therefore they were not subject to the bondage in the physical sense, like everyone else was. And because they were very wealthy, they had relationships in the government that they were able to inform on Moshe Abeinu after he killed the Egyptian. Moshe being in Mijan for many years, Hashem Khamting says, Mesuanoshu. You could go back because those people who originally informed on you wanted to take your life, they passed, they died. Summar asked a question in the Dorim. They're still alive. From here, we the takeaway is only chosen that a person who's impoverished, he's like a dead person. Therefore, their connections with the government, the upper echelons is no longer there, therefore, you have nothing to worry about them. Nothing to worry. But so what? Who was what was their position in Egypt? Were they tortured? Did they suffer it? Did they were they experience whatever the other Jews? No, they were they were part of the wealthy class, and they lived despite whatever was going around them in their own lives, they lived in their own cocoon, so to say. As a result of that, to them, you took us out of the land of milk and honey to what? To die in the desert. But what does it say about Dustin and Viram? What what what kind of what kind of joy? What kind of you don't feel for your brothers? Your brothers have been tortured and killed, but because you're in the upper echelon, have relationships, you you could even refer to it as land of milk and honey, but that's who Dusna Viram are. Now they're showing their true colors, what they what they're all about. So why are they so they're going they're going mad for this? They lost all their wealth. All of a sudden now they're leaving Egypt with tremendous wealth. Every Jew left with 10 packa, animals laden with gold and silver. Wealth, tremendous wealth. And what happens? So their dream is when they get back to the promised land, Eritus oil, being of special pedigree because they're the children of the Korav Yaakov, they're going to flex the muscle again. We're going to have land and we're going to have vineyards and we're going to have estates, and we're going to be again in a position of power. Also, now they realize this dream they had to be reinstated and get to the point where they're going to dictate and dominate their fellow brothers. It's not happening. They're going to die in the desert. Therefore, they went mad. They went berserk. Moshe, here we wait for this moment. You promised us that's where we left. Why did they leave Egypt? We do them left Egypt. Why'd they leave Egypt? 80% passed away during the day, the days of darkness. They left. You know why they left? Because they were convinced that ultimately they're going to go to the promised land and they have wealth. They have tremendous wealth. This is their dream. They're going to be back in the saddle controlling the Jewish people because of their pedigree and because of the power they have. That's why they left. That was the overriding factor. The other Jews they said, you know, we'll be together. With the rest of them. Before we were schnooks, we're going to continue being snooks. That's it. We we're going to be back in the saddle. All of a sudden, now they realize the whole thing was a pipe dream. Moshe, you misled us. We're going nowhere. You can't eat gold in the deck. What am I gonna do with all this gold? Can't take it to the grave with you. Therefore, they were livid and berserk, and they related to Bosha Mayu says, even if you gouge out our ice, it's not worth living in terms of what you've done to us. Why did they leave? Because they said, Well, we're gonna go to a desert, they didn't have the faith, they didn't have the trust. The 20% had the trust. Even though they have no provisions, they went into the desert because they had faith in Hashem. Right. Okay, somebody goes and his whole dream is to succeed, and he's so consumed by this success story, and without that success, his life is not worth living. And he gets involved in a deal that he doesn't see the farms from the trees, and it's gonna be a disaster. And anybody else who thinks rashly they wouldn't get into this deal, but because he's so bent on succeeding, he doesn't see it. Because the overriding factor is I want to succeed. Does that viram believed is God can provide for us, you know, something? It's worth taking the chance for this ultimate level of success. We believe Mosh and Bangu. Could we tolerate him? The answer is no. But someday we're gonna be back on top. Because here we have the wealth, but oh, what about the desert? You know, something I'm not gonna worry about the desert now. Or more oh, I believe I'm gonna arrive where I want to arrive. So that was the driving characteristic in these two people. Therefore, they left. So the faith wasn't because they had faith, the faith had because they were so consumed with getting back to the power and to dictate as originally they did, and that's why they were able to form a Moshe Rabino, that somehow blotted out the worry of what's going to be in the desert. We don't worry about that right now. Oh, there's no it's in the Urchaiman. This on Dazel Valviram, he points out that if not for Doslava Viram, even though Kurach's wife instigated the whole thing, but he still needed a certain degree of support, otherwise, he wouldn't have gone through with it. Who are the two people who gave him the support? Dazel Valviram. Because they were so bent, they had such envy and such hate for Moshe Rabeinu, was here they were in the position of power, and and that's the reason why they informed on informed on him originally. Although it was unconscious what they originally did. The only advocate we had in the palace was Moshe Rabeinu. He was a Jew, and you look in the midges, he was the favorite grandson of Pyro. So, how do you inform on this man to take his life? We understand the value versus your brothers. How do you do such a thing? That that was a confirmation of who these people were, but now we see it. They saw Egypt, Ernzobus or Ludvosh. All of a sudden you have this little kid coming up, and they said, Who do you think you are? You're gonna judge? How did you take the life of this Egyptian? You're a young whippersnapper. How do you do these things? Even if meant they're gonna form on him and his life's gonna be taken, and the advocate for the Jewish people is no longer gonna be there in the palace. To them, they weren't concerned about that. How could you not be concerned? If you have any degree of feeling, how how do you how could you not be concerned for your fellow brothers? The answer is Eric Zelbers followed Bosch. They lived in their own vacuum and that was it. Khalisha didn't exist. That's who they were, and he says the Urchaimakarsh, not what I'm just telling you. If not, so it's interesting. Doesn't Viru were kept alive when Ashem says Masu, he actually caused them to lose their wealth. So they no longer had the status. He didn't take them out, he could have caused them to die. If they would have died, this whole story with Korach would have never happened. Because Korach needed the backing of Dozen Viram, who was represented as evil, to give him that support. Otherwise, he would have never gotten through the front door. Korach, it would have just died, it would have died, would have been dead in the water initially. So again, so Hashem again orchestrates the scenario that ultimately, as I said, to prove the conclusion, Moshe Emmess to Russo Emmess, there wasn't enough Korach should be who he was, and he should have the wealth. He still needed the support of these two people to be able to launch that mutiny and nearly succeed, and finally was put to rest and destroyed by the earth opening its mouth and swallowing them up.