I appreciate your appreciation of my posting the Dvar Torah early in the week instead of on Friday. However, I noticed a disadvantage. As I go through the week, being Mavir Sedrah a bit each day, I have other thoughts and some very good items come to my attention. How do I share those with you??
Obviously, if you will be using these Divrei Torah at the Shabbos table, (as is my intention, when Posting), you have to get them by Friday, at the latest. And so, there follows some additional thoughts on the Parsha.
The revolt of Korach included, as participants, Dasan & Aviram, and On Ben Pela, from Shevet Reuven. Why did they participate?? The famous Rashi, of course, refers to "Oy Lrasha, Voy lishchainu", meaning that the proximity of the camp of Reuven to the camp of the families of the Leviim that revolted, resulted in their joining in the revolt.
But that is not the entire reason. Shevet Reuven also felt put out by the actions of Moshe, who, although WE know, took those actions at the direct command of Hashem, THEY suspected it was solely his OWN idea. The actions Shevet Reuven, the first born Shevet, as a whole, were objecting to, included the taking away of the privileges of the BECHOR, including actual participation in bringing the Korbonos, and giving those privileges to Shevet Levi. You will recall that Shevet Levi, all 22,000 plus of them ,were elevated in place of , and in exchange for, all the 22,000 plus of the BECHORIM. Until that happened, the BECHORIM were taking care of the Korbonos of the entire nation. Thus, you can imagine their chagrin when that privilege was taken from them.
(I, as a Bechor, still feel put out, to this day. However, I did not revolt. My importance to Klal Yisroel derives from the fact that I, and Babbi, have contributed much to Klal Yisroel via our fantastic family, Kayn (cane??) Yirbu.) But, I digress.
Yakov Aveinu specifically asked that his name NOT be associated with Korach and his revolt. That is why the Torah, in listing the geneaology of Korach, in the very first Posuk of the Parsha, stops at Levi, and doesn't name Yakov. Why??
Because Yakov was mindful of the fact that he took (or bought ) the Bechora from Eisav, and if Korach was successful in restoring all the privileges as they were in the beginning, the rights of Bechorim might revert to the actual Bechorim, and then Eisav would again become the Bechor.
(of course, there are other reasons why Yakov is not included in the genealogy of Korach, some of which, you might recall, were alluded to in Yakov Hadad's Bar Mitzvah Drasha)
Anyway, this explains the participation of Bnei Reuven, who were expecting a complete turnaround in the leadership of Klal Yisroel.. Their focus, however, was against the representatives of Hashem, (Aron & Moshe) , and as such, their revolt was destined to fail. But, you really can't blame them entirely for revolting, because they were human and it is human nature to revolt if one feels they are not being given their fair share.
We, as Bnei Torah, should also consider revolting against the SECULAR, IRRELIGIOUS LEADERSHIP of Klal Yisroel, in the present day. They certainly are not representatives of Hashem. I refer not only to the Israeli Government, (who are a disgrace that even the Police in Israel recognize as such, -see the investigations of Olmert and others,) - but also to our LEADERS?? in the U.S.A, such as the leaders of B'nai Brith, UJA, World Jewish Congress, Federation , etc. They have usurped control of our holy nation and they claim they represent us fully. Yet, they are frequently, completely silent on important issues that affect our communities and the Orthodox as a whole. AND, a good number of them have already intermarried. Why do we, the Orthodox , stand for this??.
Anyway, for those of you who see this Post before Shabbos, HAVE A VERY GOOD SHABBOS., AND A GUTEN CHODESH. For the rest of you, have a good day, or week, as the case may be, depending on which day you read this Post..
Love to all, ZAIDA