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Rabbi David Etengoff
 
ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו כל בני ישראל בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ
 
Parashat Korach and our parasha contain an expression that refers to Hashem’s unique knowledge of humankind:
 
They [Moshe and Aharon] fell on their faces and said, “O God, Elokei HaRuchot—God of all flesh, if one man sins, shall You be angry with the whole congregation?” (Sefer Bamidbar 16:22)
 
“Let Hashem, Elokei HaRuchot—God of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation” (Sefer Bamidbar 27:16, these, and all Torah translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)

In his commentary on Parashat Korach, Rashi zatzal (1040-1105), basing himself upon Midrash Tanchuma, Parashat Korach 7, maintains that Elokei HaRuchot should be understood as “He who knows the innermost thoughts of man” (“yoday’ah machshavot”):
 
…But You know the thoughts of man; You know who has committed a sin and who has not committed a sin. You know who has rebelled and who has not rebelled. You know the spirit [that is, nature] of each one of them. Therefore, the Torah utilizes the expression: “Elokei haruchot l’kol basar” (“the God of the spirits of all flesh,” translation my own).

In our parasha, however, Rashi takes a different approach in his anaysis of Elokei HaRuchot: “... [this refers to] the unique nature of every living person (da’ato shel kol echad v’echad) [that] is manifestly evident before You, O’ Ruler of the world, and [You know] that they are not similar to one another...” (27:16) Herein, Rashi emphasizes mahut adam, Hashem’s knowledge of the fundamental essence of each person, rather than yoday’ah machshavot. Taken in tandem, Rashi teaches us that the Master of the Universe knows all aspects of humankind, inclusive of our very being, thoughts, motivations and intentions. In sum, He knows every aspect of our ruach.
 
In contrast to Rashi, Rav Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev zatzal (1740-1810), focuses upon, and analyzes the words, “l’kol basar—all flesh,” that conclude our phrase, “Elokei HaRuchot l’kol basar:”

A human being is, after all, comprised of flesh and blood. As a result, he has numerous needs that must be fulfilled in pursuit of his livelihood. [They are, in fact, so diverse in nature,] that, on occasion, they may very well cause one to be unable to serve Hashem at all times (b’tamidut). (Kedushat Levi, Parashat Pinchas, s.v. yivkode Hashem, this and the following translations my own)
 
Rav Levi Yitzchak recognizes that humankind is imperfect; as such, there will inevitably be moments when the pursuit of parnassah will negatively impact our service of Hashem. Based upon his boundless love for Klal Yisrael, Rav Levi Yitzchak presents this observation as a matter of course, and intimates that this fundamental human failing should never drive a wedge between the Almighty and ourselves.
 
Rav Levi Yitzchak extends this notion, and suggests that the ideal leader of Klal Yisrael, like Hashem Himself, should not only accept man’s inherently flawed nature, but be willing and able to be melamade zechut (find merit) in our actions:
This, then, is the meaning of: “Let Hashem, the Elokei HaRuchot appoint a man over the congregation,” that is, a judge and a leader who will continuously be melamade zechut on the Jewish people, just like You, Hashem, are melamade zechut on an individual who does not continuously serve You [due to the daily demands of making a living].
 
In Rav Levi Yitzchak’s view, Moshe implores Hashem to choose his successor based upon the capacity to find the good in our people, even when our actions will fail to hit the mark. As such, a true leader of Klal Yisrael is one who focuses upon the possibilities and promise of our nation, rather than our present pitfalls. Fortunately, Hashem found this vital quality in Yehoshua, regarding whom the Torah states:
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Hashem said to Moshe, “Take for yourself Yehoshua the son of Nun, a man of spirit (ish asher ruach bo), and you shall lay your hand upon him. And you shall present him before Eleazar the Kohen and before the entire congregation, and you shall command him in their presence. You shall bestow some of your majesty upon him so that all the congregation of b’nai Yisrael will take heed.” (27:18-20)
 
Like Moshe Rabbeinu, Yehoshua was blessed with the capacity to be melamade zechut in his dealings with Klal Yisrael. In my view, this is the meaning of the phrase, “ish asher ruach bo,” that Hashem used when He presented Yehoshua to Moshe as the next leader of our fledgling nation. Little wonder, then, that this expression so closely parallels Moshe Rabbeinu’s description of the Almighty Himself in our phrase, “Elokei HaRuchot l’kol basar.”
 
May the Elokei HaRuchot l’kol basar ever be melamade zechut upon us, v’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
Many may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org using the search criteria Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:[email protected]
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: https://www.box.com/s/7bf01f9abcabf02e25c3
 
*** I have posted 164+ of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.
 
 

​Rabbi David Etengoff
 
ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו כל בני ישראל בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ
 
The phrase, “Now it came to pass in the morning” (“vayehi b’boker”), appears eight times in Tanach. Each instance portends a significant change either for an individual, or for our nation. One of the times it is found is the narrative of Balak and Bilam. Balak was the King of Moav, who simultaneously hated and feared the Jewish people. He hired Bilam, the world’s greatest sorcerer, to curse our nation and halt our rise to glory. Little did Balak know that our people’s greatness was a direct result of Hashem’s desire to fulfill His master plan for our nation. Since he lacked this understanding, Balak was convinced that he could destroy us through Bilam’s curses, to the extent that he refused to listen to the wizard’s protestations that he could only say and do what Hashem allowed:

Balak said to Bilam, “Did I not send to you to call for you? Why did you not come to me? Am I indeed incapable of honoring you?” Bilam said to Balak, “Behold I have come to you, do I have any power to say anything? The word Elokim puts into my mouth—that I will speak.” … Now it came to pass in the morning that Balak took Bilam and led him up to Bamot Ba’al, and from there he saw part of the people. (Sefer Bamidbar 22:37-38, 41, this and all Tanach and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach, all underlining my own)
 
Like other megalomaniacal monarchs, Balak was convinced his evil desires would be fulfilled. Instead, what began with “vayehi b’boker,” ended in a beautiful bracha for the Jewish people:

How can I curse whom God has not cursed, and how can I invoke wrath if Hashem has not been angered? For from their beginning, I see them as mountain peaks, and I behold them as hills; it is a nation that will dwell alone and will not be reckoned among the nations. Who counted the dust of Ya’akov or the number of a fourth of [or, of the seed of] Yisrael? May my soul die the death of the upright and let my end be like his.” (Sefer Bamidbar 23:8-10, underlining my own)
 
 
What, however, is the meaning of: “a nation that will dwell alone, and will not be reckoned among the nations?” A direct reading seems to indicate that it refers to the multiple ways we are distinct from the other nations of the world. By way of illustration: We our proscribed from marrying non-Jews, prohibited from eating non-kosher food, and obligated to fulfill both the positive (zachor) and negative (shamor) aspects of the holy Shabbat. Each of these mitzvot clearly differentiate us from our non-Jewish neighbors.
 
Rashi (1040-1105), basing himself on Targum Onkelos and Midrash Tanchuma, takes a different approach in his analysis of our phrase:

It is a nation that will dwell alone: This is [the legacy] their forefathers gained for them-to dwell alone, as the Targum Onkelos renders it: [“it is a nation that is alone destined to inherit the world”].
 
and will not be reckoned among the nations: As Targum Onkelos paraphrases, they will not perish along with the other nations, for it says, “for I shall make an end of all [the other] nations…” (Sefer Yirmiyahu 30:11); they [the Jewish people, however,] will not be reckoned with the rest… [Midrash Tanchuma Balak 12, underlining and brackets my own]
 
Rashi’s brief gloss contains the following Targum Onkelos and midrashically-infused concepts:

1. Dwelling in solitude is a distinctive legacy of our people, handed down to us by the Avot.
2. We are the sole nation “destined to inherit the world.”
3.  Even though the other nations will perish, we will not, and we will ever be separate from them.

 
In my view, Rashi’s ideas are reminiscent of the beginning of the first paragraph of the Aleinu:
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It is our obligation to praise the Master of all, to ascribe greatness to the Creator of the [world in the] beginning: that He has not made us like the nations of the lands, and has not positioned us like the families of the earth; that He has not assigned our portion like theirs, nor our lot like that of all their multitudes. For they prostrate themselves to vanity and nothingness and pray to a god that cannot deliver. But we bow, prostrate ourselves, and offer thanks before the Supreme King of Kings, the Holy One blessed is He, Who spreads the heavens, and establishes the earth, and the seat of His glory is in heaven above… (Rabbi Avraham Davis, Metsudah Linear Siddur, underlining my own)
 
May the time come soon and, in our days, when the nations of the world recognize that Hashem “has not made us like the nations of the lands, and has not positioned us like the families of the earth; that He has not assigned our portion like theirs, nor our lot like that of all their multitudes.” For then, as Zechariah HaNavi taught us so long ago: “And Hashem shall become King over all the earth; on that day shall Hashem be one, and His name one.” (14:9)
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
Many may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org using the search criteria Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:[email protected]
 
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: https://www.box.com/s/7bf01f9abcabf02e25c3
 
*** I have posted 164+ of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.
 

Rabbi David Etengoff
 
ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו כל בני ישראל בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ
 
Korach’s rebellion is very difficult to understand. At first blush, it seems that anyone with the least bit of God-consciousness should have been able to recognize that this act was a direct insurgence against Hashem. The mutiny against Moshe and Aharon, while crucial and fundamental, was a ruse; its real goal was to provide the context for Korach to reject the Almighty. Rashi (1040-1105) focuses on this notion in his commentary on Sefer Bamidbar 16:11:

Because of this, “you and your entire company who are assembled” with you “are against Hashem,” for I acted as His messenger to give the kehunah to Aharon, and this rebellion is not with us [but with Hashem]. [Midrash Tanchuma Korach 6, Bamidbar Rabbah 18:9] (This, and all Tanach and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach, emphasis my own)
 
Rashi underscores Chazal’s opinion that Korach was highly intelligent (Sefer Bamidbar 16:7). If so, how and why did he eschew Hashem’s authority and foment a rebellion against the Master of the Universe? His answer is a tour de force:
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But what did Korach, who was astute, see [to commit] this folly? His vision deceived him. He saw [prophetically] a chain of great people descended from him: [Most notably,] Shmuel, who was equal [in importance] to Moshe and Aharon. He [Korach] said, “For his sake I will be spared.” [He also saw] twenty-four watches [of levi’im] emanating from his grandsons, all prophesying through ruach hakodesh, as it says, “all these were the sons of Heman” (I Chron 25:5). He said, “Is it possible that all this greatness is destined to emanate from me, and I should remain silent?” [Midrash Tanchuma, Korach 5, Bamidbar Rabbah 18:8] (Underlining and emphasis my own)
 
 
Rashi’s interpretation of Korach’s seemingly inexplicable behavior gives us a conceptual framework for understanding his actions. Moreover, it adds an essential detail: Korach was a navi to whom Hashem vouchsafed His glorious visions. As such, his view of the future was an accurate one, Shmuel HaNavi would, indeed, be his rightful heir. Little wonder then that Korach mistakenly believed the future belonged to him and not to Moshe. In his arrogant and twisted mind, Korach’s prophetic vision foretold the eclipse of Moshe’s sun, and the meteoric rise of his own star to the highest heights of the Universe.
 
Given that Korach was so wise and cognizant of d’var Hashem how did he err so grievously? I believe that Korach’s ga’avat halev (unfettered arrogance) blinded him to the truth. Consequently, no matter how brilliant he was, he was blinded by his ego from recognizing the truth; which, in turn, led inexorably to his downfall. As such, Korach’s story is the tale of squandered spiritual potential and unfettered ambition. Like a malevolent worm, his unrestrained egotism burrowed into every fiber of his being and prevented him from achieving even a fraction of what he could have become.
 
Korach’s actions are a study in what we ought not to do if we desire to be authentic avdei Hashem (servants of Hashem). In stark contrast, Dovid HaMelech depicts the greatness and humility that is a singular trait of genuine Torah scholars: “And your glory is that you will pass and ride for the sake of truth and righteous humility (anavah tzedek), and it shall instruct you so that your right hand shall perform awesome things.” (Sefer Tehillim 45:5)
 
May Hashem help us reject ga’avat halev and ever embrace anavah tzedek. V’chane yihi ratzon.
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Shabbat Shalom
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
Many may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org using the search criteria Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:[email protected]
 
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: https://www.box.com/s/7bf01f9abcabf02e25c3
 
*** I have posted 164+ of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.

Rabbi David Etengoff

ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו כל בני ישראל בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ
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The beginning of our parasha offered the immediate implementation of some of Judaism’s ultimate goals: Moshe would have been the Mashiach who led our people into Eretz Yisrael the Beit HaMikdash would have been built and remained intact forevermore, and the entire world would have recognized the truth of monotheism and our people’s singular responsibilities as Hashem’s chosen nation.

What took place that so violently and, nearly irrevocably, brought Hashem’s plan to a screeching halt? The answer is quite clear: Our people failed to live up to Hashem’s expectations. Rashi (1040-1105) teaches us that as a compromise to the people’s nagging insecurity and immature emunah, Hashem gave Moshe permission to send the leaders of each tribe to do a thorough reconnaissance of Eretz Yisrael:

Send for yourself: According to your own understanding. I [Hashem] am not commanding you, but if you wish, you may send. Since the Israelites had come [to Moshe] and said, “Let us send men ahead of us,” as it says, “All of you approached me…” (Sefer Devarim 1:22, this and all Tanach and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)
 
Initially, everything went quite well. After all, the meraglim were prestigious individuals who were dedicated to the task before them. These great tribal princes were called “anashim” (“men”). Rashi suggests that this was an honorific appellation based on the Midrash Tanchuma’s interpretation of Sefer Bamidbar 13:3: “Every instance of the term anashim that appears in the text of the Torah is a term of distinction [literally, importance]. At that time they were righteous.” These great leaders of the Dor HaMidbar set out to explore, search and discover the Promised Land. Therefore, in 13:2, 13: 21, and 13:25, we find the expressions “v’yaturu,” “vayaturu,” and “meture,” all expressions of exploration and discovery. Moreover, the infinitive form of this verb, “latur” (to seek out or to discover) is found in 13:16.

Unfortunately, however, it all went terribly wrong, and the grand dream came to a crashing halt. Inexplicably, these great leaders, except for Kalev and Yehoshua, ceased to be anashim and morphed into meraglim (mere spies). This transformation is clearly represented in the first chapter of Sefer Devarim:

And I said to you, “You have come to the mountain of the Amorites, which Hashem, our God, is giving us. Behold, Hashem, your God, has set the land before you; go up and possess it, as Hashem, God of your fathers has spoken to you; you shall neither fear nor be dismayed.” And all of you approached me and said, “Let us send men ahead of us so that they will search out the land for us and bring us back word by which route we shall go up, and to which cities we shall come.” And the matter pleased me; so I took twelve men from you, one man for each tribe. And they turned and went up to the mountain, and they came to the valley of Eshkol and [they] spied it out. (20-24)
 
The meraglim failed to maintain the proper perspective. As a result, they squandered one of the greatest opportunities ever given to humankind. Instead of fulfilling their mission of exploration and discovery in a spiritually infused fashion, they acted like lowly spies on a “black ops” military mission.

How did this take place? In my estimation, the meraglim looked at everything through the lens of the laws of nature and forgot they were representatives of Hashem’s Am HaNivchar (Chosen People). Consequently, they failed to understand that our entire existence was, and is, dependent upon our being tachat kanfei HaSchechinah (under the divine wings of the Almighty’s protection). Little wonder then, that the meraglim returned to the people and issued a report that focused upon what they saw, that is, “the facts on the ground,” rather than the potential of that which could be. In short, their spiritual myopia prevented them from seeing a glorious, Hashem-infused future.

The people’s response to the Spies’ report tragically changed the course of history:
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The entire community raised their voices and shouted, and the people wept on that night. All the children of Israel complained against Moshe and Aharon, and the entire congregation said, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt, or if only we had died in this desert. Why does Hashem bring us to this land to fall by the sword; our wives and children will be as spoils. Is it not better for us to return to Egypt?” They said to each other, “Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt!” (Sefer Bamidbar 14:1-4)
 
This near-complete capitulation was met by swift and angry words from Hashem:

Hashem said to Moshe, “How long will this people provoke Me? How much longer will they not believe in Me after all the signs I have performed in their midst? I will strike them with a plague and annihilate them; then I will make you into a nation, greater and stronger than they.” (11-12)

Moshe, however, interceded and saved our fledgling nation:

Now, please, let the strength of Hashem be increased, as You spoke, saying. “Hashem is slow to anger and abundantly kind, forgiving iniquity and transgression, Who cleanses [some] and does not cleanse [others], Who visits the iniquities of parents on children, even to the third and fourth generations.” Please forgive the iniquity of this nation in accordance with your abounding kindness, as You have borne this people from Egypt until now.” And Hashem said, “I have forgiven them in accordance with your word.” (17-20)
 
Mishnah Ta’anit 4:6, and the subsequent discussion in Talmud Bavli, teach us that the meraglim returned from their journey to Eretz Yisrael on the night of Tisha b’Av. Although the people were saved through Moshe’s intercession, their shameful response to the meraglim’s report led to the divine decree that proscribed the Dor Hamidbar from entering Eretz Yisrael: “b’tisha b’av nigzar al avotainu she’lo yichnasu l’aretz.” Chazal note that lail tisha b’av was set aside for destruction and misery ever since that woeful time. Sadly, the monumental failures of the meraglim, and the faithless reaction of our ancestors, have continued to reverberate until our own historical moment.

We live in an age of pirood (separation) and sinat chinam (groundless hatred). Each one of us is labeled and defined by others as to what kind of Jew we are and where we stand on the religious spectrum of belief and observance. The result of this kind of thinking is alienation from our fellow Jews. Instead of banding together in achdut and tolerance, we distrust one another and perceive those who differ from us as less than ourselves. I believe we may view this as “meraglim-thinking,” since this is the exact kind of behavior that our ancestors manifested when Kalev and Yehoshua disagreed with the meraglim’s report:

Yehoshua the son of Nun and Kalev the son of Yephunneh, who were among those who had scouted the land, tore their clothes. They spoke to the entire congregation of the children of Israel, saying, “The land we passed through to scout is an exceedingly good land. If Hashem desires us, He will bring us to this land and give it to us, a land flowing with milk and honey. But you shall not rebel against Hashem, and you will not fear the people of that land for they are [as] our bread. Their protection is removed from them, and Hashem is with us; do not fear them.” The entire congregation threatened to pelt them with stones, but the glory of Hashem appeared in the Tent of Meeting to all the children of Israel. (Sefer Bamidbar 14:6-10, underlining my own)
 
Based on the above, I believe that one of our main tasks as Jews today is to reject “meraglim-thinking” out of hand and embrace an entirely different mode of behavior. To this end, we need to focus upon the celebrated idea of Rabbi Avraham Yitzhak Kook zatzal (1865-1935): “If we were destroyed [during the Second Holy Temple period], and the world was destroyed with us, due to baseless hatred, sinat chinam, we must return to rebuild ourselves, and the world with us, with ahavat chinam, love without cause.” (Orot HaKodesh vol. III, p. 324, translation, http://ravkooktorah.org/TISHA-AV-70.htm, with my emendations)

May Rav Kook’s words ring true in the ears of our entire nation; and may the entire world become filled with the love of, and devotion to, the Master of the Universe. May this time come soon and in our days. V'chane yihi ratzon.

Shabbat Shalom

Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org

Many may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org using the search criteria Etengoff and the parasha’s name.

The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:[email protected]

*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: https://www.box.com/s/7bf01f9abcabf02e25c3

*** I have posted 164+ of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.