5785 - Why is Parshas Korach named after a wicked man? And what was Korach's great mistake? Rabbi Shimon Zonnenfeld, at the conclusion of the Daf Yomi shiur of Rabbi Betzalel Mizrachi…

00:03 Speaker 1 The weekly parsha, Parshas Korach. The Rebbe asks a question: We know there is a halachah not to mention a wicked person’s name, based on the verse, “The name of the wicked shall rot.” So how is it that the Torah has a parsha named after Korach, who was wicked? At first glance, we could answer that there is also a parsha named after Balak. Balak was wicked too, and yet there is a parsha named after him. But the Rebbe says that is not an answer. The fact that there is a parsha named after Balak raises another question; it does not explain why there is one named after Korach. Furthermore, says the Rebbe, a wicked Jew is worse than a wicked non-Jew. True, Balak was a non-Jew and he was wicked, but when a Jew is wicked, he falls even lower. So how can there be a parsha in the Torah named after Korach? The Rebbe explains: What was Korach’s sin? He challenged Moshe Rabbeinu. Korach said, “The entire congregation is holy, so why do you exalt yourselves over them?” He also wanted to be the Kohen Gadol. Rashi, citing the Midrash, says that his vision misled him. He saw a distinguished line of descendants coming from him, including Shmuel the prophet, of whom it is written that he was equal to Moshe and Aharon. So Korach was certain he would survive, and he—but the point is that he wanted to be the Kohen Gadol. The Rebbe says that the very desire of a Jew to reach the level of the Kohen Gadol is positive; it is a good thing. A Jew should want to reach the highest level possible. So Korach’s desire to be the Kohen Gadol was, in itself, entirely good. In particular, it is written that in the future the Levites will be kohanim, as the verse says, “the kohanim, the Levites.” In other words, in the future,

02:27 Speaker 1 that really is how it will be: the Levites will be kohanim. Korach wanted to bring that future state about already, and he wanted to be the Kohen Gadol. So that desire itself really was positive. Because of that positive aspect of Korach, there is a parsha named after him, for that is what should ultimately come to be. But what? “We have only the words of the son of Amram.” Moshe Rabbeinu said nothing on his own; everything he said was because Hakadosh Boruch Hu had told him to say it. We have to listen, as they say, to the instructions. The future will come in its time, and that was Korach’s mistake. In particular, the writings of the Arizal and other sefarim say that in the future Korach will indeed be a tzaddik. There are all kinds of very great and important things associated with Korach that will come about in the future. Yes, Korach was wicked. He caused conflict among the Jewish people and caused the deaths of so many people afterward. But in the future he will truly be on a very, very high level. Since we are approaching Gimmel Tammuz, the Rebbe’s yahrzeit, I just want to read a passage from Igeres Hakodesh that the Alter Rebbe writes about a yahrzeit. This is what the holy Zohar says: “A tzaddik who has departed is present in all worlds more than during his lifetime.” He is present in all the worlds, including this world, even more than he was during his lifetime. That is, even in this world of action, here in the world where “today is the time to do them,” he is present even more. The tzaddik is still here, for his deeds continue to grow and produce growth upon growth from the light sown for the righteous in the field blessed by Hashem. And we too, all of us here today, live according to his ways, the way that is called holy. That applies to serving Hashem and to spiritual matters, and also to worldly matters, matters of this physical world. It says explicitly in the holy Zohar: “The tzaddikim protect

04:39 Speaker 1 the world”—they protect the world—“and after their passing, more than during their lifetimes. Were it not for the prayers of the tzaddikim in that world,” without the prayers of the tzaddikim in the World of Truth, “the world could not endure for even a single moment.” “And whoever was closest to Hashem’s dwelling during his lifetime is first to receive the blessing.” That is the special quality of a yahrzeit, and Sunday is the Rebbe’s yahrzeit. It is an auspicious day when we can connect with him and follow his ways, and with Hashem’s help, may we soon merit the true and complete Geulah.

05:15 Speaker 2 Amen, indeed.