“Do this: Take for yourselves fire-pans – Korach and his entire assembly- and put fire into them and place incense upon them before HASHEM tomorrow. Then the man whom HASHEM will choose – he is the holy one. It is a lot for you Children of Levi!” (Bamidbar 16:6)
Moshe challenges Korach and his crew to a show down with the deadly incense offering and in the same breath tells him that he’s got a lot. What message is Moshe telling to Korach?
There was student of Yisrael Salanter who had assumed an important rabbinical position in Russia. The Czar Nicholas had a deep seeded hatred for this young and clever Rabbi. He invited community leaders to his palace for a conference on Shabbos, assuming the Rabbi would not show. To the Czar’s surprise, the Rabbi managed to attend. Nicholas then personally handed a cigar to each guest. When he came to the Rabbi, the Rabbi accepted the cigar, reasoning that muktzah is rabbinical in origin and if he did it in a slightly different manner it would be “legally” acceptable.
The Czar Nicholas proceeded to light the cigar of each guest. When he came to the Rabbi, the Rabbi promptly withdrew his cigar. The Czar was about ready to retaliate when the Rabbi explained: “Mighty Czar! I cannot let this cigar be burned away frivolously. It is far more valuable to me than that. I cherish it and prefer to put on display for my community the precious gift I have received from such a great king as yourself.”
If one would receive a gift from a king, it would be the height of foolishness to throw it away for no good reason. How much more so when one considers a gift that is given by the “King of Kings”. Korach, as a Levi, had been selected for special service. By lighting up that incense he was risking that every-thing good and great HASHEM had granted him in life would go up in smoke.
