Following this line of reasoning, we will proceed to explain why this righteous Levite family chose to name this son specifically Korach. They foresaw via their “ruach hakodesh” that HKB”H was destined to instruct Moshe Rabeinu to purify the leviim by shaving their entire bodies to remove all of their body hair. Here are the pertinent pesukim (Bamidbar 8, 5):
"וידבר ה' אל משה לאמר, קח את הלוים מתוך בני ישראל וטהרת אותם, וכה תעשה להם לטהרם הזה עליהם מי חטאת והעבירו תער על כל בשרם וכבסו בגדיהם והיטהרו... והניף אהרן את הלוים תנופה לפני ה' מאת בני ישראל והיו לעבוד את עבודת ה'... והבדלת את הלוים מתוך בני ישראל והיו לי הלוים... כי נתונים נתונים המה לי מתוך בני ישראל תחת פטרת כל רחם בכור כל מבני ישראל לקחתי אותם לי".
Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying, “Take the Leviim from among Bnei Yisrael and purify them. So shall you do to them to purify them: Sprinkle upon them water of purification, and let them pass a razor over their entire flesh, and let them immerse their garments and they shall become pure. . . Aharon shall wave the leviim before Hashem from Bnei Yisrael and they shall be to perform the service of Hashem. . . You shall separate the leviim from among Bnei Yisrael, and the leviim shall be mine. . . For given, given are they to Me from among Bnei Yisrael; in place of the first issue of every womb, the firstborn of everyone of Bnei Yisrael, have I taken them to Myself.”
In Yearos Dvash (Part 1, 6), the brilliant Rabbi YehoNasan Eybeschutz, zy”a, explains why HKB”H ordered the leviim to be shaven in this manner. He explains that body hair represents the excesses and physical desires that a Jew should shun and avoid. Here is a summary of his fascinating remarks:
A Jew must distance himself from excesses (overindulgence). This is why it did not suffice for a nazir to merely swear to abstain from wine and the like—to minimize excesses—for thirty days. He must accustom himself to refrain from excessive cravings always. Therefore, at the conclusion of his period as a nazir, he must shave off all the hair on his head to symbolize that he plans to minimize excesses and will only do what is necessary for human survival.
The same applies to the leviim. They were designated to serve Hashem and sing in His house. They were not allotted a portion of their own but were dependent on gifts and donations. They must avoid all excesses. Therefore, when they were sanctified and consecrated to serve in Hashem’s house, Moshe shaved off all of their hair to minimize excesses as much as possible. Thus, they would be ready for matters of kedushah and the service of Hashem exclusively.
