And Korach ‘took’ (16:1).
Rashi explains that Korach argued against the mitzvos of tzitzis and mezuza. His argument was that if one string of blue techeiles exempts the entire tzitzis, surely, if the entire article of clothing is blue, it should not need the required one string of blue techeiles. He argued the same about mezuza. If one mezuza, which contains two parshios, protects an entire room, then for sure a house that is full of seforim (sifrei Torah) should not need the protection of a mezuza.
The Zera Shimshon asks that Korach’s main complaint and the basis of his clash with Moshe Rabbeinu was because he was infuriated with the nomination of Eltzafan, which Korach held was a position he should have received. That being the case, what place did his argument about the mitzvos of tzitzis and mezuza have? It seems entirely out of context.
The Zera Shimshon explains that Korach thought that he was greater than Eltzafan. As well, he felt that his lineage entitled him to the position over Eltzafan. He was the son of Yitzhar, who was the second son of Amram, and Eltzafan was the son of Uziel, who was the fourth son of Amram.
Regarding the mitzva of tzitzis, it seems from the pesukim that the mitzva was given to constantly remind us of the mitzvos of Hashem. Korach thought that if the reminder was present in a stronger form, one did not necessarily have to fulfill the mitzva as Moshe Rabbeinu taught it. In fact, it would be even better if the entire article were blue since this would serve as a much stronger reminder.
The same is true with the mitzva of mezuza. This mitzva serves as a protection (see Zohar 3:300b). Korach reasoned that if one could have a sefer Torah in his house, it would serve as an even stronger protection than that of just a small mezuza, and it would be preferable to have such protection if possible. Korach thought that his reasoning was better than that of Moshe Rabbeinu and that Moshe Rabbeinu had not correctly understood the mitzvos that Hashem had commanded him.
Using this line of reasoning, Korach felt that since he was greater than Eltzafan, here too, Moshe Rabbeinu was wrong for picking someone not as great, and that, in reality, it was he, Korach, who should have been picked.
Obviously, he was mistaken, and the mitzvos were given exactly as Moshe Rabbeinu had said. Not necessarily did everything have to fall into place the way Korach saw it, nor did Hashem’s pick of Eltzafan over Korach have to fit with Korach’s reasoning.
ZERA SHIMSHON
ZERA SHIMSHON SHIUR BY RABBI SIMCHA BUNIM BURGER
THURSDAY 8:15 PM - 9:15 PM (20 Upstairs)
