Recently those learning Daf Yomi came upon the Mishna that states that there are ארבעה אבות נזיקין, four primary damagers. They are שור, בור, מבעה, הבער, ox, pit, Maveh and fire.
Here is another explanation, which connects to our parsha. These four damagers can also be referring to different events throughout history that have caused tremendous damage. The שור refers to the עגל, golden calf. The בור is a reference to Yosef who was catapulted into a pit and later sold.
The meaning of מבעה is either אדם, damage done by man, or שן, teeth (Machlokes in the Gemara). So, this refers to Adam and Chava who partook of the forbidden fruit of the Eitz Hadaas.
הבער, fire refers to the fire of Machlokes referring to the episode of Korach and his followers against Moshe. How did this incident end? With fire as it says ואש יצאה מאת ה'..., a fire came forth from Hashem and consumed the 250 men...
Rabbi Alt merited to learn under the tutelage of R’ Mordechai Friedlander ztz”l for close to five years. He received semicha from R’ Zalman Nechemia Goldberg ztz”l. Rabbi Alt has written on numerous topics for various websites and publications and is the author of six books including the recently released Dazzling Money Insights. His writings, some of which have been translated into Yiddish, Hebrew, German and French, inspire people across the spectrum of Jewish observance to live with the vibrancy and beauty of Torah. He lives with his wife and family in Kiryat Yearim (where the Aron was for 20 years [Shmuel 1, 7:1,2]) where he studies, writes and teaches. The author is passionate about teaching Jews of all levels of observance.
Incidentally, the Sichas Haran (29) informs us that learning Shulchan Aruch (Halacha) is a big tikun. This is because through sin, a person mixes good and bad. On the other hand, through learning Halacha we separate the good from bad since we clarify through Halacha what is kosher and pasul, permitted and forbidden and what is pure and impure (see Likutai Moharan 1:8).
The Sar of Edom in heaven is appointed to create Machlokes. A Sar cannot be removed but his energy can be harnessed for good. So through pilpul of Torah, which is like fighting (Indeed, it is called Milchamta Shel Torah), other Machlokes (fighting, wars and the like) can be removed, thereby increasing peace in the world. With this we can explain the dictum that Torah scholars increase peace in the world. This is because there can be more peace in the world through the Machlokes of Torah, (Drashos Chassam Sofer, p. 806). Elsewhere, the Chassam Sofer (Chassam Sofer Al Hatorah, Lech Lecha, s.v. vlo nasa) tells us that when tzadikim are in unity, the wicked are in dispersion. However, when they are not in unity, then the wicked are in cohesion.
