Va'etchanan

My Musing

The concept that Moshe had to plead for something for himself has always resonated with me. This is the man who God chose, who spoke “face to face” with God. Moses was able to demand that God erase him from the Torah if God would decimate the nation of Israel and begin over with him; This is the man who went up to the mountain not just once but three times, was able to effect forgiveness for the nation from The Almighty, but for himself he has to plead.

What is the efficacy of prayer? The midrash lists a number of terms, each unique but yet synonymous with another term. Since Dov’s a”h death, the efficacy of prayer has taken on a new meaning for me. In the end, Moshe pleads but is denied. Many times when I look back on the days surrounding Dov’s accident and his passing, I too feel as though we all pleaded but were denied.

The Midrash ends with a sobering statement- God doesn’t owe us anything. Anything we get, it is all in His grace. [As an aside, this also corroborates the teaching in Pirkei Avot that we should not worship God like a servant who works expecting a reward, rather we should worship God because He is God and he has commanded us]

מדרש תנחומא (ורשא) פרשת ואתחנן סימן ג

(דברים ג:כג) "וָאֶתְחַנַּן אֶל יְדֹוָד בָּעֵת הַהִוא לֵאמֹר"
דבר אחר:

The midrash opens this next exposition on Moshe’s supplication to enter the Land of Israel with a verse from Solomon’s dedication of the Temple whereby Solomon prays that God will “turn to his prayer” and the text uses three different terms for the concept of prayer.

"וָאֶתְחַנַּן אֶל יְדֹוָד", זה שאמר הכתוב (מלכים א – ח:כח)" וּפָנִיתָ אֶל תְּפִלַּת עַבְדְּךָ וְאֶל תְּחִנָּתוֹ יְדֹוָד אֱלֹהָי לִשְׁמֹעַ אֶל הָרִנָּה וְאֶל הַתְּפִלָּה אֲשֶׁר עַבְדְּךָ מִתְפַּלֵּל לְפָנֶיךָ הַיּוֹם"

The midrash lists a number of terms for the concept of prayer. Although in Talmudic literature the term “tefilah” means the amida- the standing silent prayer, here it means prayer in the more general idea of asking God. Some of the terms listed here include prayer, supplication, cry, scream, song, engagement, falling, standing.

הרי בהרבה שמות נקראת התפלה. אלו הן: תפלה, תחנה, צעקה, זעקה, שועה, רננה, פגיעה, נפילה, עמידה.
ולמה לא נתפלל משה באחת מהן אלא בלשון תחנונים שנאמר ואתחנן?

The midrash asks if all these different approaches to God were available to Moshe, why did he choose to use plead?
The midrash answers by referring us to another time, when Moses was up on Mount Sinai, the rabbinic tradition relates that among the conversations Moses had with God was the request to understand how God runs the world.

אלא בשעה שעמד משה ואמר לפני הקדוש ברוך הוא (שמות לג:יח) " וַיֹּאמַר הַרְאֵנִי נָא אֶת
כְּבֹדֶךָ", אמר משה רבונו של עולם 'הודיעני נא באי זו מדה אתה נוהג עולמך? שנאמר, (שמות לג:יג) "וְעַתָּה אִם נָא מָצָאתִי חֵן בְּעֵינֶיךָ הוֹדִעֵנִי נָא אֶת דְּרָכֶךָ וְאֵדָעֲךָ לְמַעַן אֶמְצָא חֵן בְּעֵינֶיךָ וּרְאֵה כִּי עַמְּךָ הַגּוֹי הַזֶּה"

God answers that He chooses by His grace where to place His mercies and his favors. God owes us nothing. Therefore there was nothing but a plea for Moshe to offer. Even when we fulfill His mitzvoth, God gives us by His Grace not as a reward. (notwithstanding, of course, that the second paragraph of the Sh’ma creates a national reward and punishment equation and Maimonides puts reward and punishment as one of his 13 attributes of God)

אמר לו הקדוש ברוך הוא, הן אני מראה לך.(שמות לג:יט) " וַיֹּאמֶר אֲנִי אַעֲבִיר כָּל טוּבִי עַל פָּנֶיךָ וְקָרָאתִי בְשֵׁם יְדֹוָד לְפָנֶיךָ וְחַנֹּתִי אֶת אֲשֶׁר אָחֹן וְרִחַמְתִּי אֶת אֲשֶׁר אֲרַחֵם". אמר לו 'איני חייב לבריה, כל מה שיעשה אדם מצוה, חנם אני נותן לו. לא שאני חייב לכל בריה כלום אלא חנם אני נותן להם', שנאמר "וְחַנֹּתִי אֶת אֲשֶׁר אָחֹן וְרִחַמְתִּי אֶת אֲשֶׁר אֲרַחֵם", אמר לו משה ,'אם כן, עשה עלי מצוה ותן לי חנם' לפיכך כתיב ואתחנן.

Korach

My Musing-
Many people are familiar with the midrash Rashi quotes about Korach’s points of contention. According to the midrash , as quoted by Rashi, Korach asked questions regarding what he explained was the self contradictory nature of the law: Does a Talit, prayer shawl, which is dyed totally techelet, the blue used for tzitzit, fringes, require the tzitzit since it is already that color? Does a house that if full of Torah scrolls need a mezuzah, the small piece of parchment that contains just a few verses of the Torah?
But if he was seeking leadership why did he seek to uproot the entire Torah?
How did Korach’s rebellion get this far? Didn’t he experience all that happened to the Israelites? Wasn’t he a member of the tribe of Levi who were given the specialized task of guarding the sanctity of the Temple in its transport?
The midrash quoted by Rashi is the second Midrash Tanhuma of Korach (which we will discuss next year God willing). The first one which we deal with here sets the stage for the event. The midrash explains that Korach was not motivated by a desire for truth or honesty. He was motivated by ambition and jealousy. What does it mean to be so driven that you are willing to overturn an entire system for personal gain? An additional point is raised in the opening of the midrash- how successful was he? How did he gain so many followers of stature?
מדרש תנחומא )ורשא( פרשת קרח סימן א

(במדבר טז:א) וַיִּקַּח קֹרַח בֶּן יִצְהָר בֶּן קְהָת בֶּן לֵוִי וְדָתָן וַאֲבִירָם בְּנֵי אֱלִיאָב וְאוֹן בֶּן פֶּלֶת בְּנֵי רְאוּבֵן.
And Korach, the son of Yitzhar, the son of Kehat, the son of Levi, and Dotan and Aviram, the sons of Eliav, and On the son of Pelet the sons of Reuben
"וַיִּקַּח קֹרַח"
זה שאמר הכתוב (משלי יח:יט) "אָח נִפְשָׁע מִקִּרְיַת עֹז <ומדונים> וּמִדְיָנִים כִּבְרִיחַ אַרְמוֹן"
"אָח נִפְשָׁע מִקִּרְיַת עֹז", זה קרח שחלק כנגד משה, ומרד וירד מן כבוד שהיה בידו.
What is the meaning of And Korach took?
This is what the scripture means by “A brother offended from a fortified city, and disputes are like the bars of the palace”
The first phrase refers to Korach who argued against Moshe, and rebelled and fell from the honor previously given to him.
ואין 'נִפְשָׁע' אלא לשון מרידה, כמו דאמרת (מלכים ב, ג:ז) "וַיֵּלֶךְ וַיִּשְׁלַח אֶל יְהוֹשָׁפָט מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה לֵאמֹר מֶלֶךְ מוֹאָב פָּשַׁע בִּי הֲתֵלֵךְ אִתִּי אֶל מוֹאָב לַמִּלְחָמָה וַיֹּאמֶר אֶעֱלֶה כָּמוֹנִי כָמוֹךָ כְּעַמִּי כְעַמֶּךָ כְּסוּסַי כְּסוּסֶיךָ"
וכן הוא אומר (מלכים ב ח:כב ) "וַיִּפְשַׁע אֱדוֹם מִתַּחַת יַד יְהוּדָה עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה אָז תִּפְשַׁע לִבְנָה בָּעֵת הַהִיא"
The midrash enters a set of proof texts to justify its unorthodox reading of the Korach episode into the normative meaning. The word “נִפְשָׁע” means sinned or transgressed against. The midrash brings verse from Kings II, 3:7, 6:22 to prove that the root of “נִפְשָׁע” has a connotation of rebellion.
"וּמִדְיָנִים כִּבְרִיחַ אַרְמוֹן",מדינים שעשה כנגדו פלטים כבריח ארמון, שחלק על משה ועל המקום.
Although the traditional reading is midyanim, the actually text (the kri) is medunim which means disputes. The midrash explains that the reference is to the challenges that were raised by Korach against the fortified palace of Moshe in his role as the Prophet of the Lord realying the Divine Torah to the nation

The midrash now explains the method that Korach employed.
"וַיִּקַּח" אין ויקח אלא משיכת דברים רכים, שמשך כל גדולי ישראל והסנהדראות אחריו.
The midrash expounds that “and he took” implies using language to manipulate the masses. The midrash astonishingly declares that Korach was dynamic enough in his words to gain a following of the leaders of the nation.
במשה הוא אומר (במדבר א:יז) "וַיִּקַּח מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן אֵת הָאֲנָשִׁים הָאֵלֶּה אֲשֶׁר נִקְּבוּ בְּשֵׁמוֹת" וכן הוא אומר(ויקרא ח:ב) "קַח אֶת אַהֲרֹן וְאֶת בָּנָיו אִתּוֹ וְאֵת הַבְּגָדִים וְאֵת שֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה וְאֵת פַּר הַחַטָּאת וְאֵת שְׁנֵי הָאֵילִים וְאֵת סַל הַמַּצּוֹת"
וכן הוא אומר(הושע יד:ג) "קְחוּ עִמָּכֶם דְּבָרִים וְשׁוּבוּ אֶל יְדֹוָד אִמְרוּ אֵלָיו כָּל תִּשָּׂא עָוֹן וְקַח טוֹב וּנְשַׁלְּמָה פָרִים שְׂפָתֵינוּ"
וכן הוא אומר(בראשית יב:טו)בראשית יב "וַיִּרְאוּ אֹתָהּ שָׂרֵי פַרְעֹה וַיְהַלְלוּ אֹתָהּ אֶל פַּרְעֹה וַתֻּקַּח הָאִשָּׁה בֵּית פַּרְעֹה"
הוי "וַיִּקַּח קֹרַח" שבדברים רבים משך לבם.
The midrash brings proof texts from Bemidbar 1:17, Vayikra 8:2, Hosea 14:3, and Bereishit 12:15 to show that the language of “take” implies using words to seduce or manipulate people into following you into sin.
"וַיִּקַּח קֹרַח" על ידי מה נחלק?
על ידי אליצפן בן עוזיאל אחי אביו שנעשה נשיא על משפחתו. שנאמר(במדבר ג:ל) "וּנְשִׂיא בֵית אָב לְמִשְׁפְּחֹת הַקְּהָתִי אֱלִיצָפָן בֶּן עֻזִּיאֵל
Now that we have established that Korach used oratory to sway the masses to rebellion the midrash wants to identify the actual points of contention. The midrash explains that Korach was at first passed over the leadership position of his familial grouping. But it was not that alone.
אמר קרח: ארבעה אחים היו אחי אבא שנאמר( שמות ו:יח) "וּבְנֵי קְהָת עַמְרָם וְיִצְהָר וְחֶבְרוֹן וְעֻזִּיאֵל וּשְׁנֵי חַיֵּי קְהָת שָׁלֹשׁ וּשְׁלֹשִׁים וּמְאַת שָׁנָה", עמרם הבכור זכה אהרן ובניו לכהונה ומשה אחיו למלכות מי ראוי ליטול את השניה לא השני, ואני בנו של יצהר הייתי ראוי להיות על משפחתי נשיא והוא עשה בנו של עוזיאל קטן של אחי אבא יהא גדול עלי, הריני חולק ומבטל כל מה שנעשה על ידו.
Korach reasoned: There were four brothers who were the sons of Levi; Amram, Yitzhar, Hevron, and Uziel. Amram, the eldest, merited to have his two sons, Moshe and Aaron, take the mantle of leadership and priesthood. The next leadership position should have gone to the children of the next in line, Yitzhar. But Moshe made the child of the youngest above me. I will uproot all that Moshe has done.
לפיכך היתה מחלקותו:
Therefore Korach began to dispute.