Korach 5774: We Can Work It Out

By Rabbi Joshua (cooperatingly known as The Hoffer) Hoffman

For the merit of a swift and safe return of the three teenage yeshiva students abducted by terrorists last week in Eretz Yisroel: Gilad ben Bas Galim, Yaakov Naftali ben Rachel Devorah, and Eyal ben Iris Teshurah.  Readers are requested to pray on their behalf.

Recently, I had an appointment for a blood test at a local clinic. Although the test itself did not take long, there was a line of other people before me, which necessitated some waiting time. As I entered the waiting room, another patient rushed in before me, and sat down. Still, I was called in for my test before he was. When that happened, he got up and stated yelling, saying that he had been waiting for forty minutes, and that they had jumped the line for me. The nurse showed him the paperwork, which clearly had me listed as a number 71; and him as number 73, but he didn’t listen and continued to shout in complaint. The nurse finally decided to ignore his remarks, and took me into the office for my test. He told me that it was no use to reason with the person, because he just wanted to be argumentative. 

This incident came to mind, when I read a prescient comment by Rabbi Moshe Sternbuch in his Ta’am Vo’Da’as, in explaining a puzzling comment by Rashi at the beginning of the parshas Korach. Rashi says that this parsha is expounded well in the Midrash of Rabbi Tanchuma. What does Rashi mean to say?  Is he implying that other parshas are not expounded well in the Midrash Tanchuma?  My teacher, Rav Aharon Soloveitchik, explained that it is thoroughly dissected there, with the Midrash, explaining every word and phrase.  Another explanation I have often heard, is that, in this parsha, the derash level of interpretation conforms closely to the p’shat level.

Rav Sternbuch raises a different point in regard to this Rashi. Whatever Rashi meant by his statement, why, after praising the derash aspect, does he go or to explain the parsha on a p’shat level?  He answers that Rashi is teaching us an important truth about involvement in arguments, controversy and strife.  Many reasons and rationalizations can be given for machlokes – the gates of derash don’t close.  However, in essence, people who want to maintain peaceful relations will usually be able to do so.  In most cases, however, when strife breaks out, there is no real reason for it other than the desire to be argumentative and to suppress the other side. This way, in essence, what happened with Korach and his minions.  He led, as the Midrash portrays it, a propaganda campaign against Moshe to challenge his leadership and gave reasons for his opposition.  Moshe tried to respond, but, seeing that this was futile, simply fell on his face before God. The bottom line was that Korach sought out an argument, and thereby precipitated his ignominious end.  Machlokes in general, says Rav Sternbuch, reflects this scenario, and should be avoided whenever possible.  This is Rashi’s message to us in his comment to the Midrash.