The Secret of Korach’s Soul-Root • The Daily Article from the Gaon HaTzaddik

Why did Korach argue with Moshe Rabbeinu, and what was the root of his soul? And who were the “Erev Rav” (the mixed multitude) who “craved a craving”? You will find the answers to these questions in the daily article before you, written by the Gaon HaTzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a—full and overflowing with wondrous new insights the ear has never heard.

Here is the complete article for reading and download:

The Secret of Korach’s Soul-Root

The secret of Korach’s soul-root was in the “nose” of Atika (Chotma d’Atika), where the Yesod of the “Head that is Unknown” (Reisha d’Lo Ityada) enters—hinted in the verse, “who were snatched away before their time; a river was poured out as their foundation” (Iyov 22:16). For the river that goes out from Eden—which is the Yesod of Reisha d’Lo Ityada—enters into Chotma d’Atika, in the secret of the verse, “I will seal My praise for you” (Yeshayahu 48:9).

“Who were snatched away before their time”—this refers to what extends through Chotma d’Atika, which is “sealed” without time. And from there—from Chotma d’Atika—come the greatest souls that ever existed, such as the souls of Korach, Dasan and Aviram, Nadav and Avihu. Because of their immense greatness, since their root was in Chotma d’Atika, they therefore—because of their great merit—thought and “saw” for themselves a kind of “right” to argue with Moshe Rabbeinu, the Holy of Holies, about whom it is said: “Mouth to mouth I speak with him… and he beholds the image of Hashem” (Bamidbar 12:8).

Korach claimed, “For the entire assembly—all of them—are holy” (Bamidbar 16:3), as it says, “I said: You are gods, and all of you are children of the Most High” (Tehillim 82:6). For the impurity had ceased from all of them, and they had already merited the level of Techiyas HaMeisim (Resurrection of the Dead).

And even though it says (Bamidbar 11:4), “And the mixed multitude that was among them craved a craving”—Midrash Rabbah says: “the mixed multitude” refers to the Sanhedrin, who had already reached the peak of spiritual levels and merited the standing at Har Sinai—to see Hashem face to face, as it says (Va’eschanan 4:5): “Face to face Hashem spoke with you.” All of them merited to hear all Ten Commandments with all their details and fine points, and all the halachos that were formed and will be formed until the end of all generations—together with Megillas Esther and the books of Daniel, Ezra, and Nechemiah. They merited to hear everything that would happen to Israel until the end of all generations, and they saw the Holocaust and everything that would develop from it.

Korach, who was the head of the Levi’im and merited to be the root of their souls, thought he was greater than Moshe Rabbeinu. Then the abyss opened beneath him, and he and his three sons were swallowed into the opening of the great deep (Nukva d’Tehoma Rabba).

But in the end, the hand of Divine Providence will redeem us. Even though we are now going from one downfall to another, the hand of Hashem will prevail, as it is said: “Is the hand of Hashem too short?” (Bamidbar 11:23).

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