[Avodah] Korach

[cantorwolberg at cox.net]

There are several interesting explanations as to why a weekly parashah is named after a rasha.
Actually, one or two m'forshim, in order to justify the title of the parashah, claim he really wasn't 
a rasha, but rather misguided. Whatever the case, how would they explain "Balak?" One way to 
look at it is that you can't judge a book by its title. Secondly, the Torah does not sanitize. Hence,
Balak and Korach is reality and part of learning what not to do. 

What I also find interesting is that the first two letters of Korach's name (kuf, reish) spell "cold."
Korach was, indeed, a cold, calculating indvidual. Also, as a side, the gematria of Korach is 308.
The gematria of kivro is 308. His name turned out to be his burial place. 

There is an even more interesting coincidence with Balak. In the same parashah of Balak, Chapter
23, verse 11 has Balak speaking to Bilaam. He chastises him saying (paraphrase): 'I brought you
here to curse my enemy, but instead, you've blessed him.' Balak is spelled beis, lamed, kuf and  
the word Balak uses for "to curse" is lakov, spelled lamed, kuf, beis. Balak's name turned around 
and backfired.


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