<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><span style="font-size: 19px;" class="">1) 16:1 "Vayikach Korach...." "And Korach, the son of Yitzhar, the son of Kehoth, the son of Levi took, and Dathan and Aviram, the sons of Eliav,etc.” <br class="">The question is what did Korach take? The verb has no object. Resh Lakish said: "He took a bad 'taking' for himself" (Sanhedrin). Rashi said: "Korach...separated [lit.,took] himself.<br class="">Korach placed himself at odds with the rest of the assembly to protest against Aaron's assumption of the priesthood." Ibn Ezra said it meant: "Korach took men..." <br class=""> <br class="">2) In the Ethics of the Fathers 5, 17 it states: "Every controversy that is pursued in a heavenly cause, is destined to be perpetuated; and that which is not pursued in a heavenly cause <br class="">is not destined to be perpetuated. Which can be considered a controversy pursued in a heavenly cause? This is the controversy of Hillel and Shammai. And that not pursued in a heavenly cause? <br class="">This is the controversy of Korach and his congregation." An analysis of this by Malbim explains in quite a compelling fashion why the Mishnah was not worded as we would have expected it to be: <br class="">"A controversy pursued in a heavenly cause...that is the controversy of Hillel and Shammai. That not pursued in a heavenly cause is the controversy of Korach and Moses." Instead it reads: <br class="">"Korach and his congregation." As Malbim explains-- they would be quarreling amongst themselves, as each one strove to attain his selfish ambitions. The controversy therefore was rightly termed <br class="">"between Korach and his congregation." They would ultimately fight among themselves. And the denouement would be their self-destruction. <br class=""> <br class="">3) "Korach quarreled with peace, and he who quarrels with peace quarrels with the Holy Name." (Zohar, Korach 176a [ed.,Soncino], Vol. V, p.238). The bottom line here is "Don't Mess with Hashem."</span><br class=""><br class=""><br class="">In a controversy the instant we feel anger we have already ceased striving for the truth, and have begun striving for ourselves.<br class="">Buddhal</body></html>