פרשת קרח

Bamidbar Chapter 16: The Rebellion of Korach

Introduction: The Most Significant Challenge to Leadership

We’re doing Bamidbar chapter 16. This is the chapter and the next chapter somewhat. I’m not sure if the chapter was split in the correct place, but in any case this chapter and the next chapter talk about what’s known as the Machlokes of Korach [the challenge or faction of Korach], which came to be against Moshe, specifically against Aharon and being the Kohen [priest].

Probably the most significant challenge — as we’ve discussed, in some sense all the challenges in Sefer Bamidbar are challenges against the leadership. This might be the most, or most explicitly, the challenge against the leadership, right? It’s very explicitly Korach saying that Aharon’s leadership, Aharon’s priesthood, Aharon’s Kehunah [priesthood] is not legitimate.

And there also seems to be the most extreme response. The response to Korach seems to be the most extreme, the most deliberate and extreme response from all these challenges, which is another reason to think that this challenge was somewhat more significant or maybe one of the most important, I would say, rebellions or challenges to the leadership that there was in Bamidbar.

The Structure of the Narrative

It’s described in quite at length and with different steps and different steps, both action steps. So what’s the actions Korach did, what actions other people who were along with him, part of his faction or different faction along with his party did. And also different discussions or debates.

This is one attribute of all these challenges, as I’ve discussed already once. It’s not that Moshe just uses power. He also seems to have rhetoric. There’s also arguments made from both sides. And then also the question of the punishment or Hashem’s response. Hashem always somehow steps in at some point and shows who is correct and basically backs up Moshe, backs up Aharon and so on.

But those are the three things and each of them have various doublings and various different stages or however you understand the story repeating itself or going back and forth. So we’ll try to go in order of the chapter and go through what it says.

The Opening: Vayikach Korach — The Formation of the Rebellion

The Problematic Verb

First it talks about, gives you like a very general description of the rebellion and this is called Vayikach Korach [And Korach took]. It doesn’t say there isn’t an object of this verb exactly. Vayikach, who did he take? And apparently this is an object that Mefarshim [commentators] will struggle with this, but this is probably a verb that is trying to say he became a faction, he became a party and to stand against Moshe. As it says in the next verse, they gathered against Moshe, they gathered to stand in opposition to Moshe.

The Three Groups of Rebels

So what we have is a list and a list that also has some of the attributes of Sefer Bamidbar in the sense of giving genealogies and lists and the census of everything.

So we have Korach with his entire genealogy, the son of Yitzhar, son of Kehat, son of Levi. Then we have two other people, Datan and Aviram, sons of Eliav, and On, the son of Pelet. These are all sons of Reuven and they all stand, they’ll stand in front of Moshe along with a third.

So there’s Korach, there’s these two brothers plus one more person from Reuven and then there’s a third group, more people from Bnei Yisrael, generally from the Bnei Yisrael, 250 Nesi’ei Edah Bnei Yisrael [princes of the congregation of Israel], this is like we discussed, there’s the Edah [congregation]. So these are the leaders, the general, the leaders, the princes of the congregation.

The Leadership Challenging the Leadership

These are the people that were called, right? Remember we had before, there’s people that are called the Mikra’ei Edah [those called to the congregation]. These are one of the people that we get called. So one of the elders, Anshei Shem [people of names], people like we said, they’re Mikra’ei Edah, right? We had before the lists of people that were in charge of the census and so on. People whose name is known, these are not just randos, these are people who are explicitly part of the leadership really and they’re the ones challenging the leadership and the position of Moshe and Aharon.

The Rebels’ Opening Argument: “Rav Lachem”

And this is their first statement and we’ll see there’s a response with the same rhetoric or the same language. Their first statement starts, Rav Lachem [You have too much]. It’s great, you’ve talked a great amount. All of us, Kol HaEdah, Kulam Kedoshim [All the congregation, all of them are holy].

People usually read this to mean the entire community is holy but as we’ve been discussing, Edah doesn’t necessarily always mean every single person or might be also every single person but always as represented by the elders, as led by the Ziknei Edah [elders of the congregation], by the people in charge of the Edah. So it’s possible that he’s saying, look, we’re all under this authority of the Edah Kedoshim and Hashem is with all of us.

So why are you, this Nasu [raise up], why are you acting with Hitnasut [self-elevation]? I’m always looking for the correct term about this, for being raised up, for being higher. Why do you think you’re higher than Hashem’s gathering, Hashem’s Kahal [assembly], Hashem’s community?

So this is the very general challenge and to this, it seems like all of these sides, all of these people, whether they’re separate factions within Korach’s party, whether or not these are all something they all agree with, they’re saying in very general terms, Moshe and Aharon have too much power, they have too much, why are they being, think that they’re better than everyone else?

Moshe’s Initial Response: Falling on His Face

Now Moshe, as we’ve seen before, falls on his face. He hears and he falls on his face, again which means something like, I don’t really have what to answer, this might be an act of like humility, something like he’s not standing, they’re standing, right? They’re standing and Moshe falls to his face, he’s like, who am I, what am I doing here?

But he does speak and he stands up, doesn’t say, well there’s some discontinuity here maybe, but he stands up and he speaks to Korach and to all of his congregation, to everyone on the side of Korach, the Adat [congregation] of Korach, he speaks to them and he gives them a test.

The Proposed Test: Trial by Ketores

A Divine Test, Not Human Deliberation

This is very interesting, maybe the first time, but we have a test, we have the story of a Sotah [suspected adulteress], which is a similar kind of test, where by being a korban [offering] there will be a test, and this is also a test, Moshe proposes a trial by test, let’s see who is right.

And he says, let’s see in the morning we will see, Hashem will show who is the one He chose, who is really holy, who did He choose, who did He make close to Him, and he proposed a test, this is what you’ll do, you’ll take machtos [fire-pans], you’ll take vessels of, where we put fire, where we put ketores [incense] in, you’ll put fire, you’ll put ketores, all of you, all of you will do this, and you will see whoever Hashem chooses, He is the Holy One.

Turning Their Rhetoric Back on Them

And he finishes with the same way they started, in other words, and as we’ll see, he elaborates on this in the next piece, when he talks specifically to Bnei Levi [the children of Levi], before he was talking to everyone, maybe also not from Levi, right, so it was explicitly people from Shevet Reuven [the tribe of Reuben] here, and from other people, from other Shevatim [tribes] in Bnei Yisrael.

But he seems to say, proposed, look, there’s ketores, he doesn’t say what will happen, we’ll see later when something happens, but it seems like the simple test is, something like, goes back all the way to Kayin and Hevel [Cain and Abel], so when you bring a korban, there’s a way to know if God accepts someone’s korban, and of course the point of a Kohen is that he is the one that is authorized to bring korban, so you people are claiming that you’re also authorized, okay, try it out, let’s see, try to bring a korban, which korban, ketores, okay, but you’ll try it out.

Moshe’s Speech to the Levites: “You Already Have Privilege”

The Book of the Choosing of Levi

And now he tries to speak also specifically to Korach, specifically to Levi, and he says, and this is, again, very much pertinent to this book, which, this is the book where we had the choosing of Levi, and giving Levi their job, right, it’s not something that we had in earlier books, at least not in the same explicit way, not at length.

And Moshe speaks to the Levi and he tells them, look, Hashem, the God of Israel, has already separated you from all the other people to make you close, so you’re the ones who are serving in the Mishkan [Tabernacle], you’re the ones who stand before the congregation to serve them, right, in other words, you serve for them, as we’ve seen many times, you stand in for them, you’re their shaliach [agent], in the Mishkan, and now you want Kehunah also?

The Sociology of Elite Rebellion

In other words, you already have Levi, so this is, of course, what always happens, everyone knows, it’s never the real low classes that can rise against the elites, it’s always some subset of the elite that think that they don’t have enough power, they don’t have enough dignity, they don’t have enough, whatever privileges it is that they’re demanding.

But Moshe is saying, look, this is basically what he’s saying, he’s saying, you’re demanding privilege, but you’re already privileged, so you’re, notice that you’re also privileged.

“This Is Not About Me, It’s About Hashem”

And then he finishes, he finishes this little speech with saying that you are not about me, you’re about Hashem, this is the big statement that Moshe has, that the Rambam quotes this later pasuk of Moshe in this parashah, as like a very general pasuk about Moshe’s entire message, his entire shlichut [mission], his entire, everything he does, that he doesn’t do things in his own name, he does things in Hashem’s name.

But this is what he’s saying, you and everyone, you are, you gathered here against Hashem, not against me, what do you want from Aharon? Aharon didn’t do anything, Hashem chose him, as he’s saying, and this, of course, is what his test is about, and to show, this test is meant to move the question, not from the question that people will deliberate about and discuss, to a question that God will decide by showing whose korban he accepts.

So that’s about the Leviyim [Levites].

Datan and Aviram’s Separate Grievance: The Refusal to Come

Moshe Calls, They Refuse

Now, apparently this didn’t answer the question of Datan and Aviram, who are children of Eliav, children of Reuven, they’re not, for them you can’t say that they’re Levi and so on, so he tries to go speak to them, so he calls them, other than by Korach, where he speaks to them directly, apparently they were not there, or there’s something happened in between, he calls them, but they don’t come, and they respond by themselves, or through some messenger, they say, we’ll not come.

Flipping the Rhetoric: “HaMa’at”

And they answer him, it’s very interesting, they answer him in the same language that he’s answered to Levi, right, that Moshe said HaMa’at Mikem [Is it too little for you], so there’s rav [much], ma’at [little], all the time, rav, rav, and then Moshe said HaMa’at, is it little, is it few, what you’ve gotten already, and then they say to Moshe in the same way, they say, ma’at, is it few what you’ve done to us, so here we see what their real problem is.

The Inversion: Egypt as “Eretz Zavat Chalav UDevash”

Is it, is it a little, is it small to you, the problem you made for us, you took us out of Eretz Zavat Chalav UDevash [a land flowing with milk and honey], and they flipped the script, right, Egypt was never called Eretz Zavat Chalav UDevash, nobody thought that, there were different things that people complained about Egypt, and Bnei Yisrael, we talked about kishuim [cucumbers], and avitichim [melons], and so on, nobody said Eretz Zavat Chalav UDevash, that wasn’t a description of Egypt, that was a description of Eretz Canaan [the land of Canaan].

But here they’re saying, look, you took us out of Eretz Zavat Chalav UDevash, you’re going to kill us in the desert, and now you want power over us, you want tishtorer aleinu [to rule over us], same, same idea as tisnas’u [elevate yourself], right, you want to be a sar [prince], you want to be a, like a power, a prince over us.

The Accusation: Promises Not Delivered

You didn’t bring us to Eretz Zavat Chalav UDevash, you didn’t give us a nachalah [inheritance], you didn’t give us a land with a field, with a vineyard, anything, what are you trying to do, you’re trying to put out our eyes, trying to pierce out our eyes, I think this is an image to say, that Moshe is fooling us, he’s pulling the wool over our eyes, as we would say, they would say, ha’einei anashim hahem tenaker [will you gouge out the eyes of these men], are you punching out our eyes, we can see what you’re doing to us, we’re not coming to you.

So this is what their, was their argument, so Korach was saying that Moshe took too much power, and this is what they were saying, that Moshe has promised and has not delivered, he promised to bring

You took us out of the Eretz Zavat Chalav U’Dvash [Eretz Zavat Chalav U’Dvash — a land flowing with milk and honey]. And they flipped the script, right? Mitzrayim was never called Eretz Zavat Chalav U’Dvash. Nobody thought that. There were different things that people complained about. Mitzrayim and Bnei Yisrael, we talked about kishuim [cucumbers] and avtichim [melons] and so on. Nobody said Eretz Zavat Chalav U’Dvash. That wasn’t the description of Eretz Canaan. But here they’re saying, look, you took us out of Eretz Zavat Chalav U’Dvash. You’re going to kill us in the desert.

And now you want power over us. You want to destroy our land. It’s the same idea as hishtarer [to lord over], right? You want to be a sar [prince/ruler]. You want to be like a power, a prince over us. You didn’t bring us to Eretz Zavat Chalav U’Dvash. You didn’t give us a nachala [inheritance]. You didn’t give us a land with a field, with a vineyard and anything. What are you trying to do? You’re trying to put out our eyes, trying to pierce out our eyes.

I think this is an image to say that Moshe is fooling us. He’s pulling the wool over our eyes, as we would say, or they would say, ha’einei ha’anashim hahem tenaket [will you gouge out the eyes of these men?] — are you punching out our eyes? We can see what you’re doing to us. We’re not coming to you.

So this was their argument. So Korach was saying that Moshe took too much power. And these Datan and Aviram were saying that Moshe has promised and has not delivered. He promised to bring us out of Mitzrayim to a better place. It turns out he brought us to a worse place. And even that he can’t provide for us. We’re all going to die in the desert.

Moshe’s Anger and Prayer Against the Rebels

And now here, Moshe is upset. Moshe is very upset, is angry. And he asks Hashem — and since we said that the test will be Hashem, if Hashem accepts their mincha [offering] — so he asks Hashem, do not accept their mincha. Al tefen el minchatam [do not turn toward their offering], exactly the language that we discussed like vayifen Hashem [and Hashem turned toward], right? Hashem do not turn, do not turn to their mincha.

And Moshe says, responding to their argument against him, that they said, that look, he’s somehow oppressing them, right? He’s taking them out of Eretz Zavat Chalav U’Dvash to a worse place. And Moshe says, did I take something from them? I didn’t even take one donkey from them. I didn’t do anything bad to any of them. I’m trying to help them. It’s true that there’s challenges. And Moshe is not even answering, not justifying himself about the fact that he’s not taking them to Eretz Canaan and so on. But what he’s doing is saying, their idea of me as some kind of oppressor, some kind of person who’s just taking them, just trying to look for his own gain, that’s not correct. I’m here to help them. And you know, if it helps or it doesn’t help, that’s up to Hashem in some sense.

The Test Procedure: 250 Fire-Pans and the Principals

So we’re back to the test. So Moshe goes back to Korach, tells them the exact plan for tomorrow. You’ll come all tomorrow morning. Each will bring his machtah [fire-pan]. He’ll put ketores [incense]. He’ll bring it all to Hashem. 250 people, so 250 machtahs. And maybe Moshe even prepared these. It’s not clear why he’s counting how many machtahs there are. And we’ll bring Aharon. So there’s 250 people. Each one thinks he is, okay, let’s all try. And Aharon will bring. So apparently they’re the main, right? These are the principals of this debate. Like it’s either Korach or Aharon in the end.

And that’s what they do. They follow through what Moshe has challenged them to do. They each bring their machtah. They each put ketores on it. They all stand petach Ohel Moed [at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting], which is the place where all korbanos are brought. Moshe and Aharon stand there. Korach brings everyone to watch the story.

The Glory of Hashem Appears: Divine Intervention

And vayera kevod Hashem el kol ha’edah [and the glory of Hashem appeared to the entire congregation]. And then the glory of Hashem is revealed. We’ve seen this exact state many times. The glory of Hashem is revealed. Usually, sometimes it’s a good thing, right? As we saw in parashat Shemini, that means that the Mishkan has kevod Hashem [the glory of Hashem]. But also means that God has noticed, right? Like we said, always in these stories, God intervenes at some point and takes over the situation. And when God intervenes, usually in these situations it makes things worse. Moshe is always the one making things lighter, making things better. Even when he’s upset, even when he’s vayichar l’Moshe me’od [and Moshe was very angry], Moshe didn’t propose to do anything like what God proposes, but God proposed something much more radical.

God’s Proposal to Destroy the Entire Congregation

And God speaks to Moshe and Aharon and He tells them, please separate yourself from this congregation. I will destroy all of them in a moment. And Moshe and Aharon fall on their faces. And they ask Him, they beg Him, they say, Eil Elohei haruchot l’chol basar [God, the God of the spirits of all flesh]. All the spirits of each flesh. So this is some language for human life, for human soul. And they’re saying one person sins and you’re upset at the entire congregation.

So here we see, Hashem’s plan was to kill everyone, not only Korach and his group. Besides for Moshe and Aharon, very similar to what happened in the Egel [Golden Calf], right? Where Hashem says, I’ll make you into a great nation. Hashem here wants the same thing. He says, you separate yourself and everyone will be dead.

Moshe’s Argument: Only Korach is Guilty

But then Moshe says, what do you mean? It’s just Korach and his group. And obviously there’s an argument here, right? It’s not just Hashem being over-mad and saying, I will kill everyone. What’s going on is probably that Korach convinced most people, or at least the important people of the edah [congregation], to be on his side. But Moshe is arguing that it’s not their fault. It’s clear they’re all led by Korach. So you should be angry at Korach, not at all of them.

And therefore, Hashem seems to agree to this. And therefore we get a new message. Vayedaber Hashem el Moshe [and Hashem spoke to Moshe]. And he says, so now the edah is already part of the saved side. And they tell them, you should separate yourself. You should rise from around the Mishkan. Very interesting. I’m trying to remember, there’s one more person that has a Mishkan. But Korach and Datan and Aviram are said to have a Mishkan, like against the Mishkan of Hashem. But everyone should go away from it because they will be destroyed, but not everyone else.

Moshe Confronts Datan and Aviram at Their Tents

So that’s what happens. So Moshe stands up and again goes to Datan and Aviram. So the whole time we see Korach and his people are next to Moshe. Petach Ohel Moed, of course, makes sense. Korach was a Levi, so he was close. But Datan and Aviram are far. They’re wherever Shevet Reuven [the tribe of Reuben] lives. So they’re not in the same place. So therefore, Moshe has to go to them. And all the elders go after him.

And Moshe speaks to the elders, speaks to the congregation. He tells them, move away, separate yourself from the tents of these evil people. Don’t touch anything of them because you’ll be destroyed, you’ll die along with their sins. So in other words, you do have to separate. So when it says separation, the separation means if something bad happens to them, if you happen to be there, you might also get caught up with it. It’s not that when there’s a natural disaster or some punishment that happens, it’s going to happen on their place. So if you’re smart, you’re going to move out of the way and then you won’t have the problem.

The Defiance of Datan and Aviram

So that’s what they do. And they all move away. But Datan and Aviram are defiant. They come out, they stand petach aholeihem [at the entrance of their tents], which again, you’ll see that’s the place where you stand, where you’re making an official stand. They’re standing there with their wives, their children, with their older children, with their younger children, and they’re not afraid. They’re saying, okay, we’re here.

Moshe’s Final Challenge: Natural Death vs. Divine Miracle

And here Moshe gives his final speech, his final sort of challenge to this. And he says, now you will know that Hashem sent me to do everything I’ve done, right? So we see they’re challenging everything. As we see, they challenged him taking them out of Mitzrayim, they challenged him making them into a nation, they challenged everything. He said, you will see that Hashem sent me. I didn’t make this up. This is not from my heart. I didn’t make any of this up.

The Test: If They Die Like All People

And we’ll see like this, if these people die, like every person dies, everyone dies, right? So the fact that people die, that doesn’t prove anything. And I think that this is very clearly a reference to what happened before in the Meraglim [spies]. Because the Meraglim exactly died like every person, right? As it says, they will die in the Midbar [wilderness], they will take 40 years, but it doesn’t say that anyone, besides for some people, motzi’ei dibat ha’aretz ra’ah [who brought forth an evil report of the land], but even them, it doesn’t say exactly when they died.

And the basic story of the Midbar is that they all died, it took time, they stayed for another generation, and that’s until the previous generation died. But they all died, basically. K’mot kol adam [like the death of all people], u’fekudat kol adam [and the visitation of all people], everyone died, you know, in the way that everyone, people die.

But, Moshe says, that doesn’t really — so that doesn’t prove, okay, so it got proven, it’s basically what they said, that I can’t take them there to Israel. So, they sort of got what they predicted. Of course, it’s presented as a punishment for a sin, but that’s basically what — nobody really got his side proven to be right.

If Hashem Creates Something New

Moshe is saying, now, if that will happen, then lo Hashem shelachani [Hashem did not send me], you’re right, Hashem didn’t send me. But, if Hashem will do something new, and it’s, if He will create a creation — im bri’ah yivra Hashem [if Hashem creates a creation] — I don’t know this necessarily means something like very extreme, like bereishit bara Elokim [in the beginning God created], whatever creation means. But, the point is that, if there will be something new, something unlike creation, this is probably the clearest place you could find in the Torah for the concept of a difference between what we call natural course of events and a miraculous course, or something that directly attributable to God, right? Im bri’ah yivra Hashem [if Hashem creates a creation].

If He will do something, and what will He do? The earth will open its mouth, and swallow them, and everything belonging to them. They will go straight down, alive, to She’ol [the underworld/realm of the dead]. She’ol is where dead people go, under the ground somehow, wherever that is. Then, you will know that these people blasphemed against God. It’s not against me, against God.

The Earth Opens and Swallows the Rebels

And that’s exactly what happened. As He finishes to speak, the earth opens its mouth, it splits, it opens its mouth, it swallows them, their houses, meaning their household, all their people, all their possessions, everything goes down to She’ol, and then it covers them up, the earth covers them up, they get lost. They are out of the congregation, they get lost.

And then the people around all run away from the great sound, from the great noise of this earth opening up, or some kind of earthquake, or whatever exactly, however exactly it will be described. And they, because they realize that this is a dangerous place.

Fire Consumes the 250 Men Offering Ketores

And then, so that’s what happens to Korach, to Korach and Datan and Aviram. Then, the 250 people, a fire comes out me’et Hashem [from Hashem], from the Mizbeach [altar], this means from wherever, like me’et Hashem, from where Hashem is, kevod Hashem, and it destroys, it eats, meaning destroys or burns the 250 people.

This is, of course, very similar to what happened with Nadav and Avihu, who got burnt. So, obviously, this is what really happens. We just had — that we didn’t have this until now. They were not threatened with dying. They were not, they were only threatened with Hashem not accepting their korban [offering]. But apparently, when you play with fire, when Hashem doesn’t accept your korban, at least when it’s in a way of a challenge and all of that, so this is what’s going to happen. What’s going to happen is, you will be killed.

Conclusion and Continuation

So that’s the end of this chapter. And we’ll see, there’s a continuation to this story. And I’m not sure the chapter should have stopped here, or probably shouldn’t have, which for sure should have went until here, but let’s, we will follow the chapter division for today.

Bamidbar Chapter 17: The Fire-Pans, the Plague, and the Flowering Staff

The Continuation from Korach’s Rebellion

As we’ve discussed yesterday, this is really a continuation of the story. So let me finish off the last part of the story of the previous and then there’s another part which really if someone would have wanted to make a cut then he should have cut after this part.

So what we have is like this. Remember that Korach and his family and Datan and Aviram and their families, all of them were swallowed into the earth. The earth opened up and swallowed them. So that’s one thing and that seems to be the end of that. So they’re lost from the community. They’re not part of the world anymore. In some sense you could say it’s very obvious. You look around, you see that he’s not here. So you see that that’s what happened with Korach.

But now the 250 people who tried to be *kohanim* [priests] and were burned, they’re still here. Their bodies are still here. They didn’t go alive into *Sheol* [the grave]. Their bodies are still here. So they’re still part of the community in some sense. As we see, when you get gathered to your people, to your family, that’s what happens when you die, when you get buried with your family and so on. So these people were buried with their family. It doesn’t say that they were buried but we assume they were buried wherever the people did with their families, bodies in the *Midbar* [wilderness]. They’re not lost. So they’re still around. In some sense their argument is still here.

The Command to Collect the Fire-Pans

So therefore there’s a special *mitzvah* [commandment], a special continuation, not a *mitzvah* but really the end of the story to show what happens with this, that we make this into some kind of signpost, into some kind of very important message, the *devarim* [words], for all the generations to know that these people lost. And this is a special *mitzvah*.

Vayedaber Hashem [And Hashem spoke] to Moshe and he tells him to tell to Aharon, sorry to Elazar, the son of Aharon. Aharon is the *Kohen Gadol* [High Priest]. He doesn’t get involved but Elazar, as we see later, is also one of the things in which this story is already part of the third part of *Sefer Bamidbar* [the Book of Numbers] where Elazar becomes the *Kohen* [priest] after Aharon. Aharon was old already, maybe Elazar was already taking over functions, functional things, at least things that we need work. Elazar was taken care of.

The Sanctity of the Fire-Pans

He says, take the *machtot* [fire-pans], take the vessels, the things in which they brought their *ketoret* [incense], throw away the fire. Fire means here, not literally fire, right? It means coals or whatever the fire is in. Throw it away, scatter it, because these *machtot* became holy, they were sanctified, they were made *kodesh* [holy], they were given to the *Mishkan* [Tabernacle], they were given to the *ketoret*.

So the fact that they got burned is because they were holy. It’s not that these *kodesh* were not accepted and therefore their *kodesh* is sort of secular, it’s not holy. It’s the opposite. It’s because they were holy that they got burned. So therefore we need to take these *machtot*, although they’ve sinned on themselves, right? In other words, they’re not sin of the *kahal* [congregation], they’re sin of their person, they’re personal sins. But Hashem is saying these *machtot* are still part of the *Mishkan*, they’re still kosher.

Creating a Memorial on the Altar

So therefore we should take it, we should make out of it a covering, a sign, kind of a *rikuei pachim* [hammered plates], you cover it, you bang it down until it’s thin and it becomes a cover, a nice cover for the *mizbeach* [altar]. The *mizbeach* wasn’t covered until then so nicely, apparently, or they just added to the covering. It doesn’t say what these *machtot* were made out of, were they gold, probably copper, because the *mizbeach* was covered in copper.

And this is because they brought it for Hashem and they became holy. And then, but the main point is, this would be a sign for the *Bnei Yisrael* [Children of Israel]. So besides for the fact that it’s a *machtah*, it could just be used in some way. It was particularly put on the *mizbeach*, the *mizbeach* is in a public place, the *mizbeach* is something where everyone can see, it’s not inside where nobody can see, it’s an outside thing. And every time someone goes to the *mizbeach*, you will see, this is weird, this covering of the *mizbeach*, this plating on the *mizbeach*, is part of the sign, it’s saying, look what happens to people that try to take away the *kehunah* [priesthood] from Levi, from Aharon and his children.

So in other words, this is not just like some weird thing where it became holy, so therefore it has to be part, but it’s like a lesson like this, and this is something we see in all of these stories, there’s almost always something that’s left over to be a sign, even the story itself is a sign, but the fact that this was left over is a sign to show us the message, the lesson of this story.

And he did it, so this was the command, and Elazar does it, he makes it, and it becomes a memory, and here in the action, and when it gets done, the *pasuk* [verse] explains this better, it becomes a memory for the *Bnei Yisrael*, a signpost, a piece of memory, so that a stranger, someone who is not from the children of Aharon should not take it away, and he should not be like Korach and his people, and he did this as Hashem told Moshe to do.

Now, this is the end, here is the end of this part of the story, that’s how I cut it up, and that’s where the chapter should have been.

The People’s Complaint the Next Day

Now, apparently this was not enough, so obviously Moshe won this fight, Korach was killed, there was 250 people killed, but it seems like the people still thought that they had a good argument, people still thought that they had a point, so the fact that they died wasn’t enough.

Killing Is Not Proof Enough

So here we see something very important, killing people is not a proof enough that you’re right, you have to also show that you’re right, you have to at least bring a better sign, of course even they were killed miraculously as Moshe said, all of that is still not enough, apparently Moshe, he can do miracles, he can get miracles to happen too, that doesn’t prove much, so we have to show something more.

So we have the complaint, so this is like another step of the story, really another story, it’s like many stories you just start with a complaint, the stories could have started here, but of course it’s complaining about what happened before, about the story of Korach. The congregation again, the people complain on Moshe, the next day on Moshe and they say, you have killed Hashem’s people, remember, this was Korach’s argument, we are Hashem, and now you killed them, you killed some of us, just for wanting to be *kodesh* [holy], just for wanting to be *kohanim*, it seems not fair, it seems like they didn’t prove their point yet.

Hashem’s Anger and the Threat of Destruction

And now again, Hashem is very upset, so this is just like in every complaint, Hashem is upset, they all gather together on Moshe, they come to the *Ohel Moed* [Tent of Meeting] and again, the cloud is there, the cloud has covered the *Ohel Moed*, the glory of Hashem is there, Moshe and Aharon go into the *Ohel Moed* and Hashem speaks to Moshe the same thing that he spoke before, Heromu [Separate yourselves], separate yourself from this, and then I will destroy all of them.

And what did Moshe and Aharon do? The same thing they’re doing all this time, they fall on their faces, it doesn’t say that Moshe does something, and here there’s a new thing, a very interesting story, instead of Moshe coming and saying, he couldn’t say that, because this is *kol ha’edah* [the whole congregation], again, at least all the representatives, there isn’t really someone saying, and of course, as we explained yesterday, it’s still Moshe could have claimed that Korach instigated everything, but it seemed like it didn’t help, the fact that Korach was destroyed, Korach lost very clearly, didn’t help that the rest of the people, or some of the rest of the people still were on his side, still were complaining about, not only on his side, they were complaining about what Moshe did to him.

Aharon Stops the Plague with Ketoret

So therefore, they have to do a lot more, they have to, Hashem is still very upset, and he wants to destroy all of them, and now Moshe cannot pray, he doesn’t have an argument left, but he has a way, he has a way, it’s very interesting, of course, the same *ketoret* that killed the 250 people is going to save the rest of the people, so something very curious is going on here.

The Command to Bring Ketoret

But Moshe tells Aharon, I have a solution, take the *machtah* [fire-pan], put fire from the *mizbeach*, so very important, this is not *eish zarah* [strange fire], fire from the *mizbeach*, and go to the people and atone to them, so apparently *ketoret* is something that atones for a sin, atones for a *magefah* [plague], it might have some medicinal properties in some way, some people might say that, but in any case, it’s something that can solve this problem, there’s a *negef* [plague], it started a *magefah*, a plague started, go put *ketoret* there, it will stop it.

Standing Between the Dead and the Living

And that’s what Aharon did, he runs, immediately, into the congregation, into the gathered people, and he sees that’s true, the *negef* started, the *magefah* started, he puts *ketoret*, he stands between the dead and the living, in other words, until where Aharon came, people died, and from the *ketoret* and on, maybe literally, like he was standing, and there’s like a plague spreading, like in a contagious way, right, so it spreads, it kills one, the next, and then wherever Aharon stands, he made like a *mechitzah* [partition] with his *ketoret*, and that’s where the *magefah* has stopped, and the *magefah* has stopped.

And we have at the end of the sentence that says how many people were killed in *magefah*, 14,700 people were killed in the *negef*, besides for Korach and the 250 people that killed, and Aharon comes back to Moshe and sort of reports to the *negef*, and that’s sort of the *negef* stopped.

So this is the end of this second story, there was a *negef*, and it was solved by the *ketoret*, the same *ketoret* that killed everyone, when Aharon did it, that’s really probably the simple reasoning, when Aharon did it, it was in the correct way, and therefore was not something that killed anyone.

The Test of the Staffs

But now again, this is not enough to show, people still have an argument, they still have some problem, so Hashem is trying to do something to show some, that Aharon is the one that is chosen, apparently they didn’t, the fact that he can kill his people that are against, that challenge him, is not enough, so he’s saying something else, he’s saying something new.

The Command to Bring the Staffs

And he says this, Hashem speaks to Moshe, and he tells them, tell each of the *shevatim* [tribes], each leader of, or each *shevet*, 12 of them, to take a stick, *mateh* [staff], it’s interesting because *mateh* is a stick, and *mateh* is also the image, the simile, right, that is used, simile that is used to represent a *shevet*, right, a *shevet* is literally also a stick, or a *mateh* sometimes means something like what we call a *shevet*, a tribe, but it’s called a tribe, because the tribe is led by someone with a stick, something like that.

So now they take this stick, which is like literally symbolic of the *shevet*, put each person’s name on his stick, Aharon on his stick, or the stick that represents Levi, and you’ll put all these sticks in the *Ohel Moed*, and now it will be a new way of showing who is chosen, whoever is chosen, his stick will flower, so a stick of course is made out of wood, it’s an artificial thing, it’s used just as a stick, but if it’s made out of wood, then it can be, it can sprout, something can grow on it.

A Better Sign: Life Instead of Death

So Hashem is going to show, miraculously, but in some way, that Aharon’s stick has sprouting, it sprouts, it’s growing, it’s alive, and this will show that Aharon was chosen, and I will quiet down, I will quiet from me the complaints of the people, so this is very nice, I think it’s a very simple point, to kill people is not a very good sign, but if you can make flowers grow more than other people, that’s sort of a better sign.

The Miracle of the Flowering Staff

And that’s what they do, Moshe speaks to the people, they each give him a *mateh*, he puts the *mateh* Aharon together, he puts it all in the *Ohel Moed*, and he leaves it there overnight, then in the morning, Moshe comes to the *Ohel Ha’edut* [Tent of Testimony], again *Ohel Ha’edut*, *Ohel Moed*, change names, and here we see, of course, that the *mateh* Aharon has flowered, it has *tzitz* [blossoms], it has some more level of flower, maybe like the pointy parts that come out, the almonds, and some almonds, it’s actually having fruit, it’s coming to grow, *shekedim* [almonds] is something that grows quickly, so that’s the kind of image.

And Moshe brings it out, and he shows them, look, this is the one that sprouted, and now this becomes also a memory, just like we had—

The Staff Preserved as a Lasting Memorial

The matah [staff] also gets put back and becomes a memory forever, the nicer sign. That Aharon’s stick sprouted and that’s what God tells Moshe to bring back the matah and all the other ones they gave back. But the Aharon [staff] which was miraculously sprouted, put back in front of Edut [testimony], will be the l’mishmeret [for safekeeping] for something saved. It’s going to be saved. It’s going to be watched. It’s going to stay there so that they not complain about that.

In other words, this is God helping them not to have complaints. If they die, then they will go to the Mishkan and they will die. As we see all the time, you can die from going close to the Mishkan when you’re not authorized. So this will be a sign to show them that the Aharon [staff] was chosen and they should not do anything. Moshe, this is what God says and that’s what happens.

A Note on Chapter Division

Now, the story continues in a third level and the chapter here was cut off in actually the wrong place here. I’m not going to follow them. We’ll start the first Pesach [verse], the last Pesach, or the last pesukim [verses] of this chapter. We will do tomorrow in the next chapter because that’s really the question, I think, that answers. There’s a question and answer there.

Bamidbar Chapter 18: The Kohanim’s Responsibility and the Gifts of the Kehunah

Context: The Aftermath of Korach’s Rebellion

So we’re reading today, Bamidbar, chapter 18. As we’ve discussed, we’re going to be starting from the end of chapter 17, which belongs to this story. Remember that there was a challenge called Machloket Korach [the Controversy of Korach]. When Korach was destroyed by being swallowed up in the earth, that didn’t help. The people still complained. They said, אתם המתם את עם ה’ [Atem hamitem et am Hashem — You’ve killed God’s people]. And then, therefore, there was a Magefa [plague] — people started to die. That was solved by the Ketoret [incense]. And then Hashem created another sign. Besides the sign of Korach being swallowed up in the earth, there was another sign, which is the stick of Aharon blossoming, which showed that he was the chosen one.

The People’s New Complaint

So now, what happens is that the people agree. They already see that Aharon is the chosen one. But they’re still not happy. They still realize that, OK, one is the chosen one, but it seems like anyone that tries to challenge it, or anyone that’s not authorized, that goes even close to the Mishkan, or touches, or brings Ketoret in their own way, or anything very minor, seems to be endangered. They’re not happy with this. And this is, I think, one more way of complaining. Like, this is not fair, this is not OK. OK, you know something, we agree that Aharon was chosen, but why this extreme? Like, there’s something where people don’t accept the extreme level of hierarchy, the extreme level of, OK, but everyone else will die if they come close. This is not OK.

And this is what they say: We’re all died, we’re all lost, we’re all being destroyed. Anyone who comes close to Hashem’s Mishkan is dying. Are we finishing to die? This is going on. Everyone is dying. One is dying because he explicitly challenged, another person is dying even without explicitly challenging, just for saying, and so on.

The Response: Responsibility Falls on the Higher Level

And the response, there’s really two parts of the response, I think. But let’s say the first response, or the main part of the response is, that you will stop to die. And I think that what this should be read as is, that this means that the people agree to this other responsibility of the Kehunah. The Kehunah have this new responsibility now, which is that it’s their job to make sure not everyone else dies.

Now, we’ve already seen this earlier. It’s not the first time that this is said. But obviously, they didn’t agree with it yet, right? Because the people are still complaining about the existence of this hierarchy, and the existence of anyone coming close, dying, any stranger, Zar [non-Kohen], and so on. So now that they’ve had this complaint, that they have this request, so now we have them themselves sort of responding to Aaron, and complaining to Moshe, and then getting the response, okay, you know what? For you, in order to save you, we’re going to put the punishment, so to speak, on the Kehunah.

The Kohanim Bear the Burden

In other words, it will be their job to protect their own status, right? So before that, people will say, okay, it’s the Kehunah that are protecting their status, and therefore they don’t let us go. No, it’s the Kehunah protecting you from dying from the Mishkan. That’s how this story frames this law, this restriction, and therefore it’s something that they agreed to. It’s not something that’s imposed on them. And that’s the answer.

Hashem tells Aaron, you, your children, your family, right? The children belonging to your beit av [father’s house], you will carry both the עוון המקדש [avon hamikdash — the sin of the sanctuary], which means if people act disrespectfully to the Mikdash, and the עוון כהונתכם [avon kehunatechem — the sin of your priesthood], which means the sin — it’s not a sin to be a Kohen, it’s avon hamikdash, avon kehunatechem, sounds like it’s a sin to be a Mikdash, or to be a Kohen, but the sin that is imposed on others by them not being Kohanim.

A Profound Lesson About Hierarchy

So that’s the important lesson in this thing. Whatever problem happens to other people because of some people being higher, is the responsibility of the higher people, not the responsibility of the lower people, as the higher people would tend to say without this lesson. So that’s the important lesson in this thing.

The Role of the Leviim as Intermediaries

Now, this is very explicit also, by the whole context of Sefer Bamidbar, having very much to do with the Leviim, which are the next level of protection, the next level of hierarchy after the Kohanim. So it says, not only the Kohanim will be in charge, will be carrying this sin, will take their responsibility to make this distance of the people and the Mishkan and the Kohanim, also the Leviim, ואח שבט לוי תקריב אתו ונלוו עליך [ve’ach shevet Levi takriv oto venilvu alecha — and also the tribe of Levi bring near, and they will accompany you], it’s a play on the word Levi, Levi means someone who will accompany you to serve you, and also serve your children, serve all of you in front of the Ohel [Tent].

The Leviim’s Specific Duties and Limitations

They will keep your watch, they will watch your watch, the watch of the Ohel. But even the Levi, and this of course, responding to Korach, who was a Levi, but instead of being the Levi who serves as the intermediary, as the thing that blocks off the people from the Kohanim, and themselves also is not allowed to go into the space of the Kohanim, Korach wants to take the Kehunah. But now it’s saying, no, so again, just like the people are sort of accepting that the Kohanim is protecting them from themselves, the Levi also is protecting the people, the Mishkan, from the people, and protecting themselves, or protecting the Kohanim from themselves, so they’re watching the Ohel, which means like the outer court, but the כלי הקודש [klei kodesh — holy vessels], or the Mizbeach [altar], they cannot touch, because otherwise they will die, both you and them.

So again, this is the sharing of responsibility, it’s also the Kohanim’s responsibility that people don’t die because of him.

The Continuity Created by the Leviim

The Levi, in some sense, relative to the Kohanim is like Yisroel, but relative to the Yisroel is like a Kohanim.

And that’s all, so that’s what it says, they will accompany you and they will watch the Ohel and all that, and they would call that זר לא יקרב [zar lo yikrav — a stranger will not come close], and they will watch the Kodesh [holy things], the Mizbeach, and through that, ולא יהיה עוד קצף על בני ישראל [velo yihiyeh od ketzef al bnei Yisrael — and there will not be anger again on the people of Israel], as we’ve seen in the previous part, that there was anger when the people did come close and did touch places where they did not belong.

The Leviim as a Gift

And here we repeat again that the Leviim are a gift from the Yidden [Jews], or a gift, or something given from the people to the Kohanim to serve in the Ohel Moed [Tent of Meeting]. And so, again, I think there’s this focus of gift as we find it finishes here, ועבודת מתנה [va’avodat matanah — and the service of a gift] — the Levi is a gift to the Kohanim from the people. So instead of the people complaining, oh, why is the Levi not me? It’s them giving the gift for the Kohanim that he should have this company or this thing in between that saves, also helps the hierarchy, but also helps there be some kind of continuity. There’s not just the Kohanim and Yisroel, there’s a Levi in between.

The Kehunah as Gift, Not Imposition

But the Kohanim, ואתה ובניך [ve’atah uvanecha — and you and your children], the Kohanim and his children, you will watch, the Mizbeach, so, למבית לפרוכת [lemibeit laparochet — from inside the curtain], the Mizbeach is in the courtyard, or maybe also the מזבח הפנימי [mizbeach hapnimi — inner altar], or what’s inside the parochet [curtain], again, the Kodesh HaKodashim [Holy of Holies], the Aron [Ark]. And your Kehunah it’s also given from, who is it given? Not sure, but the point is that it’s a gift, it’s not an imposition, it’s a gift, it sounds like a good thing, and the הזר הקרב יומת [hazar hakarev yumat — the stranger that comes close dies], that’s true, a stranger that comes close dies, but not in the evil sense, but this is part of, I think, continuing the theme that we had, that Aaron is also the one that makes sticks sprout, it’s not only the one that makes things burn, like we, like Rashi says, like we learned from Ketoret, Ketoret is not just something that you can die from, it’s also something that can save you from death, and so on.

The Gifts to the Kohanim: Payment for Their Service

And now, we have the next part of this chapter, is that now that we understand, and this is also very nice how it’s set up, now that we understand that the Kohanim are working for us, because they’re protecting us from them, they’re protecting us from the Mishkan, they’re protecting the Mishkan from us, but they’re doing our work, so now they need payment for that.

The Framework of Matnot Kehunah

So this repeats, and of course some of this we already have, some of it is being added now, it repeats what’s called Matnot Kehunah [Gifts of the Priesthood], which is the payment, or we call Matnot the gifts, right, the gifts that the people are giving to the Kohanim in exchange for their work, for them, since they work for us, they’re not working for themselves, because they’re so great, they’re working for us, and therefore they deserve payment from us, and this is the mitzvah of Matnot Kehunah.

And again, he says, I will give you, and it’s also said in the word of משמרת תרומותי [mishmeret terumotai — the watch of my terumot], so in other words, the watch of the Terumah [priestly portion], because the Terumah is also a Kedushah [holiness], and you have to watch it, it’s just like a Zar that comes close to the Mishkan, dies, so it’s Terumah also. So, and whose job is it to watch the Terumah, and to make sure that it gets to him, and he’s the one that eats it, it’s the Kohanim’s job again.

So, I give you, Mishmeret Terumotai, it’s the watch of my Terumah, for לכל קדשי [lechol kodshei — all the holy things], all kinds of Terumah, all kinds of things that they sanctify to me, it will be given to you למשחה [lemishchah — for greatness], it’s part of your greatness, and for your children, it’s going to always be this way, and it goes through now all the things that they give, a very clear list of all the things the Kohanim get, but all of them work in the same way.

Category One: Kodesh Hakodashim

So the first thing goes through, what’s Kodesh HaKodashim [Holy of Holies — in this context, the most holy offerings], and the אש [esh — fire], the korbanot [sacrifices] that are burnt on the Mizbeach, the parts that they gave, מן המנחה ומן החטאת ומן האשם [min haminchah umin hachatat umin ha’asham — from the meal offering and from the sin offering and from the guilt offering], these are Kodesh HaKodashim, right, the parts of a Chatat [sin offering], an Asham [guilt offering], or a Minchah [meal offering], that a Kohen eats, right, the Olah [burnt offering] does nothing to eat, so it’s not relevant, אשר ישיבו לי [asher yashivu li — that which they return to Me], we see an Asham, it’s something that returns, that has to do with what we discussed, I remember if we had a class in Vayikra, that the difference between a Chatat and an Asham is that it’s not just a korban to atone for you, it’s also in some sense like a repayment, some Ashams literally have repayment going along with them, but even if not, it’s something that gets paid back, in any case, that’s called Kodesh HaKodashim, that’s eaten, it’s eaten by Kodesh HaKodashim, right, not literally in the Kodesh HaKodashim, but it has to be eaten by Kodesh, which means in the Azarah [courtyard], only the males are allowed to eat it, so that’s the first level.

Category Two: Tenufah and Terumat Matanam

Then there is Tenufah [wave offering] is called תרומת מתנם [terumat matanam — the gift-offering], but this is again, all the things that they raise, Tenufah is not things that are burnt on the Mizbeach, things that are, not all of them necessarily have official Tenufah, maybe most of them do, maybe not all of them, but Tenufah, we’ve seen many times, the idea of Tenufah is something that you sort of raise before the Mizbeach, that’s the ritual that represents this, but also some things that don’t have that ritual, but they’re not burnt, they’re not burnt.

The Asham and Kodesh Kadashim

HaShom HaShei Shivuli — we see HaAsham is something that returns. That has to do with what we discussed. I remember if we had a class in Vayikra, that the difference between Chatas and HaAsham is that HaAsham has the aspect of repayment. It’s not just a *korban* to atone for you. It’s also, in some sense, like a repayment. Some ashamos literally have repayment going along with them. But even if not, it’s something that gets paid back.

In any case, that’s called Kodesh Kedoshim. That’s eaten — it’s eaten by Kodesh Kedoshim, right? Not literally in the Kodesh Kedoshim, but it has to be eaten by *kodesh*, which means in the *azarah*, only the males are allowed to eat it. So that’s the first level.

Tenufa and Terumas Matanos

Then there is Tnufa Ismene Yisrael [*tenufas bnei Yisrael* — wave offerings from the Children of Israel]. It’s called Trimah Smatanim [*terumas matanos* — elevated gifts]. But this is, again, Trimah Smatanim is in general, the *terumah*, which is a gift. All the things that they raise, like Tnufa Ismene Yisrael, it’s not things that are burnt on the *mizbeach*, things that are — not all of them necessarily have official *tenufa*. Maybe most of them do. Maybe not all of them, but *tenufa*, the idea we’ve seen many times, the idea of *tenufa* is something that you sort of raise before the *mizbeach*. That’s the ritual that represents this, but also some things that don’t have that ritual, but they’re not burnt. They’re brought to the *mizbeach*, but then not like other things that some of it is burnt on the *mizbeach*, and then the *kohen* gets what’s called *shirayim*, the rest. It’s just brought, like symbolically brought to the *mizbeach*, and then the *kohen* takes the whole thing.

Kodesh vs. Tahor: Who May Eat

And this is not only for the male *kohanim*, it’s also, as they say, for the daughters, because daughters can eat this. Also, Kol Tahor B’Ves Chasot [*kol tahor beveisecha* — anyone pure in your household]. There’s a difference between *kodesh* and *tahor* here. If you’re a holy — only a *kohen*, male *kohen*, who does *avodah*, has the *kedushah* of a *kohen*. But a woman *kohen*, a daughter of a *kohen*, can also be *tahor*. In other words, if she’s not impure, if she’s not like all the list of impurities that we learn in Sefer Vayikra, if she’s not one of those *tumas*, then she can eat it as long as she’s part of the *kohen’s* household.

Agricultural Gifts: Reishis and Bikurim

And that includes Chelev Yitzhar [*chelev yitzhar* — the fat/best of the oil], from the oil, from Tirosh V’dagan [*tirosh ve-dagan* — wine and grain], from grain, from grapes, the beginnings, the *reishis* that are given to Hashem, goes to you.

Same thing, B’Chur B’Kure [*bechor bikurim* — firstborn firstfruits], right? These are livestock animals. Over here, that’s what it seems like. We sometimes read *bikurim* as fruits also, but here it seems like there’s *reishis*, which is the beginnings of the three main kinds of agriculture. And then *bikurim*, which is the beginnings of, I think, *bechor kol* [firstborn of all], like *bechorim*. I think *bikurim* and *bechorim* are the same thing, but someone took *bechorim*. So I’m not clear. In any case, also, I bring to you, this is anyone can eat it, called Tahor B’Vaizcha [*tahor beveisecha* — pure in your household].

Cherem: Dedicated Items

Same thing called Chelev Yitzhar. Chelev means, we’ve learned, that someone just gives something to the *Beis Hamikdash*, to the *kohen*. Doesn’t matter what or how, that’s called a *cherem*. It also gets to the *kohen*.

Firstborns: Peter Rechem

And the same thing is, every firstborn goat, Peter Rechem [*peter rechem* — opening of the womb], both of man, both of human, both of animals, of course, the man gets *pidyon haben*, as we’ve already discussed. Behemoth Tamei [*behemah temei’ah* — impure animal], the same thing. And how does it get *pidyon*? Pen Choy de Shtiv de Berkechun [*u-feduyav michodesh tifdeh be-erkecha* — and its redemption from one month you shall redeem at your valuation], it’s amount, and it’s the set amount, like *erech*. This happens to be the *erech* also, but the set *erech*, which is five *shekalim* of silver, 20 *gerah*.

But kosher animals, so that’s what happens for humans or non-kosher animals, who you can’t eat. Of course, both of these, and for opposite reasons. A human being, you don’t, you know, this *kohen* doesn’t, can’t eat. But an impure animal, he can’t eat either. For opposite reasons, both of them have a *pidyon*.

Kosher Firstborns: No Pidyon

Watch, which ones don’t have a *pidyon*? Bechoy Shoy, the Kessevei Eys [*bechor shor, kesev, o eiz* — firstborn ox, sheep, or goat], which are the kosher animals. They do not Nivdeh [*tifdeh* — be redeemed], they’re *kodesh*. What do we do with them? They become a *korban*, so they throw their blood on the *mizbeach*, their chelev [fat] gets, their fats get burnt on the *mizbeach*, and then their meat goes to the *kohen*, it’s like Chazei HaTanufa and the Shoy Kemen [*chazeh ha-tenufa v’shok ha-yamin* — the breast of waving and the right thigh]. Just like the *kohen* gets a Chazei HaTanufa and the Shoy Kemen from *zevach shelamim* [peace offering], he gets the whole *bechor*.

Terumas HaKodashim and Bris Melach Olam

And then there’s one more thing, I think this is maybe just a general, a general *pasuk*, called Tremes HaKodeshem [*terumas ha-kodashim* — the elevated portion of the holy things], all the things, all the things separated for holiness that you didn’t give to Hashem, they’re all to you, for your children.

And it finalizes with this word, Bris Melech Oylemi [*bris melach olam* — an everlasting salt covenant], it’s a salt covenant, apparently covenant, salt, is something that keeps meat fresh. So a lot of the gifts here are meat, but sometimes they’re not fresh. And in a similar way, someone might think that this covenant is like, okay, it’s like a — sometimes also a covenant is something like, remember, one big way of making a covenant is eating a meal together, having a *zevach*. But that meal, and *fana Yisrael* [*pigul* — rejected offering], and a day later is *pigul*, it’s already ruined. So sometimes a covenant lasts only as long as the meal that was created to celebrate it, that they created just to sort of make it real. But this one is Bris Melech, it’s like you salted meat, and that stays forever.

And that’s why also there’s, we read, that every *korban* has to have *melach* [salt] on the *mizbeach*. Of course, in some sense, it’s because like symbolically, because it doesn’t taste good meat without *melach*, but it says over there also, that B’lissash B’liss Melech Bris [*ki bris Elokeichem* — for it is the covenant of your God], because the *mizbeach* is something, although the parts of the *mizbeach*, right, the parts of the *kohen* doesn’t have to have *melach*, that’s different, maybe he has to eat it with *melach*, but that’s just for his taste. But the parts that go on the *mizbeach*, they also have to have salt to show that it’s not the *mizbeach* doesn’t eat it and it’s finished. There’s something continuity in that.

So that is the *matanos* that the *kohen* gets.

The Kohen Receives No Nachalah

Now, we have one more important part, and then we’re going to, two more things in this chapter, but next thing is, the things that he doesn’t get. So he gets this *matanos*, he gets all these gifts from *deen* [law], but he only gets gifts. He doesn’t get anything that really belongs to him. In other words, he doesn’t have any real estate.

This is a very important way in which the *kehunah* is structured, as we discussed, all these parts, and there, this is one of the parts of *aloch* [*halachah* — law], but it’s very clear to see how it responds to the challenges before. So the response to the challenge of what did the *kohen* deserve is that the *kohen* is in a very specific state. He gets all these gifts. It’s his responsibility that to watch his place in the hierarchy, and also he doesn’t get any actual power. He doesn’t get any real estate.

So that means that he’s always going to be a gift, as we discussed. Gift means it has to be, but in reality, I mean, they can’t force him. Maybe *halachically* the *kohen* could force, but the reality is that since these *matanos kehunah* are gifts, so they’re going to have to always be given voluntarily, which means the *kehunah* will always have to be nice to the people.

So this way, you will not have a part in between them, amongst them, in their real estate, in their land. I am your part. I am your inheritance. [*Uv’artzam lo sinchal v’chelek lo yihyeh lecha b’socham. Ani chelkecha v’nachalasecha* — And in their land you shall not inherit, and a portion you shall not have among them. I am your portion and your inheritance.]

The Levi’im’s Portion: Ma’aser

Now, this is for the *kehunah*. Now, earlier we learned that not only the *kehunah* have a job, have a part in the hierarchy, but the Levi’im also. So the Levi’im also get something here. What did the Levi’im get? They got *ma’asros* [tithes]. So the *kohen* gets *terumah*, which is, as we discussed, are all the things the *kohen* gets when they’re called *terumah*. And the Levi gets *ma’aser*, a tenth of all things. It doesn’t say exactly what it is at this moment.

Ma’aser as Payment for Avodah

They get it, and what they get it in exchange for their work, that they work in the Void of Selmaid [*Ohel Moed* — Tent of Meeting]. And through this, the Ikr Void Minas Ol HaOl Moed [*v’lo yikrevu od bnei Yisrael el Ohel Moed* — and the Children of Israel shall no longer approach the Tent of Meeting], Lasos Chet Lomis [*lases chet lamus* — to bear sin and die], it won’t be the people’s responsibility that they go, but it will be the Levi’s responsibility, and he gets paid for the responsibility. It’s not like he’s taking on this extreme responsibility for nothing. He’s getting paid for it.

And the Levi, he will work the Void of Selmaid, and he will carry their sins. This will be also an everlasting law, I think also an everlasting, something that’s given for everlasting. They will get this gift, and they will carry responsibility, because he gets this *ma’aser*, therefore they don’t get, also the Levi’im don’t get *nachalah*, only the *kohanim* get *nachalah*.

Terumas Ma’aser: The Levi’s Obligation to the Kohen

Now, just as we discussed earlier, that this Levi, relative to *Yisrael*, is a *kohen*, and so he gets *ma’aser* from them, but relative to the *kohen*, and he’s also like *Yisrael*, he can’t go close to the Levi [*mizbeach*]. So the same relation works also relative to the *matnas kehunah*, just like the Levi gets *matanos* from the *Yisrael*, he gets *ma’aser*, but he still has to give *terumah* to the *kohen*, because the *kohen* is still above him.

So this is how Hashem tells Moshe, speak to the Levi and tell them, when you take *ma’aser* from the people, you have to give *terumah* to Hashem, you have to give *terumah*, *ma’aser* from the *ma’aser*, a tenth of the *ma’aser*, what’s called *terumas ma’aser*, because *terumah* is what the *kohen* gets, and then, although you don’t have your own land, so you can’t give the *kohen* yourself, but it will be counted to you, the *terumah* that you give, as if you give the grain from the place where the grain is gathered, or the wine, the grapes from where the vineyard, from where the wine is pressed, and so on, so you’ll give, it will be, so this is yours, so the people, they have their own land, and they give from their land *terumah* for the *kohen*. The Levi has his own, not land, but *ma’aser*, and he gives *terumah* to the *kohen*, in the same way that they give, it’s called Kalchelba [*kol chelbo* — all its fat/best], it’s fat, not necessarily the fat, but the best, that he gives them, and it’s repeated again, it will be called, considered to the Levi’im, just like Tuas Goin and Tuas Yaakov [*tevuas goren u-tevuas yekev* — produce of the threshing floor and produce of the winepress].

Ma’aser May Be Eaten Anywhere

And it will be eaten, who will eat it? The *kohen*, I guess, will eat it, or the Levi will eat the *ma’aser*, anywhere, so unlike, this is not even *kodesh*, *kodesh meretz* [*kodesh kal* — light holiness], unlike the Kodesh Akodesh [*kodesh kadashim* — holy of holies], which has to be eaten in *azarah*, or Kodesh Mekalem [*kodshim kalim* — lighter holy things], that are eaten only in Yerushalayim, these *terumah* is eaten anywhere, because it’s a word, it’s a, it’s Ki Sakharu Lechem [*ki sachar hu lachem* — for it is a wage for you], because it’s as if it’s a payment, so if it’s a payment, it’s just in some sense, it’s not like the *Yisrael* are dedicating this to Hashem, and therefore they’re giving it to the Levi, or *terumah* to the *kohen*, it’s more like, what we call *mammon kohen* [the kohen’s property], it’s given to the *kohen*, because it’s his job, he has to get paid for his job, so therefore, it’s less, considered less *kodesh*, the *terumah* itself.

The Balance of Responsibility and Sin

And repeats again, I don’t know how many times it repeats, like Sissel of Chet [*v’lo tis’u alav chet* — and you shall not bear sin upon it], if the *kohen*, if the Levi will give, this *terumas ma’aser* to the *kohen*, he will not have a sin, otherwise, there’s something imbalanced, in this whole relationship, because the *kohen* has, carries the sin of the Levi, and the Levi carries the sin of the *Yisrael*, and they all carry each other’s, responsibility for all of them, but if they don’t get paid, then, they’re going to have to carry their own sin, so, the Levi’im have to, have to respect the *kodesh* of the Israel, and not die, and then the *kohen* respect the Levi’im’s *kodesh*, and so on, and this is the organization of the whole structure, of who is responsible for who, and who is, higher level than who is told to speak, and who, is gets paid by who.