AHARON TOOK

IT, AS MOSHE HAD SPOKEN,

AND HE RAN

TO THE MIDST OF THE ASSEMBLY:

AND HERE,

THE PLAGUE HAD BEGUN AMONG THE PEOPLE!

SO HE PUT

THE SMOKING INCENSE IN IT,

AND

EFFECTED APPEASEMENT OF THE PEOPLE;

NOW HE

STOOD BETWEEN THE DEAD AND THE LIVING,

AND THE

PLAGUE WAS HELD BACK

(Bemidbar

17:12-13)

The Incense As "A

Weapon" In The Hands of Aharon – Lover and Pursuer of Peace – Against the

Angel of Death

See how dear was the

incense, for through the incense the plague was brought to an end. When Moshe said to

Aharon, "Take the fire pan, and put on it fire from the altar. Add

wrath has gone forth from the Lord: the plague has begun!"

 (Bemidbar 17:11)

Said Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon: The angel would

take spices according to the list, not leaving a dead person among the living

nor a living person among the dead, but according to the proper order, as is

implied in "the plague had begun among the people'… Immediately,

"Aharon took it as Moshe had spoken, etc." He found the

angel standing and destroying, so Aharon stood against him and prevented him

from destroying, "He stood between the dead". Said the

angel to Aharon, Leave me alone, and let me perform my mission. Replied Aharon:

Moshe sent me, and The Holy one, Blessed Be He, sent you; The Holy one, Blessed

Be He, and Moshe are both in the Tent of Appointment, let us approach them. The

angel ignored him until Aharon grabbed him by the loins and dragged him, as is

written "And Aharon returned to Moshe to the entrance of the Tent of

Appointment, and the plague was held back". What is the meaning

of "the plague was held back?" Said Rabbi Yitzchak: He

took the angel and restrained him. Therefore, when it came time for Moshe to

depart from the world, he said, "Bless, O God, his wherewithal, and the

against him" (Devarim 33)… "and the works of his hand,

accept with favor" – with the ketoret which was in his hand, which

atoned, as is written, "he put the smoking incense in it, and effected

appeasement", "smash the loins of those who rise up

against him" – he grabbed the angel and restrained him. Said

Rabbi Abahu in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, when Aharon saw the angel

challenging him, he thrust the fire-pan in his face, as is written, "putting

smoking incense in your nostrils and complete offerings on your altar."

This is to teach you how beloved was the ketoret.

                                                                                                                                 (Tanchuma, Tetsaveh 15)

"Remove yourselves from this

community, that I may annihilate them in an instant." (17:10). This accusation was really no more than personally

inspired censure, and in reaction, God told Moshe: "If so you desire,

remove yourselves from here and let [the fire] devour the crowd which has risen

up against you." But they did not remove themselves: "They

fell on their faces before the Lord". They did not act according to the intent

which the rebellious crowd had attributed to them, they did not demand the

death of those who had insulted them, and they refused to be the agents of

death for God's people. But Aharon ran to midst of the gathering which had

already been set aside for death; with the incense which rises up to God, he

expressed total commitment – body and soul – to God, and he stood between the

living and the dead,

as an expiator and as a savior. Thus did he reveal to the people his nature and

the nature of his mission, which is to save and overcome death.

 (Rabbi S. R.

Hirsch Bemidbar 17:10-13)

                     CONTROVERSY – A PRODUCT OF CREATION

Michel Revel

They assembled against

these men, would you gouge out? We will not go up!

Moshe, the leader, faces

civil rebellion. The passages sound like familiar political contention: Moshe!

You have not kept your promise to bring us to the good land, to our rest, to

our inheritance. On the contrary, you took us out of Egypt, where everything

was great, and because of you we are in mortal danger in this wilderness,

crawling with snakes and scorpions. We are voting non-confidence in you; we

will follow you no further. The arguments of Korach and his assembly ring so

crooked and unfair, that this controversy is engraved upon Chazal's

consciousness as a paradigm for evil controversy. Tractate Avot teaches: "Every

controversy which is for the sake of Heaven is destined to endure; that which

is not for the sake of Heaven, is not destined to endure. What is a controversy

which is for the sake of Heaven? A controversy between Hillel and Shammai. And

one not for the sake of Heaven? The controversy of Korach and all his assembly."

At first blush, this Mishna in Avot is very surprising. Certainly every

controversy is bad; argument is the opposite of peace, says the Maharal. (Netivot Olam 2, 2).

Can there be such a

thing as a good controversy? And what is the difference between a 'good'

controversy and a 'bad' one?

The Book of Zohar explains

that controversy is a product of Creation, that is to say: Lack of overall consensus is

part of the natural world, and does not necessary flow from the Evil

Inclination and from Man's sin. There is argument in the world because there

are matters which are above and those which are below, matters on the right and

on the left, and from these differentiations, flow the differences in points of

view and quarrels. We read that on the second day of Creation "And God

water gather under the heavens into a single place." Regarding this

the Zohar says (Bereishit 1. 42 in the

commentary "Hasulam" of Rav Ashlag) "On the first day is the secret of the

right, and here on the second day is the secret of the rule of the left, and

because of this a great controversy broke out… that is to say that the left

wanted to completely nullify the rule of the right, and the right wanted to

totally annul the rule of the left… the middle pillar entered between them

and removed the controversy and agreed with both sides". The resolution of

the Creation controversy was achieved on the third day, of which is written, "Let

the waters gather… to a single place", the unity returns

thanks to agreement between the two sides which meet in 'a single place', which

is called the middle line. The Zohar continues (46) Similar to this was

the controversy of Korach against Aharon." The explanation for this is that Aharon the priest

was one who "loved peace and pursued peace (Avot

1:12), and

the quality of love is called, in Kabbalah, Chessed (goodness) or 'Right' ['right'

– not in the sense of correct, but as opposed to 'left' – translator]. 'Left',

in Kabbalah, is the inflexible quality of law, which accepts no compromise, and

this was the nature of Korach. This, too, is a holy quality, but it differs

from that of Aharon. Korach desired the priesthood, but he did not understand

that the priesthood is primarily love, gratis love; the priests, as they bless the

community recite the benediction "and commanded us to bless his people

Israel with love". [Alternate translation: "to bless his people Israel as we – the

priests – are in a state of love of the people"]. Korach obstinately

argued that he, too, serves the priesthood, regardless of circumstances.

Because of this, continues the Zohar, (48) "Korach rejected compromise,

because the controversy was not for the sake of Heaven."

What, then, is "for

the sake of Heaven?"

The concept "for the

sake of Heaven" is so commonplace that it would seem that there can be no other

explanation than that which is done according to the will of the Lord and for a

religious objective. The Zohar, however, as is its wont, reveals an inner

meaning, one almost revolutionary, one that has much clearer meaning for man.

In that same chapter on Bereishit, there is an explanation of 'controversy for

the sake of Heaven is like that of Hillel and Shammai': This is a controversy

in which the two sides can exist as a pair, for the meaning of "for the

sake of Heaven" is really "the pairing of name with Heaven. Without getting involved

in the Kabalistic meaning, it is clear that the word 'shamayim' (=heaven) is of

the same construction as 'eynayim' (=two eyes), 'yadayim' (=two hands); thus 'shamayim' is two 'shems'

– i.e., 'two names'. 'L'shem shamayim' [lit. 'for the

name of Heaven] means that each side in an argument sees itself as one name in

a pair of names – and this pair is called Shamayim. For Hillel and Shammai and

their disciples, what the Talmud has to say (Eruvin

13b) is

obvious:

Three years the House of

Shammai and the House of Hillel argued, these saying the law is as we say and

these saying the law is as we say. A divine voice came down and announced, Both

these and these are the words of the Living God but the law is according to the House of Hillel…

Why did the House of David merit having their position accepted as the law?

Because they were easygoing, never taking offense, always teaching The House of

Shammai's position as well as their own, and presenting the House of Shammai's

position before their own.

For both Hillel and

Shammai, the words of both houses were words of truth, and the House of Hillel

treated the opinions of the House of Shammai with respect, for both were as

members of a couple who complement each other. Hillel's disciples had no desire

to annul the words of the House of Shammai, and visa versa; therefore both

fulfilled that which is written in Pirkei Avot, "A controversy which is

for the sake of Shamayim, is destined to abide. Such a controversy ends

with love, as

is explained in the Talmud Kiddushin 30b), "Et vahev besufah"

– at the end is love" (See also Zohar, Beshalach 272 in

Sulam).

The existence of the

controversy is not the problem. The problem is the lack of desire to find a

solution, the refusal to compromise through an agreement which recognizes that

every side has some element of truth. This was the mistake of Korach, who

decided from the outset to reject any attempt to reach any sort of

accommodation; he wanted only to totally deny the validity of any opinion other

than his own. Therefore, the end result was that his controversy did not

abide, he and his

cohorts did not last. >From this perspective, one can understand the

denouement of the event: "And they and all that was with them, descended

alive to Sheol" (Bemidbar

17:33).

Chazal stress that according to this passage, they remained alive in Sheol, and

so we find in the Talmud "The sons of Korach did not die… a place was set up for

them in Hell (Sanhedrin 110a, Mesilla 14a) The Ohr HaHayim similarly

explains, that they remained alive. And the Maharal elucidates: "Even

though they are alive and are real, they descended to Sheol, which is the hell"

(Hiddushei Aggadot III, 267).

The meaning is clear: A

disputant who is unwilling to concede and to accept anything from the other

side, causes reality to become a real hell. Simply put, relentless contention

turns life into hell.

Now the words of Chazal in

Avot are easily understood. There is a quarrel for the sake of Heaven, when

each party to the argument feels that he is only one side of a dialectic in

which the truth is the whole of a pair of opinions in encounter. Such a

dialectic controversy, e.g., Hillel and Shammai, is part of the work of

Creation. Thus was

the world created, for it is impossible to build everyone on one side alone.

But the continuation of the two sides depends upon their ability to reach "one

place" as on the

third day of Creation. Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik, in his book "Man of

Faith", adopts this approach in order to explain the unity between Adam as

he appears in the first chapter of Bereishit – who resembles today's scientist

– and Adam of chapter two – the man of religion, the believer:

The

basis of the Biblical dialectic lies in the fact that the first Adam, the man

of glory, of rule, and of success, and the second Adam, lonely man of faith…

are not two separate people found in external encounter, as when I face you,

but they are one man locked in internal encounter… should we attempt to

reject one side of humanity, it will seem as though we are negating the divine

plan for Creation (pp. 49-50).

The blueprint of Creation

calls for scientists and men of faith complementing each other, on the middle

line of the third day of Creation.

On the other hand,

controversy such as that of the second day remains without pacification, "in

such a controversy the fire of anger intensifies, and hell comes from such controversy" (Zohar, Bereishit I, 44 in the Sulam). Korach was infected by

this hell (52). This is evil controversy, which is not for the sake of Heaven,

which does not strive for dialectic and dialogue; it is the opposite of peace

and mutual reconciliation. Then appears the curse of "And the earth

opened its mouth", for when men hate each other, and they do not open

their mouths to speak on with the other, then the land which consumes it

inhabitants overcomes them, and it opens its mouth at the location of the

disputants, and their lives become a hell. This will not happen to us,

provided that we be pursuers of peace.

Michel

Revel, recipient of the Israel Prize for Medicine, 5759, conducts research in

the Department of Molecular Genetics at the Weitzman Institute in Rehovot.

More on "Controversy

for the Sake of Heaven"

The author of the Midrash Shmuel on the

Mishneh (Avot 5:7),writes (as per the

Rambam): 'Every controversy for the sake of Heaven etc.,' the reason for this

is that we know (Sanhedrin 17a) that "If all [judges] convict –

he is acquitted",

for when there is no

opposition, offering

question and arguments, the matter cannot be completely illuminated, and it is

possible that all are subject to error. Understand that by everyone striving

to make his point, the picture will sharpen and truth will come to light.

(Yismach Moshe II;7/2)

They flung

when one man sins, at the entire community will you be furious?!"

It is revealed and known before you that the

spirit of the masses are easily inflamed by dazzling claims, and a person such

as Korach, who is spiritually superior and who enjoys full confidence

heretofore unblemished, is able to dupe the people and lead them to sin. When

the masses sin, usually the guilt can be attributed to a few instigators of

high standing. When human beings intervene against the transgression, as

a rule it is the incited masses – who are less guilty -who are hurt; the

inciters themselves usually go unpunished. But you are "God, God of the spirits of all

flesh", because you are all powerful 'God', you have it in your power

to punish whoever is guilty; and since you are 'God of the spirits of all

flesh', you can discern in your wisdom the degree of every man's guilt. 'When

one man sins' – Korach alone was guilty, whereas the incited masses are deserving of

your graces. We have noted a number of times in similar cases: when The Holy

One, Blessed Be He, leads Moshe to prayer, He arouses in his heart the

understanding of His ways of supervision; He elevates his spirit, as it were,

to think – along with Him – the thoughts of divine supervision.

(Rabbi

Shimshon Rafael Hirsch, Bemidbar 16:22)

The Ketoret (Incense)

and the Torah – Elixir of Life or Potion of Death?

Why ketoret? Because Israel were

maligning the ketoret, saying it is a potion of death, it caused the death of

Nadav and Avihu, and because of it 250 people were killed, The Holy One,

Blessed Be He, said: You will see that it arrests the plague and that it is the

sin which kills.

 (Rashi

Bemidbar 17:13)

Said Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, what is the

meaning of (Devarim 4) "And this is the

Torah which Moshe set before the Children of Israel" – if they

are deserving, it will be an elixir of life, but if they are not deserving, it

will be for them a potion of death. (The Hebrew for "set" is

"sam". "Sam" may be spelled in

two ways; spelled with a "sin" it means "set";

spelled with a "samech" it means a potion.) (Bavli, Yoma 72b)  

'Which you shall set

before them' –– if

they are deserving, it will be an elixir of life, but if they are not

deserving, it will be for them a potion of death. The explanation for this is

that this is the reason for scripture using the word 'tasim' ('set') – derived from the

word 'som', to

teach that if the judge judges justly, he will be an elixir of life, and if

not, he becomes a death potion. Similar to this is Chazal's explication of the

verse (Devarim 11) "And you shall set these words" – from the word 'som' – and this is what

they meant when they said that if one acquires words of Torah, they become for

him an elixir of life, but if he does not acquire them – they become for him a

death potion.

(Rabenu Bahayeh, Shemot 21:1)

Editorial Board: Pinchas Leiser (Editor), Miriam Fine (Coordinator), Itzhak Frankenthal and Dr. Menachem Klein

Translation: Kadish Goldberg

This weekly

publication was made possible by private donors

If you enjoy Shabbat Shalom,

please consider contributing towards its publication and distribution.

• Hebrew

  edition distributed in Israel $1000

• English

  edition distributed via email $ 100

Issues may be dedicated in

honor of an event, person, simcha, etc. Requests must be made 3-4 weeks in

advance to appear in the Hebrew, 10 days in advance to appear in the English

email.

Tax exempt contributions to Oz

VeShalom may be made through the New Israel Fund or PEF.

Contributions should be marked

as donor-advised to OzVeShalom/Netivot Shalom, Shabbat Shalom project.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE NEW

ISRAEL FUND IS NO LONGER ACCEPTING DONATIONS UNDER $50. FOR DONATIONS BETWEEN

$50 AND $999 THEY ARE CHARGING A $50 SERVICE CHARGE. DONATIONS ABOVE $1000 ARE

CHARGED A 5% FEE.

New Israel Fund, POB 91588,

Washington, DC 20090-1588, USA

New Israel Fund of Great

Britain, 26 Enford Street, London W1H 2DD, Great Britain

PEF will also channel donations and provide a tax-exemptions. Donations

should be sent to P.E.F. Israel

USA

About us:

Oz Veshalom-Netivot Shalom is

a movement dedicated to the advancement of a civil society in Israel. It is

committed to promoting the ideals of tolerance, pluralism, and justice,

concepts which have always been central to Jewish tradition and law.

Oz Veshalom-Netivot Shalom

shares a deep attachment to the land of Israel and it no less views peace as a

central religious value. It believes that Jews have both the religious and the

national obligation to support the pursuit of peace. It maintains that Jewish

law clearly requires us to create a fair and just society, and that

co-existence between Jews and Arabs is not an option but an imperative.

Oz Veshalom-Netivot Shalom's

programs include both educational and protest activities. Seminars, lectures,

workshops, conferences and weekend programs are held for students, educators

and families, as well as joint seminars for Jews, Israeli Arabs and

Palestinians. Protest activities focus on issues of human rights, co-existence

between Jews and Arabs, and responses to issues of particular religious

relevance.

9,000 copies of a 4 page peace

oriented commentary on the weekly Torah reading are written and published by Oz

VeShalom/Netivot Shalom and they are distributed to over 350 synagogues in

Israel and are sent overseas via email. Our web site is

www.netivot-shalom.org.il

Oz Veshalom-Netivot Shalom's

educational forums draw people of different backgrounds, secular and religious,

who are keen to deepen their Jewish knowledge and to hear an alternative

religious standpoint on the subjects of peace and social issues.

Oz Veshalom-Netivot Shalom

fills an ideological vacuum in Israel's society. Committed both to Jewish

tradition and observance, and to the furthering of peace and coexistence, the

movement is in a unique position to engage in dialogue with the secular left

and the religious right, with Israeli Arabs and with Palestinians

Our activities are funded by

donations and volunteer efforts.