Iturei Korach Astor 1

TORAH-FAX KORACH ITUREI

KORACITU
ITUREI HA-TORAH QUESTIONS
BY RABBI CARL ASTOR
1. Separate yourselves from this community that I may annihilate them in an
instant (Bam 16:21).
Iturei Ha-Torah: In a villae near Koshnit!" a #ispute $ro%e out $et&een the
'asi#im an# the (itna#im. )he 'asi#im" &hich &as the smaller roup" #eci#e#
to form their o&n conreation. )his &as ma#e %no&n to *. +israel" the (ai#
of Koshnit!. 'e invite# the hea#s of the 'asi#im an# sai#" ,)here are serious
punishments in the )orah for sinners" $ut &e #o not fin# that &e are o$liate# to
separate ourselves from them. -nly in one place in the )orah #o &e fin# ,separate
yourselves from this community", an# this is in the #ispute of Korah. )hey &ante#
to intro#uce #ivisions &ithin the camp" as it says in the )arum" ,an# Korah
#ivi#e#", an# &hoever &ishes to ma%e #ivisions $et&een .e&s" &e are comman#e#
to separate from him. (Ma'asey Ha-Tzadikim)
a. /hy is it so &ron to #ivi#e the community0
$. Are there those &ho are uilty of this to#ay0
2. /hen one man sins" &ill you $e &rathful &ith the &hole community0 (1um.
16:22)
Iturei Ha-Torah: ,Yehteh, ,he &ill sin, is &ritten in the future tense.
Shoul#n2t it have $een &ritten" ,hata, ,he sinne#0, But this is &hat (oses
meant. )his" Korah" &ho accepts no authority" &ho #oes not reconi!e the
ma3ority" &ho says" ,1o one else $ut me", he is lost forever4 he &ill %eep on
sinnin. ,/hen one man5, a man &ho is alone an# separate" ,he &ill sin,
surely he &ill sin.
a. Are there any times &hen it is riht to remain alone an# separate0
$. /hen is it riht an# &hen is it &ron0 'o& can you %no&0
ANSWERS
Iturei Korach Astor 2
1a. /e are a small people an# &e #epen# upon each other. 6ivisions are
#estructive an# create enmity &here there shoul# $e carin an# support.
1$. In every community an# conreation there are those &ho try to #ivi#e an#
create conflict. )hey often use #evious" self7rihteous means to #o this.
2a. /hen the ma3ority is #oin the &ron thin" one must $e &illin to stan#
alone.
2$. If it2s truly for the sa%e of #oin the riht thin an# not for selfish reasons"
then it is riht.