Unstable Energy

Korach’s rebellion can be understood that he was objected to order, boundaries and divisions. His cry of כִּי כָל־הָעֵדָה כֻּלָּם קְדֹשִׁים was since h recognized the inner spark of holiness within everything and wanted that potential to be actualized.  His arguments of that a tallis totally made of techeles and a house full of seforim demonstrate his point that with a lot of spiritual energy one need not be bound by the strict parameters of the law.  Korach saw the spiritual energy around him and wished to tap into its power.  The argument against Moshe and Aharon is that if everyone can become in tune with their spiritual potential, there is no need for leaders.  

However, Korach’s failure lay in his denial of boundaries. The need for parameters for mitzvot, different levels of kedusha, separation between Kohanim and Leviim, between leaders and lay people, is because in order to properly access kedusha there must be a kli.  There must be order otherwise there is just chaos.  The divisions and boundaries due not serve as limitations, but as a vessel to hold and direct kedusha.

By denying boundaries, Korach essentially overexposed himself to uncontained energy.  His end is to fall into שאול.  The שאול is the underground, the strong forces of energy contained beneath the earth's surface representing the the abyss of unharnessed spiritual energy.  

Yet, the Kabbalists tell that in the future Korach's vision will be realized.  When the world will be purified, and all souls refined, we will be able to access the kedusha which is inherent in everything. 

As the Chassidic expression goes, to bring about the redemption it is necessary to use אורות דתוהו בכלים דתיקון.  Using chaotic force of energy must be necessary but it must be limited by the vessels to give it order. 

The Challah And Tzitzit Message

Why are the mitzvot of challah and tzitzis given after the sin of the meraglim?  The Sfas Emes (5661) explains the idea of the mitzvah of challah is to recognize that even in the most basic gashmi needs of a person, in the staple of his life, there is a G-dly spark that illuminates one's actions.  In other seforim it says (see Igra D''Kallah, Megalleh Amukot) that the parsha of challah, ראשית עריסותיכם, כי תבואו אל הארץ,  hints to the idea that at the beginning of the day, when you get out of bed (עריסה also means a bed,) when the neshama returns to the gashmi, at the beginning of the gashmi needs a person needs to take care of, one should acknowledge how it ties into their spiritual accomplishments.  

The Sefer HaChinuch says that the lavan strings of the tzitzit represent the body of a person and the techeles strings represent the nefesh.  The strings are intertwined since the nefesh and gashmi must be united.  

The sin of the meraglim was that they viewed the gashmi as separate from the ruchni and hence they did not want to enter Eretz Yisrael.  The mitzvot that come after are to demonstrate the mistake of the meraglim.    

The Traveling Aron

 Why is the parsha of ויהי בנסוע the parsha to separate between the events of פורעניות?  

The Baal HaTurim (Terumah 25:10) says ארון אותיות אורן שיש בה אורן של ישראל ואותיות נורא כי הוא אש אוכלה.  The Aron represents the fire of Torah and the middah of נורא.   

The Gemarah Yoma (69b) says the Anshei Knesset Hagedolah reinstituted saying in Shemone Esrai הנורא even after the golut since הן נוראותיו שאלמלא מוראו של הקב"ה היאך אומה אחת יכולה להתקיים בין האומות.  In other words, the fact that Klal Yisrael can survive through the golut is a fulfillment of the middah of נורא.  What ensures this kium through the golus?  The אור of the Torah.  It is the fact that the Torah is carried with us through all the stages of the golus, that will ensure there will be a וינוחו, that we will ultimately come to a final stop.  The Gemarah says that there are 85 words in the parsha of ויהי בנסוע which tells us that is the minimal amount of words to define a sefer Torah.  85 is פה, it is the Torah of the פה, the Torah שבעל פה that allows for this continuum.