The following is a brief summary of some of thoughts said over by R' Frand on the parsha this evening. I have attempted to reproduce these vorts to the best of my ability. Any perceived inconsistency is the result of my efforts to transcribe the shiur and should not be attributed to R' Frand.
Rabbi Frand began tonight's vort by quoting Rashi and specifically two different issues raised by Rashi. The first question relates to Rashi's comment on וַיִּקַּ֣ח קֹ֔רַח that Korach made a bad purchase for himself. What did Korach purchase?
The second related to Rashi's mentioning of a Medrash that Korach acted in this manner because he saw that he would merit having the great prophet Shmuel as his descendant. Since Shmuel was of the same stature as Moshe & Aharon, Korach felt that the zechus of having Shmuel as a descendant would protect him from confronting Moshe. The second question R' Frand asked related to Korach's knowledge of Shmuel. If Korach knew this through Ruach HaKodesh, how could be have reached the wrong conclusion?
R' Frand began the answer by quoting the Gemara in Gittin which states that Haman's descendants learned Torah in Bnei Brak. How could this have happened? The Gemara answers that the removal of the ring (in order to seal the decree) was greater than 48 prophets. Why? Because as a result of the removal of the ring, there was a great Teshuva movement. Since Haman was the cause of this Teshuva movement, he merited to have descendants learn Torah.
R' Frand then quoted the Satmar Rebbi who explained that Korach was zoche to have Shmuel as a descendant because he was responsible for everyone learning the lesson of not to challenge Moshe. He made the mistake of thinking that the end result of having Shmuel meant that he could stand up to Moshe but he was wrong in this regard. And he "paid" a high price for his challenging Moshe - being swallowed up by the earth.
R' Frand also said a second vort about Dasan & Aviram. He quoted another Rashi which observed the heavy price of Machlokes. A Beis Din is not allowed to punish until a person becomes a Gadol. The Heavenly Beis Din metes out certain punishment when a person reaches the age of 20. But as result of the Machlokes which was caused, even babies were killed.
R' Frand quoted the Maharal who asks - what sin did they commit when led to the punishment? The answer, according to the sefer Yechi Reuvein, is none. He quoted a Medrash which asks why on the second day of creation the words Ki Tov are not used. The Medrash answers with two different reasons - because Gehennom was created on that day, or because Machlokes was created in that on day two there was separation.
R' Frand stated that there is a connection between the fire of Machlokes and the fire of Gehennom. Once fire is released it does not differentiate - it burns whatever and whomever is in its path. The children who died were not punished - they died because the fire which was started by Machlokes does not differentiate - it can cause death to whomever is involved.
[As we are entering the month of Tammuz, we should IYH merit to being saved from Machlokes].
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