Pesukim פסוקים are the "verses" of Scripture divided into Parashaot (Portions) read in the synagogue each week. On Monday's & Thursdays there are 3 divisions of the week's Parasha read and on Shabbat all 6 are read including a Maftir (added), which makes up the final Pesukim (verses) of the Parasha totaling (7) Aliyot each week. Rabbi Eric will give a short d'rash on each of the daily Pesukim that make up the week's Parasha for a good daily dose of Torah. For more explanation on how the Torah is read and divided daily and weekly in the Synagogue see the following links:
The Daily Pesuk for Tuesday, June 12th, 2018 / 28, Sivan 5778
Parashat Korach / פרשת קורח
Numbers 16:20-17:8 (24 p'sukim)
Numbers 16:20-17:8 Tree of Life Version (TLV)
20 Then Adonai spoke to Moses and Aaron saying, 21 “Separate yourselves from among this assembly, so that I may consume them at once!”
22 But they fell on their faces and cried out, “O God, God of the spirits of all flesh, if one man sins, will you be angry with the entire community?”
23 Then Adonai spoke to Moses saying, 24 “Speak to the assembly saying, ‘Move away from the dwelling of Korah, Dathan and Abiram!’”
25 Moses got up and went to Dathan and Abiram. The elders of Israel followed after him. 26 He warned the assembly saying, “Move away from the tents of these wicked men! Don’t touch anything that is theirs, or you will be swept away because of all their sins!”
27 So they moved away from near the dwelling of Korah, Dathan and Abiram. Dathan and Abiram came outside and were standing at the entrance of their tents with their wives, their children, and their little ones.
28 Moses said, “By this you will know that Adonai has sent me to do all these works, that they are not from my own heart. 29 If every one of these men die a common death and experience what happens to all people, then Adonai has not sent me. 30 But if Adonai brings about a new thing, and the earth opens her mouth and swallows them and everything that is theirs, and they go down alive into Sheol, then you will know that these men have despised Adonai.”
31 As soon as he finished saying all these things, the ground split under them. 32 The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, along with all their households, all of Korah’s people and all their possessions. 33 They went down alive into Sheol, they and everything that was theirs. The earth closed over them and they were gone from among the community.
34 All Israel around them fled at their outcry, for they shouted, “Perhaps the earth will swallow us!”
35 Fire also came out from Adonai and consumed the 250 men offering the incense.
36 Adonai spoke to Moses saying, 37 “Tell Eleazar son of Aaron the kohen, to take the censers from the burning, because they are holy, and scatter the coals at a distance. 38 As for the censers of these men who sinned at the cost of their lives, let them be taken and hammered into sheets as a covering for the altar. For they were presented before Adonai, so they are holy. They are to be a sign to Bnei-Yisrael.”
39 So Eleazar the kohen collected the bronze censers brought by the ones who were burned and hammered them into an overlay for the altar, 40 just as Adonai had spoken to him by Moses’ hand, so that it would be as a reminder to Bnei-Yisrael that no one who was not a descendant of Aaron should burn incense before Adonai, and so no one would become like Korah and his following.
41 The next day, the entire community of Bnei-Yisrael grumbled against Moses and Aaron, saying, “You killed Adonai’s people!”
42 But when they gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron and turned toward the Tent of Meeting, behold, the cloud covered it and the glory appeared! 43 Moses and Aaron went to the front of the Tent of Meeting.
44 Adonai spoke to Moses saying, 45 “Get away from among this assembly so that I may immediately consume them!” So they fell on their faces.
46 Then Moses said to Aaron, “Take the censer, put into it fire from the altar and put in incense. Get going and hurry to the assembly and make atonement for them, because wrath has come out from Adonai and the plague has started.”
47 Aaron did just as Moses had said, and ran into the middle of the assembly. Behold, the plague had already started among the people. But he offered the incense and made atonement for the people. 48 He stood between the dead and the living and the plague stopped. 49 However, there were 14,700 dead from the plague, besides those who died because of Korah.
50 Then Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, when the plague had been halted.
Sprouting of Aaron’s Rod
17 Adonai spoke to Moses saying, 2 “Speak to Bnei-Yisrael and get a rod from each ancestral house, twelve staffs in all, from each prince according to his ancestral household. Write each man’s name on his staff. 3 Write Aaron’s name on Levi’s staff, for there is to be one staff for the prince of each tribe. 4 Then you are to place them in the Tent of Meeting, before the Testimony, where I meet with you. 5 It will come about that the staff of the man I choose will sprout. I will then rid Myself of the grumblings of Bnei-Yisrael, who are grumbling against you.”
6 So Moses spoke to Bnei-Yisrael. Each of their princes gave him a staff, one staff for each prince according to their ancestral houses, twelve staffs in all, and Aaron’s staff was among them. 7 Moses placed the staffs before Adonai in the Tent of Testimony.
8 The next day, Moses entered the Tent of Testimony and behold, Aaron’s staff, from the house of Levi, had sprouted, blossomed, and produced almonds!
20 וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה וְאֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֖ן לֵאמֹֽר׃
21 הִבָּ֣דְל֔וּ מִתּ֖וֹךְ הָעֵדָ֣ה הַזֹּ֑את וַאַכַלֶּ֥ה אֹתָ֖ם כְּרָֽגַע׃
22 וַיִּפְּל֤וּ עַל־פְּנֵיהֶם֙ וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ אֵ֕ל אֱלֹהֵ֥י הָרוּחֹ֖ת לְכָל־בָּשָׂ֑ר הָאִ֤ישׁ אֶחָד֙ יֶחֱטָ֔א וְעַ֥ל כָּל־הָעֵדָ֖ה תִּקְצֹֽף׃ פ
23 וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃
24 דַּבֵּ֥ר אֶל־הָעֵדָ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר הֵֽעָלוּ֙ מִסָּבִ֔יב לְמִשְׁכַּן־קֹ֖רַח דָּתָ֥ן וַאֲבִירָֽם׃
25 וַיָּ֣קָם מֹשֶׁ֔ה וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ אֶל־דָּתָ֣ן וַאֲבִירָ֑ם וַיֵּלְכ֥וּ אַחֲרָ֖יו זִקְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
26 וַיְדַבֵּ֨ר אֶל־הָעֵדָ֜ה לֵאמֹ֗ר ס֣וּרוּ נָ֡א מֵעַל֩ אָהֳלֵ֨י הָאֲנָשִׁ֤ים הָֽרְשָׁעִים֙ הָאֵ֔לֶּה וְאַֽל־תִּגְּע֖וּ בְּכָל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר לָהֶ֑ם פֶּן־תִּסָּפ֖וּ בְּכָל־חַטֹּאתָֽם׃
27 וַיֵּעָל֗וּ מֵעַ֧ל מִשְׁכַּן־קֹ֛רֶח דָּתָ֥ן וַאֲבִירָ֖ם מִסָּבִ֑יב וְדָתָ֨ן וַאֲבִירָ֜ם יָצְא֣וּ נִצָּבִ֗ים פֶּ֚תַח אָֽהֳלֵיהֶ֔ם וּנְשֵׁיהֶ֥ם וּבְנֵיהֶ֖ם וְטַפָּֽם׃
28 וַיֹּאמֶר֮ מֹשֶׁה֒ בְּזֹאת֙ תֵּֽדְע֔וּן כִּֽי־יְהוָ֣ה שְׁלָחַ֔נִי לַעֲשׂ֕וֹת אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַֽמַּעֲשִׂ֖ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה כִּי־לֹ֖א מִלִּבִּֽי׃
29 אִם־כְּמ֤וֹת כָּל־הָֽאָדָם֙ יְמֻת֣וּן אֵ֔לֶּה וּפְקֻדַּת֙ כָּל־הָ֣אָדָ֔ם יִפָּקֵ֖ד עֲלֵיהֶ֑ם לֹ֥א יְהוָ֖ה שְׁלָחָֽנִי׃
30 וְאִם־בְּרִיאָ֞ה יִבְרָ֣א יְהוָ֗ה וּפָצְתָ֨ה הָאֲדָמָ֤ה אֶת־פִּ֙יהָ֙ וּבָלְעָ֤ה אֹתָם֙ וְאֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר לָהֶ֔ם וְיָרְד֥וּ חַיִּ֖ים שְׁאֹ֑לָה וִֽידַעְתֶּ֕ם כִּ֧י נִֽאֲצ֛וּ הָאֲנָשִׁ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה אֶת־יְהוָֽה׃
31 וַיְהִי֙ כְּכַלֹּת֔וֹ לְדַבֵּ֕ר אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה וַתִּבָּקַ֥ע הָאֲדָמָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר תַּחְתֵּיהֶֽם׃
32 וַתִּפְתַּ֤ח הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ אֶת־פִּ֔יהָ וַתִּבְלַ֥ע אֹתָ֖ם וְאֶת־בָּתֵּיהֶ֑ם וְאֵ֤ת כָּל־הָאָדָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לְקֹ֔רַח וְאֵ֖ת כָּל־הָרֲכֽוּשׁ׃
33 וַיֵּ֨רְד֜וּ הֵ֣ם וְכָל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר לָהֶ֛ם חַיִּ֖ים שְׁאֹ֑לָה וַתְּכַ֤ס עֲלֵיהֶם֙ הָאָ֔רֶץ וַיֹּאבְד֖וּ מִתּ֥וֹךְ הַקָּהָֽל׃
34 וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֲשֶׁ֛ר סְבִיבֹתֵיהֶ֖ם נָ֣סוּ לְקֹלָ֑ם כִּ֣י אָֽמְר֔וּ פֶּן־תִּבְלָעֵ֖נוּ הָאָֽרֶץ׃
35 וְאֵ֥שׁ יָצְאָ֖ה מֵאֵ֣ת יְהוָ֑ה וַתֹּ֗אכַל אֵ֣ת הַחֲמִשִּׁ֤ים וּמָאתַ֙יִם֙ אִ֔ישׁ מַקְרִיבֵ֖י הַקְּטֹֽרֶת׃ פ
17 וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃
2 אֱמֹ֨ר אֶל־אֶלְעָזָ֜ר בֶּן־אַהֲרֹ֣ן הַכֹּהֵ֗ן וְיָרֵ֤ם אֶת־הַמַּחְתֹּת֙ מִבֵּ֣ין הַשְּׂרֵפָ֔ה וְאֶת־הָאֵ֖שׁ זְרֵה־הָ֑לְאָה כִּ֖י קָדֵֽשׁוּ׃
3 אֵ֡ת מַחְתּוֹת֩ הַֽחַטָּאִ֨ים הָאֵ֜לֶּה בְּנַפְשֹׁתָ֗ם וְעָשׂ֨וּ אֹתָ֜ם רִקֻּעֵ֤י פַחִים֙ צִפּ֣וּי לַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ כִּֽי־הִקְרִיבֻ֥ם לִפְנֵֽי־יְהוָ֖ה וַיִּקְדָּ֑שׁוּ וְיִֽהְי֥וּ לְא֖וֹת לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
4 וַיִּקַּ֞ח אֶלְעָזָ֣ר הַכֹּהֵ֗ן אֵ֚ת מַחְתּ֣וֹת הַנְּחֹ֔שֶׁת אֲשֶׁ֥ר הִקְרִ֖יבוּ הַשְּׂרֻפִ֑ים וַֽיְרַקְּע֖וּם צִפּ֥וּי לַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃
5 זִכָּר֞וֹן לִבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל לְ֠מַעַן אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹֽא־יִקְרַ֜ב אִ֣ישׁ זָ֗ר אֲ֠שֶׁר לֹ֣א מִזֶּ֤רַע אַהֲרֹן֙ ה֔וּא לְהַקְטִ֥יר קְטֹ֖רֶת לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וְלֹֽא־יִהְיֶ֤ה כְקֹ֙רַח֙ וְכַ֣עֲדָת֔וֹ כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּ֧ר יְהוָ֛ה בְּיַד־מֹשֶׁ֖ה לֽוֹ׃
6 וַיִּלֹּ֜נוּ כָּל־עֲדַ֤ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מִֽמָּחֳרָ֔ת עַל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה וְעַֽל־אַהֲרֹ֖ן לֵאמֹ֑ר אַתֶּ֥ם הֲמִתֶּ֖ם אֶת־עַ֥ם יְהוָֽה׃
7 וַיְהִ֗י בְּהִקָּהֵ֤ל הָֽעֵדָה֙ עַל־מֹשֶׁ֣ה וְעַֽל־אַהֲרֹ֔ן וַיִּפְנוּ֙ אֶל־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד וְהִנֵּ֥ה כִסָּ֖הוּ הֶעָנָ֑ן וַיֵּרָ֖א כְּב֥וֹד יְהוָֽה׃
8 וַיָּבֹ֤א מֹשֶׁה֙ וְאַהֲרֹ֔ן אֶל־פְּנֵ֖י אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃ פ
KETORET! "INCENSE"!
Today's pesukim outlines the two incidents revolving around Ketoret (Incense). First, we find Moses's challenge to Korah and his 250 rabble rousers to appear before Adonai with their Ketoret, and the sons of Aaron with theirs; and Adonai would prove to all who are the real "Priests" that He has chosen.
Immediately after this incident we are told that incredibly, the B'nei Yisrael became frightened that Adonai would now come against "Everyone" in the congregation, as pesuk 24 says: 34 וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֲשֶׁ֛ר סְבִיבֹתֵיהֶ֖ם נָ֣סוּ לְקֹלָ֑ם כִּ֣י אָֽמְר֔וּ פֶּן־תִּבְלָעֵ֖נוּ הָאָֽרֶץ׃
34 All Israel around them fled at their outcry, for they shouted, “Perhaps the earth will swallow us!”
Then, without learning from past mistakes, they blame Moses for killing the 250 with Korah and begin complaining against Moses & Aaron! What happens next is yet another incident that involves Ketoret. When God's Wrath breaks out, Moshe then commands Aaron to take the Ketoret Kadosh and go in the midst of the camp and make atonement! It is noteworthy that what was used to judge Korah and his rebellion and became of vessel of wrath and judgement, was now being used to make atonement for the people who complained and did not deserve mercy.
How could the same Ketoret be used for both judgement and mercy? There is a hint of an answer for this in the very Hebrew name for the Incense "Ketoret", in the Midrash Tanchuma, it is written:
וְעָשִׂיתָ מִזְבֵּחַ מִקְטַר קְטֹרֶת. מַהוּ קְטֹרֶת? ק' קְדֻשָּׁה, ט' טָהֳרָה, ר' רַחֲמִים, ת' תִּקְוָה.
V'asitah mizbeach mikatar ketoret ma'hu ketoret? Kaf yod Kedusha, Tate yod T'harah, Resh yod rachamim, Tav yod Tikvah.
In English it says: "And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense (Exod. 30:1). What do the letters in the word ketoret (“incense”) stand for? The kuf stands for kedushah (“sanctification”), tet for taharah (“purity”), resh for rahamim (“mercy”), and tav for tikvah (“hope”)."
The Hebrew word for Incense is: קְטֹרֶת
The word is made up of Kaf Tate Resh and Tav. Here the rabbis say that each letter is actually an acronym for Kedusha (Sanctification), Tate for (Purity), Resh (Mercy) and Tav (Hope).
If this is true, then it stands to make perfect sense that the people of Israel are Sanctified, made Pure, given Mercy and Hope through the Ketoret...
This is why Aaron could make Atonement for Israel with the Ketoret.
There is one more lessen here as well. The godly leadership wanted to protect the people by separating them from what was impure unholy, unclean and without hope. Moses warned to people to separate themselves from Korah and his group.
God gives His people the same warning in the very end of Days...
Revelation 18 Tree of Life Version (TLV)
Judgment of Babylon
18 After these things, I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his glory. 2 He cried out with a mighty voice, saying:
“Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!
She has become a den for demons,
a haunt for every unclean spirit
and for every unclean bird
and for every unclean and detestable beast.
3 For all the nations have drunk
of the wine of the fury of her immorality.
The kings of the earth have committed
sexual immorality with her,
and the merchants of the earth
grew rich off the power
of her self-indulgence.”
4 Then I heard another voice from heaven saying,
“Come out of her, my people,
lest you participate in her sins
and receive her plagues!
5 For her sins have piled up to heaven,
and God has remembered her crimes.
6 Pay her back just as she has paid out,
and give her back double for her deeds!
In the cup she has mixed—
mix a double dose for her!
7 As she has exalted herself and indulged herself in luxury,
so give her the same measure of torment and grief!
For in her heart she says,
‘I sit as a queen—
I am no widow;
I shall never see grief.’
Remembering the lesson we have from today's pesukim, we need to run and flee from immorality and everything that contaminates both body and soul, lest we share in their sufferings and punishments.
Let us cling to what is good and pure and sanctified and live pure lives unto Hashem.
2 Corinthians 7 Tree of Life Version (TLV)
7 Therefore, since we have these promises, loved ones, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of body and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
2 Corinthians 7:1 - לָכֵן חֲבִיבָי בִּהְיוֹת לָנוּ הַהַבְטָחוֹת הָאֵלֶּה נְטַהֲרָה אֶת־עַצְמֵנוּ מִכָּל־חֶלְאַת בָּשָׂר וָרוּחַ לְהַשְׁלִים קְדֻשָּׁתֵנוּ בְּיִרְאַת אֱלֹהִים׃
1 Thessalonians 5:23 Tree of Life Version (TLV)
23 Now may the God of shalom Himself make you completely holy; and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept complete, blameless at the coming of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah.
1 Thessalonians 5:23 - וֵאלֹהֵי הַשָּׁלוֹם הוּא יְקַדֵּשׁ אֶתְכֶם בִּקְדֻשָּׁה שְׁלֵמָה וְכָל־רוּחֲכֶם וְנַפְשְׁכֶם וְגוּפְכֶם יִשָּׁמֵר תָּמִים בְּבוֹא אֲדֹנֵינוּ יֵשׁוּעַ הַמָּשִׁיחַ׃
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