Parshas Korach
Dedicated for Refua Sheleima for Dovid Yehoshua ben Leba Malka
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Another great Parsha with many ideas for your Parsha Party. REMINDER - THIS IS A SPRINGBOARD OF IDEAS. YOU CAN CHOOSE ONE IDEA OR A FEW. AND HAVE THE KIDS GUESS THE CONNECTIONS.
Parsha Overview (Feel free to skip straight to the Party below - simply click the arrow next to this text and the overview will disappear
Korach
Korach’s Fight for Honor
Korach, the son of Yitzhar (who is the 2nd) son of Kehas from Shevet Levi decides to start a rebellion against Moshe Rabbeinu and he doesn’t do it on his own. He takes along with him Dasan and Aviram, the 2 famous trouble makers, as well as On ben Peles from Shevet Reuven. He also convinced heads of the Sanhedrin to join the fight. (Rashi)
He is angry and jealous that Moshe skipped over him for Kehuna and leadership positions and did not make him the Nasi of Shevet Levi. Instead, he appointed Elitzafan who came from his father’s younger brother and he felt that it was not fair to skip over him.
Rashi says that Korach went to challenge Moshe and brought his men wearing a garment that was made completely of Techeles (blue) and asked Moshe if it needs a techeles string since it is already blue. When Moshe answered that it does need techeles they started to mock him.
Korach and his men go together with 250 men from Shevet Reuven to Moshe and Aharon and complain that they are taking too much Kavod for themselves and that there are more holy people amongst the nation that should be getting Kavod.
Moshe Responds by trying to diffuse the fight
Moshe hears their words and falls on his face. He is saddened that they are starting up with Hashem once again. He tells Korach, we will wait until tomorrow and Hashem will show us who He really chooses. They should all come back tomorrow, and take special Keilim called Machtos that are used to bring the holy Ketores. They will fill them with fire and Ketores and let Hashem choose who deserves the Kehuna and honor. But he warns them, the sons of Levi, that they are taking on something way too much for them. They are doing something quite dangerous as Ketores killed Nadav and Avihu and they are stepping into dangerous waters by bringing it.
Moshe tries to convince the sons of Levi by having them recognize that they are already lucky to have the honor of serving as Leviim! They get to sing in the Mishkan and have special jobs. They should not fall into this lowliness and bring the Ketores but should accept the role that they were given.
Meanwhile, Moshe tries to stop the fight peacefully and calls for Dasan and Aviram to come to him. They refuse to come and respond, “Is it not enough that you took us out of a land flowing with milk and honey (they are referring to Mitzrayim!) to kill us in the desert? Now you want to be in charge of us? You didn’t even bring us to a land flowing with milk and honey and didn’t give us fields or vineyards. Even if you send people to poke out our eyes, we will not come!”
Moshe was pained by the way they spoke and told Hashem not to accept their offerings / their Ketores that they will bring. He said he never took a donkey from them and never caused them any harm.
Korach keeps the fight going and tries to get more people to join
Rashi says that Korach went around to the camps all night trying to entice people to join his Machlokes telling them its not fair that Moshe and Aharon take all the high positions for themselves.
The next day, Korach and his men gather at the Mishkan and take their Machtos and fill them with Ketores.
Hashem wants to wipe the nation out
Hashem tells Moshe and Aharon to separate from these bad people and he will consume all of them in an instant.
Moshe and Aharon beg Hashem not to kill everyone because of one man’s sins. Hashem tells Moshe to tell all the people to separate from Korach and his group. The people separate from them but Korach Dasan Aviram and their wives and children all come with haughtiness to the entrance of their tent and all will get punished including the young babies.
Moshe rebukes Korach and his people that the earth will swallow them if Hashem does not accept them
Moshe tells them – if nobody dies from this you will know that I made it up all on my own of who gets what Kavod. But if Hashem really is the One that told me what to do and who to appoint then the earth will open it’s mouth and swallow all these people.
As soon as Moshe finished speaking, the earth suddenly opened and swallowed them and their houses, all the people that were with Korach. They were swallowed into the earth alive along with every thing they owned. The rest of the people around them saw this and were petrified so they ran for their lives.
A fire also came out and consumed the 250 people that brought the Ketores.
Elazar collects the Machtos and they are preserved for the future
Hashem tells Moshe to appoint Elazar ben Aharon to collect all the Machtos that were used for this sin and get rid of the fires. They were to be flattened out and overlaid on the Mizbayach Hanechoshes and serve as a reminder of what happened to people that fought against the Kehuna and as a reminder that nobody aside from Kohanim should ever try to bring Ketores before Hashem.
The people complain again and a plague breaks out
The people begin to complain to Moshe and Aharon that they are killing their nation. Suddenly they all turn and see the cloud of Hashem on the Mishkan. Hashem tells Moshe to stand away from the nation and he will consume them in a minute. And a plague begins. Moshe quickly tells Aharon to take a Machta and bring Ketores as he knows that this is a way to stop the plague. Aharon runs to where the people are standing and brings Ketores and suddenly the plague stops where he is. There were 14,700 people that died besides the people that died from Korach!
The stick of Aharon Blooms with almonds
Hashem tells Moshe that each Shevet needs to take a Mateh – a stick and carve the head of their shevets name into the stick. For shevet Levi they need to carve out Aharon’s name.
They should bring the sticks in the Mishkan and put it next to the Aron and Hashem will choose one to blossom and it will calm his anger at the people. Moshe put Aharon’s stick in the middle so that nobody could say it blossomed because of the side that it was on (Rashi).
The Next day when Moshe went to see the sticks, Aharon’s stick had blossomed and had produced Almonds!
All the Nesiim got their sticks back but Hashem told Moshe to keep Aharon’s by the Aron as a remembrance for people that want to rebel and complain about the Kehuna.
The nation is afraid that they will mess up again
The nation is now afraid that they are doomed to die because certainly someone will touch something that is not allowed in the Mishkan. So Hashem tells Aharon that he and his sons must be responsible to guard are the holy things in the Mishkan together with Shevet Levi.
Hashem provides Kohanim with many gifts
The Kohanim are granted special gifts for them to guard and keep and they get to eat from the Karbanos. These are holy and must be eaten in the Azara of the Mishkan by males only. The Terumos that are waved around can be eaten by anyone pure in the Kohen family, both sons and daughters.
The oils, wines, grains, and the Bikkurim are all gifts for the Kohanim. Anything set aside special is a gift for the Kohen.
Pidyon Haben and Terumos for Kohanim
Any first born whether a human or animal also belongs to the Kohen and must be redeemed. The Pidyon (redemption) must happen at one month old using 5 silver shekel.
But the firstborn ox, sheep, or goat should not be redeemed because they are holy. Instead they should be brought as karbanos to Hashem. But their meat will be for the Kohanim.
All the gifts of the Terumos given to the Kohanim will serve as a convenant of salt – which is something that preserves and signifies that it is everlasting – that the Kohanim are special to Hashem.
Hashem tells Aharon that the kohanim do not inherit a portion of land or spoils but that Hashem is their portion.
The Leviim are granted Maaser
And to the Leviim, Hashem gave the Maaser as their portion and it is their responsibility to guard that nobody comes and touches the holy things in the Mishkan. And when the Leviim receive the Maaser, they should set aside a Maaser from the Maaser for Hashem and give it to the Kohanim.
The gifts that are separated for the Leviim are payment for their work in the Mishkan and it can be eaten anywhere. The gifts that are separated should be from the best and the choicest parts.
(Adapted partially from Chabad.org, and The Pesukim and Rashi and Medrash Says)
And now for the fun part
PARSHA PARTY
SNACKS LISTED FIRST SO YOU CAN TRY AND GUESS TOO!
Fire blaster
Donut with hole
Blue candies
Yum Earth lollies
Almond mix or chocolate almonds
Almond cookies or patties
Pull Apart – Melt away
Flower candy
Lip candy
Dunkees
Money rolls
Silver chocolate coins
Ego Chocolate bars (pareve)
Almond butter cups
Fruit snacks or fruit candies
Mike and Ikes
Fruit sticks
Pretzel sticks or rods
Salt water taffy
Sour punch bites
Pull and peel
Cry Baby Gum
Halva
Laffy Taffy
Sour candy
Wowzers
Blue shark gummies
Star mints or candies
Viennese crunch
Gift platter
Animal Cookies
Mr Chip
Bundt cake
DeeBest candies
THE PARSHA PARTY ANSWER LIST!
Fire blaster – Korach’s men tried to bring Ketores with fire in their Machtos (firepans). Also a fire came and consumed the 250 men from Shevet Reuven that joined the rebellion against Moshe
Donut with hole – The earth opened up a hole and swallowed Korach and his men
Blue candies - Korach mocked Moshe when he brought his men with Techeles (blue) garments and asked if it still needs Techeles on the Tzitzis
Yum Earth Lollies- The earth swallowed Korach and his men
Almond mix or chocolate almonds, Almond cookies or patties - Aharon’s stick that was put in the center of al the sticks of Nesiim sprouted ripe almonds
Pull Apart challah or cakes - Korach riled up the nation with Machlokes – which pulls people apart
Flower candy – Aharon’s stick blossomed with flowers that grew almonds
Lip candy – The mouth of the earth (that was prepared in the beginning of creation) opened and swallowed Korach
Dunkees - Moshe tells Hashem that Dasan and Aviram have no right to have anything against him as he never took even a Donkey from them or harmed them
Money rolls, Silver chocolate coins – The kohanim need to do a pidyon Haben for 5 silver shekel which is 20 Geirah
Ego Chocolate bars (pareve) - Korach’s whole fight with Moshe was focused on his ego which made him jealous
Almond butter cups – Almonds sprouted on Aharon’s stick
Fruit snacks or fruit candies - The Kohanim get the Terumos and Bikkurim fruits and the Leviim get the Maaser
Mike and Ikes – Korach separated into 2 groups of people
Fruit sticks, Pretzel sticks or rods - The sticks that each Nasi and Aharon had to leave near the Aron for Hashem to choose one to blossom
Salt water taffy - Hashem says that the Kohanim will always be special to him as a covenant of salt which preserves and is lasting
Sour punch bites – Korach and his followers were Sour people that wanted to fight
Pull and peel – Korach and his fight tried to pull people apart
Cry Baby Gum - Korach and his people were crying out like babies. Also the nation kept crying out.
Halva – The Machlokes of Korach split the nation in Half
Laffy Taffy - Korach laughed and mocked Moshe and Aharon
Sour candy - The Machlokes was all about people being sour instead of being happy with what they have
Wowzers - Wow – the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the people and all their property!
Blue shark gummies - Blue for the Techeles question that Korach brought to hock Moshe. Shark because he acted like a shark attacking Moshe and Aharon.
Star mints or candies – The Machlokes was because Korach and his followers wanted to be the stars and get Kavod and were jealous of the other leaders
Viennese crunch – Aharons stick that blossomed with almonds
Gift platter - Hashem tells Kohanim that they get the gifts or Karbanos and terumahs
Animal Cookies - The first born animals need to be redeemed except for the ox, sheep and goat which need to be brought as karbanos.
Mr Chip – Korach walked around with a chip on his shoulder like he deserved the Kavod
Bundt cake - The hole in the middle is the earth that swallowed Korach and his people
DeeBest candies - The Leviim are told to take from the best of the crop for giving Maaser
Have a wonderful Shabbos!
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Zechus for all the soldiers on the front lines in Israel to stay safe and succeed!
Zechus for the hostages to be returned safely and the wounded and grieving to recover from the terrible tragedy that occurred on Shemini Atzeres/Simchas Torah.
Le'iluy Nishmas the soldiers lost in battle and all the Kedoshim lost on 10.7.23
Zechus Refuah Sheleima: Miriam bas Chana
Le'iluy Nishmas: Gittel a"h bas Shraga Meir Hakohen
Le'iluy Nishmas Tziporah Chana a"h bas Yaakov Avraham Eliyahu
Le'iluy Nishmas Eliyahu zt"l ben R' Chaim Yitzchak and Raizel a"h bas R' Dovid Mordechai
Le'iluy Nishmas Moshe ben Dovid
Le'iluy Nishmas Meir Naftoli ben Tzvi Halevi
Le'iluy Nishmas Shneur Zalman ben Yitzchak HaKohen
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