As Heard from Rabbi Avigdor Miller ZT”L

“And he shall not be like Korach.” (17:5)

“Remember His wonders that He did; His demonstrations and the judgments of His mouth” (Tehillim 105:5,Hodu). The episode of Korach ended in a way that was intended for us to remember. Korach and his group could have suddenly fallen dead, and that alone would have ended the dissention. But Hashem says: “Remember His wonders that He did.” Why the additional words, “that He did?” Since it was already said that they were “His wonders” (therefore He did them). In order to teach us “that He did” means “that He did them for us to remember.”

Why did the earth open its mouth to swallow Korach? Because Korach opened his mouth against Moshe. Thus before opening your mouth, “remember the wonders that He did” for this purpose. The earth opens its mouth even now to bury men, many whom are swallowed in an early grave because they opened their mouths. And what is even more, many are swallowed into Gehinom, just as was Korach. (Baba Batra 74A)

Thus the admonition here is that “he shall not be like Korach” and suffer the same fate.

Although any dissention against our Torah leaders (who are always considered like Moshe. “Moshe, are you speaking correctly” (Shabbat 111B) is disapproved. Yet the chief intention of this admonition is “not to be like Korach” and thereby cause others to join the dissention. The Gehinom is filled with those that oppose the Torah Sages. Sadducees, the founders of the imitating religions, Karaites, Reformers, Marxists, atheists and all sectarians that transgress the admonition “And he shall not be like Korach.”

The non-Jews in Gehinom should be remembered, and indeed Titus (Gittin 57A) and Bileam (ibid.) and Haman and Hitler and countless other permanent denizens of Gehinom must be remembered. But the fearsome tragedy of the beloved sons of the holy nation that went lost because of their misdeeds should be kept in mind even more and always remembered, to serve as warnings for the living to avoid the errors that could bring destruction forever.

Quoted from “Journey Into Greatness” by Rabbi Avigdor Miller ZT”L

Shabbat Shalom

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