4:49pm - Candle Lighting, Friday.
5:50pm - Havdalah, Saturday.
These times are for Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Eruv Status: KOSHER
Shabbat Shalom!
Chodesh tov!
Please click here to view the Yeshivah Shule Tzetel for Shabbos Parshas Korach.Please click here to view the PDFs of the Weekly Publications distributed in Shule each Shabbos.
PARSHAH IN A NUTSHELL
Korach incites a mutiny challenging Moses' leadership and the granting of the kehunah (priesthood) to Aaron. He is accompanied by Moses' inveterate foes, Dathan and Abiram. Joining them are 250 distinguished members of the community, who offer the sacrosanct ketoret (incense) to prove their worthiness for the priesthood. The earth opens up and swallows the mutineers, and a fire consumes the ketoret-offerers.
A subsequent plague is stopped by Aaron's offering of ketoret. Aaron's staff miraculously blossoms and brings forth almonds, to prove that his designation as high priest is divinely ordained.
G‑d commands that a terumah ("uplifting") from each crop of grain, wine and oil, as well as all firstborn sheep and cattle, and other specified gifts, be given to the kohanim (priests).
HAFTORAH IN A NUTSHELL
I Samuel 11:14-12:22.
The prophet Samuel (a descendant of Korach, the protagonist of this week's Torah portion) gathers the Jews to firmly install Saul as king of Israel. During the course of his address to the Jews he called out, "Here I am; bear witness against me before G‑d and before His anointed; whose ox did I take, or whose donkey did I take, or whom did I rob; or whom did I oppress, or from whose hand did I take a bribe..." This echoes Moses' statement in this week's Torah reading: "I have not taken a donkey from a single one of them, and I have not harmed a single one of them."
The nation gathers at Gilgal for a second coronation of King Saul—the first one having lacked a convincing consensus. They offer sacrifices and rejoice together. The prophet Samuel then delivers a talk: he asks the people to testify that he never committed crimes against the people, and they confirm. He discusses how G‑d saved and aided them every step of the way and chastises them for wanting a flesh and blood king. He assures them that G‑d will be with them if they follow in His ways, and of the consequences they will face if they do not follow G‑d's word.
To underscore the seriousness of his words, Samuel asks G‑d to send a thunderstorm, although it was not the rainy season. The Jewish people got the message and asked Samuel to intercede on their behalf and to have the thunderstorm cease. The haftorah ends with a reassurance: "For G‑d will not forsake His people for His great name's sake; for G‑d has sworn to make you a people for Himself."
SAGES ON THE PARSHAH
Korach . . . the son of Yitzhar, the son of Kehat, the son of Levi (16:1)
What moved him to start a quarrel? He was moved to it by the fact that Elitzafan, the son of his father's brother, was appointed prince over his family, as it says, "The prince of the father's house of the families of the Kehatites was Elitzafan the son of Uzziel" (Numbers 3:30). Korach argued: My father was one of four brothers, as it says, "The sons of Kehat: Amram, and Yitzhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel" (Exodus 4:18). As for Amram the firstborn, his son Aaron attained to greatness, and Moses to royalty. Who then should rightly take the next office? Is it not the next in line? Now I, being the son of Yitzhar, should by right be the leader of the Kehatites. Yet Moses appointed the son of Uzziel! Shall the [son of the] youngest of my father's brothers be superior to me? Behold, I shall dispute his decision and put to naught all that has been arranged by him . . .
(Midrash Rabbah; Rashi)
https://w2.chabad.org/media/pdf/24257.pdf
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