Korach | Moshe's Brilliant Response to Korach's Challenge

Korach | Moshe's Brilliant Response to Korach's Challenge, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom

Why did Korach, in spite of his claim that "the whole congregation are holy people", agree to a test to see "which one" would be selected by Hashem?

Korach's initial claim - that כל העדה כולם קדושים - seems to argue for universal access to the משכן and a nationwide כהונה גדולה. Yet, when Moshe responds with the "Incense test", he stresses that through this test, Hashem will indicate which singular person is holy - and chosen for that job. Korach, surprisingly, accepts the challenge and the battle is played out, essentially, on Moshe's terms. We explore the success of this stratagem in several places in Tanakh - along with analyzing the basis for Korach's claim. This leads us, inexorably, to the story of the 12 scouts, via the oddly placed Mitzva of Tzitzit.

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