Torah Trivia for Parashah 38. Korach (Questions
Only)
1.) Can you describe: a.)
from whom Korach is descended and what relation Korach is to that man,
b.) who are Korach’s
co-conspirators; and, c.) from what
tribe(s) Korach’s co-conspirators are respectively descended?
2.) Can you describe which of these is the most
accurate paraphrased response that Moshe provides after Korach’s challenge:
a.) “Oh, it’s on.
Meet me at dawn. Then we may see
who’s the kahn; and see who’s the pawn.
(and perhaps who is both).”;
b.) “Thank you; I am tired of all this power. You are welcome to take it.”;
c.) “Adonai will
select who is in charge.”;
d.) “You light
yours; I light mine; and may the Holiest man win.”;
e.) “C’mon, y’all. This is way too much of this rebellion-type
stuff.”;
f.) “You people are
simply being greedy.”?
3.) Can you describe how Dathan and Aviram
respond to Moshe’s demand to approach the entrance to the משכן:
a.) “You’re
right. What are we thinking? We are previously trippin’.”;
b.) “Psyche. We’re just kidding about that whole
‘rebellion’ fiasco.”;
c.) “Heck no; we intend to abstain to go.”;
d.) “Ummm, manana is actually rather inconvenient
for us; in fact, our whole week is very
much booked. How about your people
contact our people and we can plan to arrange something within the next couple
months. Super. Ciao.”;
e.) “That whole ‘Entrance to the משכן’ scene is soo passé; so, 1 month ago. Let’s find that place with the big grapevines
and arrange a whole retro-wilderness soiree, with close friends only, of
course.”?
4.) Can you describe how many people rebel
against Moshe, Aaron, and Adonai?
5.) Can you describe: a.)
where the “showdown” takes place;
and, b.) where Korach, Dathan, Aviram,
and On each respectively meet with punishment?
6.) Can you describe the different punishments
that the rebels respectively experience:
a.) Shame that
results from hubris;
b.) Separation from
Israel;
c.) Being swallowed
by earth;
d.) Being burned by
fire?
7.) Can you describe what items are taken from
the punished rebels, and what happens with that material:
a.) Manna (Is Turned
into Quails);
b.) Copper Fire Pans
(Are Turned into Locomotive Chariots);
c.) Swords (Are
Turned into Ploughshares);
d.) Cows (Are Turned
into Smoke);
e.) IPhones (Are
Turned into Vessels of Votive Offering)
f.) Cloth Material
of People Living Tents (Are Turned into a Cover for the Altar)?
8.) Can you describe what Moshe does after
Israelis complain, again, and begin dying from the resulting plague that Adonai
inflicts?
9.) Can you describe: a.)
whose name is inscribed upon Levi’s staff; b.) in
what manner is the staff transformed;
c.) how long it takes for the
staff to be transformed; and, d.) where is the place after its transformation?
10.) Can you describe what responsibilities are
conferred upon Levis (within this Parashah), and what privileges are denied to
Levis (all within Parashah Korach)?
11.) Can you describe which of these items are
explicitly listed as provisions for kohanim, and which of these items are
explicitly restricted from כהנימ:
a.) Grain Offerings;
b.) Purification
Offerings;
c.) Reparation
Offerings;
d.) Elevation Offerings
e.) Gift Offerings;
f.) First Oil;
g.) First Wine;
h.) First Grain;
i.) First-Born
Males;
j.) Hereditary
Land/Property;
12.) Can you describe how much of a tithe a Levi
is commanded to provide to Adonai from amongst the tithes that a Levi receives
from Israelis?
Torah Trivia for Parashah 38. Korach (with Answers)
1.) Can you describe: a.)
from whom Korach is descended and what relation Korach is to that man,
b.) who are Korach’s co-conspirators; and, c.) from what tribe(s) Korach’s
co-conspirators are respectively descended?
Answer:
a.) Korach is the
grand grandson of Levi;
b.) Korach’s
co-conspirators are: Dathan, Abiram, and
On;
c.) Dathan, Abiram,
and On are descendants of Reuven;
“Now
Korah, son of Izhar son of Kohath son of Levi, betook himself, along with
Dathan and Abiram sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth—descendants of
(Reuven)—to rise up against (Moshe), together with two hundred and fifty
Israelites, chieftains of the community, chosen in the assembly, men of
repute.” (B’midbar 16:1 – 2).
2.) Can you describe which of these is the most
accurate paraphrased response that Moshe provides after Korach’s challenge:
a.) “Oh, it’s on.
Meet me at dawn. Then we may see
who’s the kahn; and see who’s the pawn.
(and perhaps who is both).”;
b.) “Thank you; I am tired of all this power. You are welcome to take it.”;
c.) “Adonai will
select who is in charge.”;
d.) “You light
yours; I light mine; and may the Holiest man win.”;
e.) “C’mon,
y’all. This is way too much of this
rebellion-type stuff.”;
f.) “You people are
simply being greedy.”?
Answer: It may be
considered that the proceeding responses are applicable: a.);
c.); d.); e.);
and, f.);
“When
(Moshe) heard this, he fell on his face.
Then he spoke to Korah and all his company, saying, ‘Come morning, the
LORD will make known who is (Adonai’s) and who is holy, and will grant him
access to (Adonai); (Adonai) will grant
access to the one (Adonai) has chosen.
Do this: You, Korah and all your
band, take fire pans, and tomorrow put fire in them and lay incense on them
before the LORD. Then the man whom the
LORD chooses, he shall be the hold one.
You have gone too far, sons of Levi!’
“(Moshe)
said further to Korah, ‘Hear me, sons of Levi.
It is not enough for you that the God of Israel has set you apart from
the community of Israel and given you access to (Adonai), to perform the duties
of the LORD’s Tabernacle and to minister to the community and serve them? Now that (Adonai) has advanced you and all
your fellow Levites with you, do you (search for) the priesthood too? Truly, it is against the LORD that you and
all your company have banded together.
For who is Aaron that you should rail against him?’” (B’midbar 16:4 – 11).
3.) Can you describe how Dathan and Aviram respond
to Moshe’s demand to approach the entrance to the משכן:
a.) “You’re
right. What are we thinking? We are previously trippin’.”;
b.) “Psyche. We’re just kidding about that whole
‘rebellion’ fiasco.”;
c.) “Heck no; we intend to abstain to go.”;
d.) “Ummm, manana is actually rather inconvenient
for us; in fact, our whole week is very
much booked. How about your people
contact our people and we can plan to arrange something within the next couple
months. Super. Ciao.”;
e.) “That whole ‘Entrance to the משכן’ scene is soo passé; so, 1 month ago. Let’s find that place with the big grapevines
and arrange a whole retro-wilderness soiree, with close friends only, of
course.”?
Answer: The closest
accurate response is: c.):
“(Moshe)
sent for Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab;
but they said, ‘We will not come!
Is it not enough that you brought us from a land flowing with milk and
honey to have us die in the wilderness, that you would also (lead) it over
us? Even if you had brought us to a land
flowing with milk and honey, and given us possession of fields and vineyards,
should you gouge out those men’s eyes?
We will not come!’” (B’midbar
16:12 – 14).
4.) Can you describe how many people rebel
against Moshe, Aaron, and Adonai?
Answer: In short:
> 254; the number of rebels is
actually, presumably undisclosed; there
is the initial description of there being 250 rebellious leaders, in addition
to Dothan, Aviram, and On (which, with Korach, presumably makes 254); however, these are described as “leaders”
(even amidst such “leaders” subsequently being described as Korach’s
followers), so there is the consideration that there are additional family
members and additional households that are also involved within the rebellion
(particularly considering the description of the entire “house of Korach” and
his co-conspirators);
“Each
of you take his fire pan and lay incense on it, and each of you bring his fire
pan before the LORD, two hundred and fifty fire pans; you and Aaron also bring your fire
pans.’ Each of them took his fire pan,
put fire in it, laid incense on it, and took his place at the entrance of the
Tent of Meeting, as did (Moshe) and Aaron.
Korah gathered the whole community against them at the entrance of the
Tent of Meeting.” (B’midbar 16:17 - 19);
Further (and Listed Above):
B’midbar 16:1 – 2.
5.) Can you describe: a.)
where the “showdown” takes place;
and, b.) where Korach, Dathan,
Aviram, and On each respectively meet with punishment?
Answer:
a.) The “showdown” with Korach and the rebels
occurs at the entrance of the משכן;
Dathan and Aviram refuse to approach the משכן, so the even occurs at the
respective tent of both; there is an
absence of the specific location of On, so he may either be at the entrance of
the משכן, with Korach, or at his own
tent, similar to Dothan and Aviram;
“(Moshe)
rose and went to Dathan and Abiram, the elders of Israel following him. He addressed the community, saying, ‘Move
away from the tents of these wicked men and touch nothing that belongs to them,
lest you be wiped out for all their sins.’
So they withdrew from about the abodes of Korach, Dathan, and Abiram.
“Now
Dathan and Abiram had come out and they stood at the entrance of their tent,
with their wives, their children, and their little ones.” (B’midbar 16:25 – 27);
“And
a fire went forth from the LORD and consumed the two hundred and fifty men
offering the incense.” (B’midbar 16:35);
And
further (and, respectively listed above and below): B’midbar 16:18 – 19; B’midbar 16:31 – 34.
6.) Can you describe the different punishments
that the rebels respectively experience:
a.) Shame that
results from hubris;
b.) Separation from
Israel;
c.) Being swallowed
by earth;
d.) Being burned by
fire?
Answer:
a.); b.) Both
shame and separation may be considered as intrinsically existing within the
respective punishment of each rebel; with “separation” being explicitly described
within B’midbar 26 – 27 (listed above);
c.) The punishment
of “earth envelopment” is experienced by Korach’s people;
d.) The punishment
of “death by fire” is experienced by the 250 men who offer the incense;
“Scarcely
had he finished speaking all these words when the ground under them burst
asunder, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up with their
households, all Korah’s people and all their possessions. They went down alive into Sheol, with all
that belonged to them; the earth closed
over them and they vanquished from the midst of the congregation. All Israel around them fled at their shrieks,
for they said, ‘The earth might swallow us!”
(B’midbar 16:31 – 34).
“And
a fire went forth from the LORD and consumed the two hundred and fifty men
offering the incense.” (B’midbar 16:35).
7.) Can you describe what items are taken from
the punished rebels, and what happens with that material:
a.) Manna (Is Turned
into Quails);
b.) Copper Fire Pans
(Are Turned into Locomotive Chariots);
c.) Swords (Are
Turned into Ploughshares);
d.) Cows (Are Turned
into Smoke);
e.) IPhones (Are
Turned into Vessels of Votive Offering)
f.) Cloth Material
of People Living Tents (Are Turned into a Cover for the Altar)?
Answer: The answer is: a combination b.) Copper Fire Pans; and, f.)
Cloth Material from Additional Tents;
with an honour mention to: e.)
technological boom/boon combining with constant, contemporary spiritual
awakening (with a reference to “‘crazy’ moving “’riots’ of ‘char’”); however, the actual collected items are
copper fire pans which are transformed into a sheet to cover the altar:
“The
LORD spoke to (Moshe), saying: Order
Eleazar son of Aaron the priest to remove the fire pans—for they have become
sacred—from among the charred remains and scatter the coals abroad. Remove the fire pans of those who have sinned
at the cost of their lives, and let them be made into hammered sheets as
plating for the altar—for once they have been used for offering to the LORD,
they have become sacred—and let them serve as a warning to the people of
Israel.” (B’midbar 17:1 – 3).
8.) Can you describe what Moshe does after
Israelis complain, again, and begin dying from the resulting plague that Adonai
inflicts?
Answer: Moshe gives
Aaron an order to make additional incense offering;
“Then
(Moshe) said to Aaron, ‘Take the fire pan, and put on it fire from the
altar. Add incense and take it quickly
to the community and make expiation for them.
For wrath has gone forth from the LORD:
the plague has begun!” (B’midbar
17:11);
9.) Can you describe: a.)
whose name is inscribed upon Levi’s staff; b.) in
what manner is the staff transformed;
c.) how long it takes for the staff
to be transformed; and, d.) where is the place after its transformation?
Answer:
a.) Aaron’s name is inscribed upon Levi’s staff;
b.) The staff is transformed by hanging it,
unattended;
c.)
There is some ambiguity regarding this question; the process may be instantaneous, however,
there is a general, implicit conversation whereby the transformation is
directly communicated to previously occur within the span of approximately 1 –
3 days.
d.) The staff is placed within the משכן in front of the Ark;
“The
LORD spoke to (Moshe), saying: Speak to
the Israelite people and take from them—from the chieftains of their ancestral
houses—one staff for each chieftain of an ancestral house: twelve staffs in all. Inscribe each man’s name on the staff of
Levi. Deposit them in the Tent of Meeting
before the Pact, where I meet with you.
The staff of the man whom I choose shall sprout, and I will rid Myself of
the incessant mutterings of the Israelites against you.
“(Moshe)
spoke thus to the Israelites. Their
chieftains gave him a staff for each chieftain of an ancestral house, twelve
staffs in all; among these staffs was
that of Aaron. (Moshe) deposited the
staffs before the LORD, in the Tent of the Pact. The next day (Moshe) entered the Ten of the
Pact, and there the staff of Aaron of the house of Levi had sprouted: it had brought forth sprouts, produced
blossoms, and borne almonds. (Moshe)
then brought out all the staffs from before the LORD to all the
Israelites; each identified and
recovered his staff.
“The
LORD said to (Moshe), ‘Put Aaron’s staff back before the Pact, to be kept as a
lesson to rebels, so that their mutterings against Me may cease, lest they
die.’” (B’midbar 17:16 – 25).
10.) Can you describe what responsibilities are
conferred upon Levis (within this Parashah), and what privileges are denied to
Levis (all within Parashah Korach)?
Answer:
“The
LORD said to Aaron: You and your sons
and the ancestral house under your charge shall bear any guilt connect with the
sanctuary; you and your sons alone shall
bear any guilt connected with your priesthood.
You shall also associate with yourself your kinsmen the tribe of Levi,
your ancestral tribe, to be attached to you and to minister to you, while you
and your sons under your charge are before the Tent of the Pact. They shall discharge their duties to you and
to the Tent as a whole, but they must not have any contact with the furnishings
of the Shrine or with the altar, lest both they and you die. They shall be attached to you and discharge
the duties of the Tent of Meeting, all the service of the Tent; but no outsider shall intrude upon you as you
discharge the duties connected with the Shrine and the altar, that wrath may
not again strike the Israelites.
“I
hereby take your fellow Levites from among the Israelites; they are assigned to you in dedication to the
LORD, to do the work of the Tent of Meeting;
while you and your sons shall be careful to perform your priestly duties
in everything pertaining to the altar and to what is behind the curtain. I make your priesthood a service of
dedication; any outsider who encroaches
shall be put to death.” (B’midbar 18:1 –
7).
11.) Can you describe which of these items are
explicitly listed as provisions for kohanim, and which of these items are explicitly
restricted from כהנימ:
a.) Grain Offerings;
b.) Purification
Offerings;
c.) Reparation
Offerings;
d.) Elevation Offerings
e.) Gift Offerings;
f.) First Oil;
g.) First Wine;
h.) First Grain;
i.) First-Born
Males;
j.) Hereditary
Land/Property;
Answer:
The
proceeding are all provided to the כהנימ: a.)
Grain Offerings; b.) Purification Offerings; c.)
Reparation Offerings; d.) Elevation Offerings; e.)
Gift Offerings; f.) First Oil;
g.) First Wine; and, h.)
First Grain;
The proceeding are all prohibited from כהנימ: i.)
First-Born Males; and, j.) Hereditary Land/Property;
“The
LORD spoke further to Aaron: I hereby
give you charge of My gifts, all the sacred donations of the Israelites; I grant them to you and to your sons as a
perquisite, a due for all time. This
shall be yours from the most holy sacrifices, the gifts: every such offering that they render to Me as
most holy sacrifices, namely, every grain offering, purification offering, and
reparation offering of theirs, shall belong to you and your sons. You shall partake of them as most sacred
donations: only males may eat them; you shall treat them as consecrated.
“This,
too, shall be yours: the gift offerings
of their contributions, all the elevation offerings of the Israelites, I give
to you, to your sons, and to the daughters that are with you as a due for all
time; everyone of your household who is
pure may eat it.
“All
the best of the new oil, wine, and grain—the choice parts that they present to
the LORD—I give to you. The first fruits
of everything in their land, that they bring to the LORD, shall be yours; everyone of your household who is pure may
eat them. Everything that has been
proscribed in Israel shall be yours. The
first issue of the womb of every being, man or beast, that is offered to the
LORD, shall be yours; but you shall have
the first-born of man redeemed, and you shall also have the firstling of impure
animals redeemed. Take as their
redemption price, from the age of one month up, the money equivalent of five
shekels by the sanctuary weight, which is twenty gerahs. But the firstlings of cattle, sheep, or goats
may not be redeemed; they are
consecrated. You shall dash their blood
against the altar, and turn their fat into smoke as a gift for a pleasing odor
to the LORD. But their meat shall be
yours: it shall be yours like the breast
of elevation offering and like the right thigh.
“All
the sacred gifts that the Israelites set aside for the LORD I give to you, to
your sons, and to the daughters that are with you, as a due for all time. It shall be an everlasting covenant of salt
before the LORD for you and for your offspring as well. And the LORD said to Aaron: You shall, however, have no territorial share
among them or own any portion in their midst;
I am your portion and you share among the Israelites.” (B’midbar 18:8 – 20).
12.) Can you describe how much of a tithe a Levi
is commanded to provide to Adonai from amongst the tithes that a Levi receives
from Israelis?
Answer: A Levi is
commanded to provide 10%;
“And
the LORD said to Aaron: You shall,
however, have no territorial share among them or own any portion in their
midst; I am your portion and your share
among the Israelites.
“And
to the Levites I hereby give all the tithes in Israel as their share in return
for the services that they perform, the services of the Tent of Meeting. Henceforth, Israelites shall not trespass on
the Tent of Meeting, and thus incur guilt and die: only Levites shall perform the services of
the Tent of Meeting; others would incur
guilt. It is the law for all time
throughout the ages. But they shall have
not territorial share among the Israelites;
for it is the tithes set aside by the Israelites as a gift to the LORD
that I give to the Levites as their share.
Therefore I have said concerning them:
They shall have no territorial share among the Israelites.
“The
LORD spoke to (Moshe), saying: Speak to
the Levites and say to them: When you
receive from the Israelites their tithes, which I have assigned to you as your
share, you shall set aside from them one-tenth of the tithe as a gift to the
LORD. This shall be accounted to you as
your gift. As with the new grain from
the threshing floor or the flow from the vat, so shall you on your part set
aside a gift for the LORD from all the tithes that you receive from the
Israelites; and from them you shall
bring the gift for the LORD to Aaron the priest. You shall set aside all gifts due to the LORD
from everything that is donated to you, form each thing its best portion, the
part thereof that is to be consecrated.
“Say
to them further: When you have removed
the best part from it, you Levites may consider it the same as the yield of
threshing floor or vat. You and your
households may eat it anywhere, for it is your recompense for your services in
the Tent of Meeting. You will incur no
guilt through it, once you have removed the best part from it; but you must not profane the sacred donations
of the Israelites, lest you die.”
(B’midbar 18:20 – 32).
--
Discussion Questions:
How are the “envelopment
of earth” and Sheol to be appropriately understood? What does this reveal about traditional,
historical, and contemporary Israeli beliefs regarding after-life, Heaven, and
hell?
What significance exists
within the fact that Korach is from Levi and additional leaders are from
Reuven? What are the implications
regarding the perceived intrinsic characteristics (adherence to Israel’s
blessings, and respective narratives) of both sons of Israel?
Amidst his rebellion, why
does Korach actually comply with Moshe’s demand?
What preceding intrinsic
merit/influence do Dathan, Aviram and the rest of rebels have, both before
Levis are designated in such a manner, and before the rebellion (particularly
to warrant the tax exemption that Moshe communicates); Moshe references abstaining from even taking
a donkey: does this suggest that
impropriety may be otherwise perceived amidst Moshe actually requiring such an
offering? What implications does this
have amidst the fact that Moshe does require such from other tribes? What preceding difference exists amongst
Levis (from additional Israeli tribes) to be so designated? What additional implications does such
designation maintain (particularly amidst the implicit suggestion of a
perceived acceptability for treating Israelis in a manner that may be
considered “less noble/honourable” than Levis and כהנימ)? And how might this difference exactly prompt
Korach, Dathan, and Aviram to rebel against Moshe, Aaron, (and even Adonai),
and the כהנימ, amidst the explicit
differences between the כהנימ and the Levis? Within the context of socioeconomic and class
competition/rivalry/war, might this be perceived as a coup d’etat staged by the
“upper-middle-class”?
What is the purpose
within performing the “miracle” of the “blossoming staff”? Whilst this may strengthen the recognition of
Aaron, the כהנימ, and the Levis, with a tangible demonstration of favour, how
can this be expected to be convincing amidst the intrinsic forgetfulness and
indifference regarding previous, “stronger” miracles?
What exactly are the
prohibitions for property ownership amongst the כהנימ? How does prohibition of property ownership
compare with the practise of asceticism within additional traditions? Is there similar intentionality here, and/or
are there significant differences within this socioeconomic spiritual
construct?
What legitimacy exists
within each individual having the responsibility of a כהנימ, and each individual
essentially living, and sustaining a livelihood, directly predicated upon the
intrinsic merit and righteousness that the person maintains? Is it correct that all of us essentially live
off of the “offerings” of others?
What is the esoteric,
metaphysical, and tangible nature of the inverse relationship between owning
inherited land property within Eretz Israel and being able to enter within the
Mishkan?
How does the relationship
between Israeli and כהנימf influence, and inform upon, the relationship
between Israeli and ger?
--
118.10.11
ושלום אהבא, Family and Friends.
שלום .नमस्ते.สมาธ.Pax.سلم .Peace.Sat
Nam.صلح .Kwey.Amani.ειρήνη.Pace.Paz.Paix.Fred.Frieden.Vrede.Siochana.мир.امن .和平.平和.평화.Aloha.
This week’s Parashah is
Korach, about rebellion.
The featured Torah Trivia
question for this week is: What does
Moshe command Aaron to do after Israelis complain, again, against Moshe?
The Hebrew term for this
Parashah is: “שקדים” (“shekadim”), which means,
“almonds;” and is found within B’midbar 17:23:
“שקדים ויגמל ציץ ויצץ פרח ויצא לוי לבית מטה־אהרן פרח והנה העדות אל־אהל משה ויבא ממחרת ויהי”
“V’yah mimacharat vivah
Moshe al ahal hadot v’ana perach mevah Aaron Levit Levi vitzah perach v’tzitz
tzitz v’gemal shekadim.”
“The next day Moshe
entered the Tent of the Pact, and there the staff of Aaron of the house of Levi
had sprouted: it had brought forth
sprouts, produced blossoms, and borne almonds.”
The complaint-o-meter has
3 additional ticks on it, with the complaints from Korach and the rebels
(B’midbar 16:3), the defiant response from Dathan and Aviram (B’midbar 16:12 –
14), and the complaints from the community (B’midbar 17:6).
Additional Torah study resources include:
USCJ Torah Sparks: http://www.uscj.org/JewishLivingandLearning/WeeklyParashah/TorahSparks/Archive/Default.aspx;
Orthodox Union: http://www.ou.org/torah/index;
Masorti Olami: http://masortiworld.org/molami/parashat_hashavua;
Reconstructionist: http://jrf.org/recon-dt;
Aish: http://www.aish.com/tp/.
,שלום שבת
,ושלום אהבא
Peter
שלום .नमस्ते.สมาธ.Pax.سلم .Peace.Sat
Nam.صلح .Kwey.Amani.ειρήνη.Pace.Paz.Paix.Fred.Frieden.Vrede.Siochana.мир.امن .和平.平和.평화.Aloha.
ૐ. אמן
No comments:
Post a Comment