Korach 5784
Rashi on the Parsha:
במדבר טז:ז – Moshe says to Korach “אשר יבחר ה’ הוא הקדוש רב לכם בני לוי”. Rashi explains that Korach knew that he would have Shmuel come from him. His mistake was that he believed that if Shmuel came from him, then he must be on a high level (Rashi emphasizes that Shmuel is considered to ‘weigh’ the same as Moshe and Aharon). The mistake Korach made was that he placed the greatness of Shmuel as being predicated on his own greatness. Moshe responds that this is not the case, rather “He whom Hashem chooses is holy.” It is only the connection to Hashem and Hashem’s choice that ultimately decides who is holy, and no person can demand recognition on their own.[1]
Halacha of Shabbos:
The Torah prohibition of writing is only when the writing will last. This is both in terms of not naturally fading on its own as well as not being something that can very easily be erased (e.g. forming letters with breadcrumbs). It only applies to meaningful letters or figures. It also only applies when done in a normal way (e.g. with one’s writing hand). These will generally be prohibited on a Rabbinic level. (based on Rabbi Simcha Bunim Cohen’s Hilchos Shabbos set, The Shabbos Home v. 1)
Mishna Berura:
When we get up in the morning, we say Birchos HaShachar. The Mishna Berurah (סימן מו ס”ק א) explains that the underlying concept of Birchos HaShachar is that they are like ברכות הנהנין – blessings one makes on something that they benefit from (e.g. food). Since the whole of creation belongs to Hashem, until one makes a beracha on it the enjoyment is in some way considered to be like מעילה – non-sacred use of הקדיש – consecrated items.[2] We therefore make blessings on all the things that we get benefit from when we wake up in the morning.[3]
Mesilas Yesharim:
The Mesilas Yesharim begins his introduction by explaining that the point of the sefer is not to teach new things, but rather to have a sefer to learn through repeatedly. While one may already know the information on a cognitive level, there is a necessity to sit and spend time thinking about it for it to be able to translate into action. Ultimately, the goal of learning Torah is not to give us information, but rather to enable us to accomplish what Hashem put us in this world to accomplish. We need to train ourselves so that in all things we do we are oriented based on how our activities connect us to Hashem and help us follow in His ways.
[1] While Rashi does mention that Korach’s sons did teshuva and this may imply that there is some aspect of the sons causing a difference, I understand this to mean that Korach believed he could strong-arm his way into prominence and that since he had great people coming from him, he’d be fine. Rashi may just be explaining that Korach wasn’t anticipating his sons having a change of heart, and that great people coming from him isn’t because he is going to be fine, but because his sons didn’t get destroyed along with him.
[2] This is learned from a contradiction between to pesukim – “השמים שמים לה’ והארץ נתן לבני אדם” and “לה’ “הארץ ונמלואה” and the answer is given that before a beracha everything belongs to Hashem, after a bracha He give it to us.
[3] The Shulchan Aruch actually gives the halachos of reciting the berachos as being said at the time the person first benefits from what the beracha mentions. מתיר אסורים when one sits up, זוקף כפופים when one straightens up, etc.