What did Isaiah mean when he described the entire nation of Israel as “righteous” and inherting the World to Come? What can a person do to guarantee their place in the World to Come? Which sins of a person actually count in the Heavenly Court? And how can we stimulate more love and unity among our people to bring about the Final Redemption?
Tag Archives: Korach
Secrets of Reincarnation (Video)
Exploring some incredible reincarnations of great figures from the Torah, Talmud, and world history, including Noah and Moses, David and Batsheva, Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Meir, the Roman emperors Titus and Marcus Aurelius, and the Greek philosopher Aristotle. Plus, how many people are destined to ever live, and how might the Resurrection of the Dead at the End of Days come about? And who might Queen Isabella of Spain have been a reincarnation of?
For the previous three-part series on ‘Reincarnation in Judaism’, see here.
Understanding Hair Covering for Women in Jewish Law
“Death of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram” by Gustave Doré
This week’s parasha, Korach, has a hidden theme: hair. In fact, the name of the villain himself, Korach (קרח), is spelled exactly the same way as kere’ach, “bald”. As we shall see below, Korach’s rebellion began when he saw himself bald-headed following his initiation ritual as a Levite. Hair comes up again in the famous story of one of Korach’s co-conspirators, a man named On ben Pelet. On is strangely mentioned right at the beginning of the parasha (Numbers 16:1), and never again. The Talmud (Sanhedrin 109b-110a) explains that he was saved thanks to his wife: She told her husband that he had nothing to gain from joining the rebellion; now he was subservient to Moses, and if the rebellion would be successful he would just become subservient to Korach!
On understood, but worried that he had already agreed to join the group. So, his clever wife got him drunk and sleepy, and On passed out in bed. Meanwhile, she went out to the entrance of their tent and “exposed her hair”. When Korach’s collaborators approached, the Talmud says they turned away due to the immodest sight of the woman. By the time On recovered from his drunken stupor, the whole episode was over, and he was spared. This story implies that Jewish women cover their hair, and for a woman to expose her hair publicly is immodest. Yet, nowhere in the Torah is there an explicit command for a Jew to cover their hair at all times (male or female). Hair-covering is not listed among the 613 mitzvot! If it isn’t a Torah mitzvah, where did it come from? Continue reading