Rosh HaYeshiva, Machon Meir
In our parsha, Korach and his assembly - who were driven wild by their craving for glory - argue with Moshe and Aharon saying, “You have gone too far! All the people in the community are holy, and G-d is with them. Why are you setting yourselves above G-d's congregation?” (Bamidbar 16:3). Seemingly the claim that the entire Jewish People are holy is correct, yet this claim need not nullify the fact that there are different spiritual levels within the Jewish People, and that every Jew, in accordance with his level and his role, must be honored. Certainly then, Moshe and Aharon - the nation’s leaders - deserved to be honored. We have to show honor to Torah scholars, parents and leaders, as Rav Kook wrote:
What is primarily responsible for the proper functioning of a society, is that society's 'treating with honor those who deserve it'. From showing honor to Torah scholars, come love for Torah, wisdom, good traits, and fear of G-d. From honoring parents, comes good education. From honoring kings, comes an improvement in the life of the society and the nation.” (see Chavash Pe’er, Ch. 1).
In contrast, when we show our Torah scholars, parents, and leaders no honor, anarchy is created in society and destruction in the family.
Korach and his assembly, through their pursuit of honor, worked to destroy the honor that the nation should appropriately have been showing its great leaders. Through them was fulfilled our sages’ words, “Jealousy, lust and honor remove a person from the world” (Avot 4:21).
Today, we greatly need to restore the value of honor to our society and culture, to honor our Torah scholars, teachers, and educators, to honor our parents, and to honor our leaders (despite our differences of opinion on political matters, et cetera). And how can this be achieved? By our return to our tradition and to our holy Torah, which views honoring and loving our fellow man as a great mitzvah which has to be fulfilled like any other, with great love and reverence. And through our honoring our fellow man, may we be privileged to see the glory of G-d, who fills the universe with His glory.
Looking forward to complete salvation,
With the Love of Israel,
What is primarily responsible for the proper functioning of a society, is that society's 'treating with honor those who deserve it'. From showing honor to Torah scholars, come love for Torah, wisdom, good traits, and fear of G-d. From honoring parents, comes good education. From honoring kings, comes an improvement in the life of the society and the nation.” (see Chavash Pe’er, Ch. 1).
In contrast, when we show our Torah scholars, parents, and leaders no honor, anarchy is created in society and destruction in the family.
Korach and his assembly, through their pursuit of honor, worked to destroy the honor that the nation should appropriately have been showing its great leaders. Through them was fulfilled our sages’ words, “Jealousy, lust and honor remove a person from the world” (Avot 4:21).
Today, we greatly need to restore the value of honor to our society and culture, to honor our Torah scholars, teachers, and educators, to honor our parents, and to honor our leaders (despite our differences of opinion on political matters, et cetera). And how can this be achieved? By our return to our tradition and to our holy Torah, which views honoring and loving our fellow man as a great mitzvah which has to be fulfilled like any other, with great love and reverence. And through our honoring our fellow man, may we be privileged to see the glory of G-d, who fills the universe with His glory.
Looking forward to complete salvation,
With the Love of Israel,
Shabbat Shalom,
Chodesh Tov.
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