In this parasha, the Torah chronicles the rebellion of Korach. The opening words of Korach's speech against Moses were: "It is too much for you", as follows:
They assembled against Moses and Aaron and said to them, "It is too much for you, for the whole congregation is holy, and G‑d is in their midst. So why do you exalt yourselves over G‑d's assembly?" (Num. 16:3)
Significantly, Moses closed his reply with the same words:
He spoke to Korach and all his assembly, saying, "In the morning let G‑d make known who is His…It is too much for you, O you Levites!" (Ibid. 16:7)
The souls of the Jews [of that generation] were derived from the name of G‑d whose numerical value is 135, i.e. from [the combination of] the [two] names [Havayah whose numerical values are] 72 and 63.
As we have noted previously, the name Havayah can be spelled out in four basic ways, giving the numerical values of 72, 63, 45, and 52. The sum of the first two of these iterations is 72 + 63 = 135.
The four spellings-out of the name Havayah correspond to the four partzufim of Abba, Imma, Zeir Anpin, and Nukva. Thus, combining the 72 and 63 spellings-out signifies the union of chochma and bina, i.e. the masculine consciousness of chochma applied or made relevant to the feminine consciousness of bina.
The two of them together thus express the idea [embodied in the Sages' statement] that "women have light [or 'agile'] daat" (Kidushin 80b).
[women have light daat: See the explanation of this given in the third installment of parashat Vayishlach.]
The numerical value of the word "light" in this expression ("kala", the feminine form of the adjective) is 135:
Kala: kuf-lamed-hei = 100 + 30 + 5 = 135. Moses' soul ...was derived only from the first of these two spellings-out of the name Havayah…
Thus, the daat, or divine consciousness of this generation, the second generation of the Exodus, was "female" relative to the "male" daat of the first generation of the Exodus. As we know, this was in fact necessary in order for them to enter the Land of Israel and concretize the abstract consciousness of the first generation.
Korach's rebellion occurred shortly after the incident with the Spies, i.e. during the first year after the Exodus. However, after the incident with the Spies, G‑d declared that that generation would perish in the desert and only the next generation would enter the Land of Israel. So, in a sense, the first generation was "over", and the history and mentality of the second generation had taken over by the time Korach mounted his revolt.
This is why they said, "Why do you exalt yourselves over G‑d's assembly [in Hebrew, "kahal"]?"
The Hebrew word for "assembly", "kahal", is spelled kuf-hei-lamed, and so therefore its numerical value is also 135. Moses' soul-consciousness was pure chochma, i.e. entirely masculine, or abstract…
Moses['s soul,] however, was derived only from the first [of these two spellings-out of the name Havayah], i.e. from [the one whose value is] 72. This [numerical value can also be derived from the name Havayah] in square form.
The "square form" of a name is the progressive spelling of the name. For the name Havayah, this is:
Yud, yud-hei, yud-hei-vav, yud-hei-vav-hei
Moses' soul-consciousness was pure chochma, i.e. entirely masculine, or abstract. He was thus not suited to enter the Land of Israel.
When this square form is considered together with how it is spelled out with the letter alef, we have the words "a light cloud", whose numerical value is 202, that of "it is too much".
If we then spell out each of the stages of the iteration of the "square form" in full, using the letter alef to spell out the letters hei and vav, we have:
yud |
yud-vav-dalet |
10 + 6 + 4 |
20 |
yud-hei |
yud-vav-dalet hei-alef |
(10 + 6 + 4) + (5 + 1) |
26 |
yud-hei-vav |
yud-vav-dalet hei-alef vav-alef-vav |
(10 + 6 + 4) + (5 + 1) + (6 + 1 + 6) |
39 |
yud-hei-vav-hei |
yud-vav-dalet hei-alef vav-alef-vav hei-alef |
(10 + 6 + 4) + (5 + 1) + (6 + 1 + 6) + (5 + 1) |
45 |
130 |
130 is the numerical value of the word for the masculine form of the adjective "light" (kal, kuf-lamed = 100 + 30). 72 is the numerical value of the word for "cloud" (in Hebrew, "av", spelled ayin-beit = 70 + 2 = 72). The phrase "a light cloud" appears in Isaiah 19:1: "A prophecy about Egypt: Behold, G‑d is riding on a light cloud and coming to Egypt. The gods of Egypt will squirm before Him and Egypt's heart will melt within it."
130 + 72 = 202, the numerical value of the word for "it is too much" (in Hebrew, "rav", spelled reish-beit = 200 + 2 = 202). Your soul is that of chochma, while that of the congregation is that of chochma informing bina…
This is the mystical meaning of the phrase "it is too much". In other words, [Korach said to Moses,] "You personify [the spiritual consciousness indicated by the number] 202, while Israel personifies [the spiritual consciousness indicated by the number 135, i.e. the numerical value of] 'the congregation of G‑d'. Why, then, do you exalt yourselves over them?"
Korach said, "It is too much for you," which can be read, "You have 202", i.e. "Your soul is that of chochma, while that of the congregation is that of chochma informing bina. You therefore cannot relate, cannot understand this congregation. You are irrelevant."
[To explain:] You already know what I have written on parashat Behalotecha, on [Moses'] statement, "[Six hundred thousand marchers are] the people in whose midst I am" (Num. 11:21), namely, that the entire generation of the desert, six hundred thousand souls, were all soul-sparks who were derived from the source of Moses' soul, which was the source of all of them.
The generation of the Exodus achieved the highest levels of divine consciousness and were able to do so because they shared a common soul-root with Moses, who personified this consciousness.
But now, Korach said to him, "All that generation have already died out, through all the various ways in which they died. So now G‑d is in their midst, not you, as you said previously, the people in whose midst I am."
Korach argued that Moses was not the proper leader of the new generation; his mentality fit that of the previous generation. The younger generation, whose divine consciousness was relatively "feminine", was not able to relate to the "masculine" leadership of Moses. The evil side of Abel was expressed by the number 308…
Moses replied that the exact opposite was the case. "It is too much for you, O Levites", i.e. "You Levites personify [the spiritual consciousness expressed by the number] 202, not I".
"It is too much for you" (in Hebrew, "rav lachem") can be read, "202 is yours".
As we saw above, 202 is the numerical value of the 72-spelling-out of the name Havayah plus the value of the word for "light" ("kal"). In other words, the masculine chochma (as manifest in the 72-spelling-out) does have an implicit feminine "lightness" in it, as well. This was Korach's error: he thought that chochma was pure chochma and could therefore not relate to or lead bina. Moses knew, however, that even though the new generation was the generation of bina, bina still needs to be connected to chochma, as we have explained previously.
To explain:
The following explanation is based on the fact that the numerical value of "Korach" (spelled in Hebrew kuf-reish-chet = 100 + 200 + 8 = 308) plus that of "Abel" (in Hebrew, "Hevel", spelled hei-beit-lamed = 5 + 2 + 30 = 37) equals that of "Moses" (in Hebrew, "Moshe", spelled mem-shin-hei = 40 + 300 + 5 = 345). Moses knew, however, that…bina still needs to be connected to chochma…
Elsewhere, the Arizal states that the evil side of Abel was expressed by the number 308, and that this evil was rectified in Abel's reincarnation, Moses. This is indicated by the fact that Moses' numerical value (345) equaled that of the good in Abel (37) plus that of the evil in him (308). Korach (= 308) was thus the evil in Abel that had been rectified in the soul of Moses. Thus, he was a part of Moses' soul, dependent upon him. But when he began his rebellion, he was re-rooted in the soul of Cain.
Since Korach sensed that a reincarnated spark of the soul of Cain had ignited in his soul, he said to Moses, "I am no longer subservient to you". This is alluded to in [Moses' and Aaron's prayer]: "O G‑d! G‑d of the spirits of all flesh…", the initials of which spell "Abel" [in Hebrew, "Hevel"].
G‑d's first response to Korach's rebellion was to tell Moses that He intended to wipe out the whole people. "G‑d spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 'Separate yourselves from this congregation, and I will wipe them out instantly'. But they fell on their faces, and said, 'O G‑d! G‑d of the spirits of all flesh! Shall one man sin and You be angry at the whole congregation?'" (Num. 16:20-22)
The initials of the phrase "spirits of all flesh" (in Hebrew, "ha-ruchot le-kol basar") are hei-lamed-beit, spelling"Hevel" ("Abel"), spelled hei-beit-lamed.
In fact, the souls of the [second] generation were [also] soul-sparks of Moses, the reincarnation of Abel. Thus, G‑d, who is "the G‑d of the spirits of all flesh", knew that they are derived from Abel's soul. Since only Korach sinned, [Moses therefore asked G‑d,] "Shall one man sin…?" [The rest of the generation] knows this [i.e. that they are no different from the previous generation] and believe in Moses, for they are all included in his soul.
Moses argued that despite the difference in the generations, they were still "his", i.e. they were still derived from Abel's soul. Thus, the 202 that defined his soul defined theirs as well.
This explains [Moses' statement]: "Through this you will know…that it is not from my heart [that I do this]." (Num. 16:28)
In Moses' speech before the trial of the incense that would demonstrate Korach's folly and cause the death of the rebels, he said, "Through this you will know that G‑d sent me to do all these deeds, that I did not make it up". The latter phrase literally reads, "…that it is not of my own heart", which can also be interpreted to mean "that it is not of my heart, of my own free will".
For he was forced to do it by G‑d, against his will. [He said,] "For you are all part of me, and if evil befalls you it hurts me; this blemish affects me as well. But I am forced to do this against my will, because of your wickedness."
Translated and adapted by Moshe-Yaakov Wisnefsky from Likutei Torah and Shaar HaPesukim; subsequently published in "Apples From the Orchard."
Reprinted with permission from Chabad of California. Copyright 2004 by Chabad of California, Inc. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this work or portions thereof, in any form, without permission, in writing, from Chabad of California, Inc.
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