Korach: Precipitating Precipitation

The haftorah for Parshas Korach comes from Sefer Shmuel and is comprised of Pessukim in which Shmuel HaNavis very direct and pointed Tochacha to Bnei Yisroel regarding their request to have a Melech appointed. Although the words of the Navi were directed at the people of that generation who were the impetus for this request, we can always learn lessons for our own life from the Divrei Haneviim, and it is important to learn the Pessukim of the Haftorah with this goal in mind.

The Hafotrah begins with Shmuel telling Bnei Yisroel “Lechu V’Nelcha HaGilgal U’Nichadesh Sham HaMelucha”, inviting them to Gilgal to renew the Melucha. Once in Gilgal there was a celebration of sorts, including Hakravas Korbanos, in which the Navi tells us “VaYismach Sham Shaul V’chol Anshei Yisroel Ad Meod”, there was great jubilation.

The remainder of the Haftorah, however, takes something of a turn. Shmuel addresses the gathered masses, explaining to them that the choice to have a king appointed was indeed a mistake. He explains that the presence of a Navi such as himself should have been enough for them, as it had been in the past. The Pesuskim include a short review of the history of Klal Yisroel, starting with the arrival of Yaakov Avinu in Mitzrayim. Shmuel recounts each period of time in which we faced trouble and Davened to Hashem, who ansered our Teffilos and sent a leader to extricate us from danger. Now, however, Klal Yisroel had deemed that insufficient and requested an actual Melech, even though “Hashem Elokeichem Hu Malkechem”, the true Melech had always been leading us.

Now, Shmuel concludes, our fate was in our own hands: the behavior and success of the Melech reflects that of the nation. “Im Tiru Es Hashem V’Avaditem Oso U’Shematem B’Kolo”, if we behave as we are supposed to—fearing Hashem, serving Him and heeding His word—than the Melech and the Am will lead long and fruitful lives. If the opposite is true, however, “V’Haysa Yad Hahsem Bachem U’ViAvosechem”.

The next part of the Haftorah describes actions undertaken by Shmuel Hanavi which seem to require some expelanation. Shmuel tells Klal Yisroel to stand by as they witness a “Davar Gadol.” Noting that the time of year was the “Ketzir Chittim”, which is a time of dry heat in Eretz Yisroel, Shmuel tells Bnei Yisroel: “Ekra El Hashem V’Yiten Kolos U’Mattar”, he would Daven to Hashem and bring thunder and rain, the purpose being: “U’Deu U’Reu Ki Ra’aschem Rabba Asher Asisem B’Einei Hashem”, we would know that our choice to ask for a king was wrong in the eyes of Hashem. The Navi relates that this in fact occurred, the rain and thunder came in response to the Teffilos of Shmuel, and this was in fact very frightening to the people and they begged Shmuel to make it stop.

In learning these Pessukim, a very basic question must be asked: what was the purpose of this Siman. Shmuel has already spoken, at length, about the mistake that Bnei Yisroel made, why did he need to bring another sign? Also, what was it a sign of, the Navi says that the rain would prove that we had made a mistake, but how was this the case?

There are two basic approaches to this question that can be found in the Meforshei HaPshat. Rashi explains that Shmuel meant to prove that he was capable of leading Klal Yisroel to success: his Teffilos could change the seasons themselves, bringing rain in the midst of the dry season, and so he certainly could have delivered them from whatever dangers they faced form other nations. The Mahari Kr”a takes a different approach: not only is the Ketzir Chttim the wrong time for rain, any moisture is destructive to the crops at that point in the year. Thus, if Klal Yisroel had Zechusim, “Afilu Mischabet Lifanav Kol Hayom Lo Haya Shomea Li”, even If Shmuel had Davened the whole day to bring rain, Hashem would not have listened. The fact that Shmuel could affect this Nes at all was proof that Bnei Yisroel had erred. In this approach it was not the strength of Shmuel that was highlighted, but the weakness of Klal Yisroel made apparent by the Nes.

The approach of the Mahari Kr”a seems a novel, but it also avoids a question that could be asked on the approach of Rashi: why did Shmuel need to prove that he was a capable replacement for a Melech? Their choice was made, the Melech had already been anointed, it was “fait accompli”, so to speak—why was it important to prove that Shmuel could have easily served the role? In the approach of the Mahari it is understood that Shmuel wished to show Bnei Yisroel that their bad choices have an affect—they are more vulnerable on account of their lack of Zechuyos—but what was the purpose of Shmuel HaNavi proving his own strength? We were ignorant of reality, we may attribute this to some sort of Gaivah on the part of Shmuel, which was obviously not the case, but we still must understand why he undertook this Siman at all.

This question is somewhat compounded by the words of the Medrash Lekach Tov at the beginning of Parshas Hazinu, which discusses the power that Tzaddikim have over the Briah, teaching us a Klal: “Kama Gedolim Hatzaddikim SheHem Moshlim B’Masav Shel HKBH”. The Medrash goes on to list a number of examples of this idea, in which we see that Gedolim had power over the Briah. The Medrash does in fact mention the Nes carried out by Shmuel Hanavi in our Haftorah, but according to the way Rashi explains the Siman it would seem to be an outlier. Most of the instances listed in the Medrash are times in which the Briah was affected for the benefit of a Tzaddik, such as the sun setting so Yaakov Avinu would rest at the Makom HaMikdash, or when the sun was kept up by Moshe Rabbeinu’s hands for the purposes of Melchemes Amalek. The rain caused by Shmuel Hanavi in Gilgal would seem to be the only time that a Tzaddik was Moshel on the “Masav Shel HKBH” for his own purposes, to show that he could. This being the case it would certainly seem that Shmuel had a broader purpose, a specific reason that he wished to display his ability vis a vis the Briah. What may that have been?

There is of course another question that may be asked regardless of how we understand the purpose of the Siman: why did Shmuel choose the medium of rain? There are many ways to show the power of his Teffilos—be it because of his own strengths as Rashi explains, or because of the lack of Zechusim to stand on behalf of Klal Yisroel as the Mahri learns—why did Shmuel specifically choose to bring rain? In addition, Shmuel specifically mentions that there will be thunder as well—why? What added message did the thunder bring?

Perhaps we can answer this question, and gain a new insight into the actions of Shmuel HaNavi, based on the words he used in his declaration: “Ekra El Hashem V’Yiten Kolos U’Mattar”. As we know, there are various words that can be used to describe precipitation, and it would stand to reason that Shmuel intentionally used the word “Mattar” as opposed to “Geshem”. Perhaps there is a message in this choice of words.

The Gemarah in Taanis brings a Machlokes between R’ Eliezer and R’ Yehoshua about the source of rain. R’ Eliezer holds that all water comes from the “Mei Okeinus”, a source upon the earth, and is drawn up to Shamayim, sweetened by the clouds, and then rained upon the earth. R’ Yehoshua, on the other hand, holds that rain comes from the Mayim Elyonim. Each one brings a number of proofs to his own view, and the Gemrah does not resolve the Machlokes.

Rabbeinu Bachya in Parshas Ekev, on the words “V’Atzar Es HaShamayim V’Lo Yihiyeh Mattar” brings this Gemarah and explains that “Elu V’Elu Divrei Elokim Chaim”, they are both possible. Sometimes the water which descends upon our earth has its origins in the Mei Okeinus and is drawn heavenward before coming back down as rain. In this case, says Rabbeinu Bachya, it is called “Geshem”, from the term Gashmi, relating to its origin here on earth. When the water comes from the Mayim Elyonim, however, it is called Mattar. Rabbeinu Bachya cites a Medrash in Pirkei D’Rebe Eliezer that seems to also point to Geshem and Mattar as two types of rain, though the Medrash itself is a bit lofty, and not as understandable to us.

We see from the words of Rabbeinu Bachya that Geshem and Mattar are in fact two separate types of rain, with divergent sources. This would seem to bolster the notion that Shmuel chose to ask for “Mattar” specifically and not “Geshem”, which of course leads to the next question: why? What about his intended purpose called for Mattar, which comes from the Mayim Elyonim, and not Geshem, which originates here on earth?

The Medrash Rabba in Parshas Berashis, on the words “Ki Lo Himtir Al HaAretz”, bring various Mamarim about the Koach of rain. For example, R’ Yitzchok says that it is “Miratzeh Korbanos”, and R’ Simone adds that it can even be “Michaneses Hagoliyos”, gather the exiles. The Yifei Toar, an early Pirush on the Medrash, asks a question on this Memrah: much rain has fallen and the Goliyos have not been gathered and returned to Eretz Yisroel. How then can we understand the words of R’ Simone? Although the Yefei Toar himself assumes the Medrash is referring to a different sort of Hachnasas Hagoliyos, certainly a more literal explanation is possible.

The Yismach Moshe, R’ Moshe Teitelbaum of Ujhely, a contemporary of the Chasam Sofer whose descendants lead the Satmar Chassidus, cites the question of the Yifei Toar and provides his own answer, based on a the assumption that there are two types of rain.

In an approach that is very similar to Rabbeinu Bachya, the Yismach Moshe writes that there are rains that originate on the ground and are brought up to the clouds from where they descend onto the ground, and those rains which come directly from the Shamayim without any clouds. Although it is not explicit in the Rabbeinu Bachya, the rain that comes from the clouds, Geshem, he adds, is brought down mainly through our Teffilos—since its origins are here on earth, it is earthly intervention that causes it to fall. Mattar, which comes directly from Shamayim, comes down in a much more Ruchniasdik fashion, through the direct Ratzon HaBorei, which the Yismach Moshe refers to as Emes.

The question of the Yifei Toar is easiy answered based on these concepts: yes, much rain has fallen and we have yet to see the fulfilment of R’ Simone’s words, but that is because we see only Geshem. It is Mattar, explains the Yismach Moshe, to which the Medrash refers, it is this more spiritual type of rain, that which comes through Emes, that brings with it all the effects mentioned by Chazal.

Shmuel HaNavi stood before Klal Yisroel and wished to show them where they had gone wrong, why their request of “Som Tasim Aleinu Melech” was misplaced. He therefore chose to display his ability to bring Mattar, not Geshem. The desire for a Melech was a physical one—Klal Yisroel was concerned about facing their enemies—but ignored the spiritual capacity of a leader such as Shmuel. By bringing Mattar, the more spiritual type of rain, Shmuel showed them that their decisions have to take Ruchnias into account when making such choices. It was only someone on the level of Shmuel HaNavi who could bring to them treasures of Ruchnias of this caliber, an opportunity they lost by requesting that Hashem appoint for them a king.

Perhaps this is why Shmuel specifically added thunder to the Nes as well. The Medrash Tanchuma in Parshas Vayishlach tells us: “Elu HaRe’amim SheKolan Holech Lifnei Cheilo Shel HKBH”, the sounds of thunder herald the arrival of Hashem himself. By asking that there be thunder in addition to the Mattar, Shmuel added an additional element of Ruchnias, reinforcing the theme of his message.

Our instincts are of course correct: Shmuel did not wish to trumpet his own abilities, to highlight his Koach over the Briah, his concern was only for Klal Yisroel. He saw that they had been short-sighted, that they had been focused only on their physical survival, and not on Ruchniasdik gains. He therefore brought Mattar, a type of rain that we cannot even relate to, to show what the people had put aside in their pursuit of physical security.

The message of the Navi is of course as relevant now as it was then. Throughout our lives we face choices and forced to make decisions. We must always remember to take into account opportunities for growth in Ruchnias along with, and maybe even before, concerns of Gashmiyus. This is not always easy, and our eyes and minds must be attuned to these opportunities, but the reward is great. When we make these choices in the proper way, we are Zoche to the bounty promised by the Torah in Ruchnias and Gashmiyus, and the protection promised by Shmuel Hanavi: “Ki Lo Yitosh Hashem Es Amo”