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The Zohar
	Giving Thanks in Tough Times
	From the teachings of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai; translation & commentary by Simcha-Shmuel Treister

This week's Zohar commentary teaches about the nature of consoling a mourner and the proper way to go about it. The Zohar says the most essential and effective way to elicit true solace in a mourner is to generate feelings of thanks for what he does still have. If a mourner can be drawn to give thanks for his predicament, then he can come back to viewing reality as it is, orchestrated by a loving G-d. Mourning is a form of punishment, and by accepting the suffering as justified, the mourner himself becomes justified and rectified and is vindicated from the judgment hanging over him.

The Holy Ari
	Time-Out
	From the Writings of the Ari as recorded by Rabbi Chaim Vital; translated and edited by Moshe Yakov Wisnefsky

"And the soul that [serves idols] with an uplifted hand [intentionally] …blasphemes G-d…; that soul will be cut off… [as long as] its transgression is within it [i.e. if it does not repent]. (Num. 15:30-31)

The word for "its transgression" in this verse [in Hebrew, "avona"] has the same lettering as "time-period" [in Hebrew, "ona"], a word also used to mean "conjugal rights" or "frequency of marital relations".

Thus, if the soul in question had remained holy and not sinned, it would have joined together with its mate in Paradise and thereby produced the soul of converts, as is mentioned in the Zohar.

Mystical Classics
	A Cry from the Earth
	From Shenei Luchot HaBrit by Rabbi Isaiah Horowitzr

Cain had to undergo three gilgulim, one each for his Nefesh, his Ruach, and his Neshama; one was in the guise of Korach. The fact that Korach's death was due to the earth swallowing him was an example of the punishment fitting the crime, since the same earth had been remiss when it opened to hide the evil deed that Cain had committed, "covering" his blood.

Chasidic Masters
	Rebelling Against Rest
	From the teachings of Rabbi Yehudah Aryeh Leib Alter

"Ten things were created on Shabbat eve at twilight. They are: the mouth of the earth…." (Avot 5:6)

Korach, who personified dissension, was the antitheses of the Shabbat spirit of peace as well as the unity of the Jewish People that permeates our life each Shabbat. Moreover, he was known for his lavish outer exhibition of piety. According to the Sages, he encouraged his followers to dress in garments made entirely of techelet [sky-blue wool] rather than merely wear garments with tzitzit [fringes] dyed with that color. This exhibitionism is the antitheses of Shabbat, the day of inner peace and serenity. Thus, we can appreciate why his ultimate end [the mouth of the earth] was created moments before the Shabbat began.

Contemporary Kabbalists
	Alive in the Depths
	From the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe; adapted by Moshe-Yaakov Wisnefsky

On the verse "They descend to the depths alive" (Num. 16:33) in this week's Torah reading, the Lubavitcher Rebbe comments, saying that being truly "alive" is possible only by being connected to G-d through learning His Torah and performing His commandments. Nonetheless, learning Torah and performing the commandments for selfish reasons drags down their inherently uplifting vitality into the depths of mundane reality and earthly existence. When the focus is reoriented from G-d above to the individual below, the "Torah of Life" descends to the depths.

Thus, although Korach and his cohorts were eminent Torah scholars and observant Jews, their self-orientation doomed them to descend to death together with their learning and piety. Similarly, it is possible for a person to be "in the depths" in a state of spiritual decadence, and still be so oblivious to his predicament that he feels "alive". However, there is a blessing hidden in this seemingly lost state. If a person feels alive, he can still change for the better.

Ascent Lights
	All for One
	By Shaul Yosef Leiter

We live in a society that strives to create equality. Enacted initially to right the benefits forcefully taken by the powerful, equality has become a goal in and of itself. Korach's rebellion against Moses and Aaron had a similar focus. "The entire nation is holy; why do you raise yourselves above G-d's congregation?" (Num. 16:3) Korach believed in absolute equality between every Jew. But Jewish tradition states that Korach's platform of unity became the opposite, the prototype for the worst possible division, as the Sages teach, "Every dispute...not for the sake of Heaven...is the dispute of Korach and his followers." (Avot 5:17)

The Lubavitcher Rebbe explains that G-d created the world with certain specifications and limitations for every creation to differentiate it from the rest. Likewise every created being has a unique reason for being. The different qualities G-d gave each creature are in order help that thing, animal, person, etc. to best serve its ultimate purpose. When a created being uses its specific qualities, it is attaining its full potential. If a creation attempts otherwise, trying to fulfill goals and using talents not given to it by G-d, that being is actually making chaos. Our challenge is to discover what our talents and qualities are and then utilize them to the fullest extent possible.

Mystic Story
	A Cheeky Toast

A delegation came to ask Rabbi Shlomo of Radomsk to pray for the epidemic-stricken residents of his hometown.

Shabbat Shalom.