Korach: The Way G‑d Knows

This week’s Torah reading relates that when G‑d told Moshe and Aharon,3 “Separate yourselves from this congregation, and I will consume them this moment,” they pleaded with Him,4 “G‑d, L‑rd of the spirits of all flesh: Will one person sin and You become angry with the entire congregation?!”

Moshe and Aharon introduced their plea “Will one person sin…, by addressing G‑d as “G‑d, L‑rd of the spirits of all flesh.” In his commentary on that verse, Rashi explains why they used this introduction:

“[G‑d,] L‑rd of spirits” indicates that G‑d “knows [all] thoughts.” Hence, since all thoughts are revealed before You, and You know who the sinner is, [is it fitting that] You become angry with the entire congregation [when only] one person is the sinner?!5 [Hearing this argument,] the Holy One, blessed be He, answered, “You have spoken well.6 I know and will make known who has sinned and who has not sinned.”

Clarification is, nevertheless, required: Why was it necessary to emphasize that G‑d is “L‑rd of the spirits of all flesh”? Seemingly, to introduce their argument – “Will one person sin and You become angry with the entire congregation?!” – it would have been sufficient to address G‑d as “L‑rd of spirits.” That title indicates that G‑d knows all thoughts. Why was the term “of all flesh” added?

Moreover, the use of that term raises a further question: The Talmud Yerushalmi states,7 “If a person hears G‑d’s name being cursed either by a Jew or by a non-Jew, he is obligated to rend his garments. What is the source? ‘I am G‑d, the L‑rd of all flesh.’ ”8 This indicates that the term “L‑rd of all flesh” includes also non-Jews. What connection does the fact that G‑d knows the thoughts of even non-Jews (“all flesh”) share with the plea, “Will one person sin and You become angry with the entire congregation [i.e., the Jewish people]?!”9

Seemingly, in a similar situation, when Avraham pleaded with G‑d not to destroy Sodom and he asked, “Will You obliterate the righteous with the wicked?”10 it would have been appropriate for him to address G‑d as “the L‑rd of all flesh,” for he was pleading on behalf of non-Jews. Avraham, however, did not use this phrase, concluding instead with, “Will not the Judge of the entire earth act justly?”11

To explain: In general, the plea of Moshe and Aharon was based on the conception that G‑d, in His knowledge and in His Divine Providence that encompasses every individual, clearly knew who was the actual sinner among Korach’s company, and that there was only one person who rebelled in that manner, as Rashi states,12 “[Just] one person is the sinner.”

On a previous occasion,13 the parable Rashi uses here to clarify the intent of Moshe and Aharon was explained at length. Rashi writes:

When a portion of the nation acts offensively against a mortal king, he does not know who the wrongdoer is. Therefore, when he becomes angry, he exacts retribution from all of them. But You, [by contrast]… know who the sinner is.”

Moshe was explaining: Korach’s company were not sinners with an intent to rebel against G‑d. They were merely enticed and drawn in by Korach.14 Hence, they should not be categorized as “sinners,” but merely as “people who acted offensively,” a milder form of transgression.

Thus, the basis of Moshe’s and Aharon’s plea was: Since G‑d “knows [all] thoughts,” He can differentiate between a sinner and a person who merely acted offensively. There was only one “sinner” who actually rebelled against G‑d (as reflected by the statements, “Will one person sin…?” and “one man is the sinner”). He, Korach, was the one who caused (and is therefore responsible for) the offensive acts of the entire congregation. As such, it is appropriate that G‑d make a distinction between those who acted offensively and the sinner, and punish only the sinner.

On this basis, we can appreciate why Avraham did not preface his plea for the people of Sodom with the phrase “L‑rd of spirits” (or the like). Avraham was speaking of an entirely different situation, one in which there was a clear-cut distinction – there was a difference between righteous and wicked men. (Such a distinction is clearly apparent; it depends on the person’s actions, not on his intentions.) In that instance, there were none who merely “acted offensively.” Therefore, there was no need to know their intentions to differentiate between those who “acted offensively” and “the sinner.”

On this basis, we can appreciate the preciseness of the wording used by Rashi in his restatement of Moshe’s claim that G‑d “knows [all] thoughts,” and, “You G‑d, know who the sinner is,” and also in his restatement of G‑d’s response, “I know.” All these terms use the active voice instead of the passive expression frequently used by our Sages,15 “It is revealed and known16 before the One Who spoke and the world came into being.”17 Indeed, in contrast to his later words, Rashi himself begins by stating, “All thoughts are revealed before You.” Seemingly, it would have been appropriate for him also to conclude using a similar expression, “It is known before You.”18

The resolution of this question can be explained as follows: As is well known,19 there are two levels of Divine knowledge and providence:

a) The first is a level at which the knowledge and providence is “revealed and known.” G‑d does not actively enclothe Himself in the world.20 Instead, “everything is revealed and known before Him as a matter of course,”21 as it were. Although this knowledge encompasses every particular detail of existence, it remains Above, detached and disconnected from active investment in the created beings. Thus, it is separate from them. Therefore, it encompasses every created being equally. It is on a plane so lofty that the deeds of the created beings cannot affect Him negatively,22 as it were, nor are the differences in the spiritual levels of those beings of any consequence.

b) On the second level, Divine knowledge and providence actively enclothes itself, as it were, to know the different events and happenings of this world. On this level, there are differences with regard to His knowledge and providence according to the spiritual level of every created being. The different degrees of reward and punishment, which an earthly being receives depending on his conduct, stem from this level of Divine knowledge.23

For this reason, Rashi carefully chose the term “knows” (instead of using the passive “it is [revealed and] known”). In doing so, he emphasized that Moshe was asking to involve the level of Divine knowledge and providence that focuses on every detail, which is the source of reward and punishment. Moreover, this knowledge required active investment – that G‑d involve Himself, as it were, in the particular details concerning Korach’s company and make known who merely acted offensively and who was the sinner.

As is well known, in Moreh Nevuchim,24 Rambam states that Divine Providence relates only to humans in a particular way, i.e., the fate of each individual person is controlled by His providence. With regard to inanimate matter, plants, and animals, by contrast, His providence controls the fate of the species as a whole, but not the fate of every particular member of the species.

Moreover, even with regard to humans, Divine Providence does not relate to all equally, but instead, is dependent on the manner in which each person clings to G‑d with his mind.25 G‑d removes His particular providence26 from the “fools who rebel” and the wicked who do not cling to Him with their minds at all, manifesting His providence over them in the same manner as He does over inanimate matter, plants, and animals, i.e., His providence is general in nature. This is alluded to by the verse,27 “He [a sinner] is comparable to animals that cannot speak.”

This motif is reflected in the verse,28 “I will conceal My face from them ... and many evils and difficulties will befall them.... They will say, ‘It is because G‑d is not in my midst that all these evils have befallen me.’ ”29 The implication is that when Jews cut themselves off from G‑d, they are “left open to circumstance.”30 Evils just happen, as it were; they “befall them,” appearing to come on their own, without cause, without having their source in Divine Providence.31

According to this view, G‑d manifests His providence over the wicked in the same manner as He does over inanimate matter, plants, and animals, i.e., His providence is general in nature. This leads to a further point. There are instances when retribution is meted out to such people from Above. Unlike instances when wicked people’s difficulties come because they are “left open to circumstance,” there are times when the wicked will suffer retribution which obviously stems from Divine Providence, as in Korach’s case, when “G‑d created a [unique] phenomenon.”32 Even then, their punishment and the way G‑d relates to them is not individual in nature. Instead, He relates to them in a general manner. To refer to Rambam’s statements,33 “The fools who rebel... are dealt with in the same manner as other individual animals.... For this reason, it is easy to kill them.”34

According to this explanation of Divine Providence, a question arises with regard to Moshe’s plea, “G‑d, L‑rd of the spirits of all flesh: Will one person sin and You become angry with the entire congregation?!” Korach and his company were wicked. Thus, there was no particular Divine Providence concerning them (just as there is no particular Divine Providence concerning inanimate matter, plants, and animals). Therefore, it appears inappropriate for Moshe to ask G‑d to invest Himself in this matter and differentiate between those who merely acted offensively and the one who actually sinned.35 On the contrary, it would appear appropriate that G‑d would “consume them this moment,” with the same punishment being visited upon them all equally.

In truth, however, the above – Moshe’s request that G‑d invest Himself and clarify the individual status of Korach and the members of his company – does not present a difficulty. The matter can be resolved based on the Mitteler Rebbe’s explanation36 that Rambam’s conception that G‑d does not manifest His providence over inanimate matter, plants, and animals in a particular manner (nor does He grant such particular providence to the wicked), does not conflict with the Baal Shem Tov’s axiom37 that all created beings are controlled by particular Divine Providence. There is no contradiction between the two approaches because there are – as a whole – two types of Divine Providence:38

a) Hashgachah P’nimis39 – particular providence which is overtly revealed and is not hidden and covered by the garments of nature. This is the type of providence which Rambam maintains is dependent on the manner in which a person’s mind clings to G‑d. Such providence is not granted to inanimate matter, plants, and animals, nor to the wicked in an individual manner. Instead, such providence is manifest over the species as a whole.

b) Hashgachah Chitzonis40 – particular providence which is concealed and hidden within the garments of nature. Such providence exists with regard to every created being, as the Baal Shem Tov taught.

Thus, even Rambam would agree that particular Divine Providence is manifest in an individual manner, even in the lives of the wicked. It is just that it is expressed in a manner of chitzoniyus, i.e., enclothed and concealed in the garments of nature. Thus, it is not obvious how every individual factor stems from G‑d.

This explanation is not a contradiction of the verses that state “Evils and difficulties will befall them,” and “these evils have befallen me,” interpreted by Rambam to mean that the wicked are “left open to circumstance.” This mode of conduct is also an expression of particular Divine Providence,41 as it is written, “I will conceal My face.” G‑d has not withdrawn His providence; it is only that the overt and revealed (p’nimis) expression of His providence – “His face” – is hidden.42 Thus, a person can convince himself that his difficulties “befall him,” i.e., that they are part of the natural order or a function of circumstance.43 In truth, however, every individual detail of a person’s life is controlled by particular Divine Providence.

On this basis, we can appreciate the connection between the preface, “G‑d, L‑rd of the spirits of all flesh,” and the core of Moshe’s plea, “Will one person sin and You become angry with the entire congregation?!”

As mentioned above (sec. 1), the words “L‑rd of the spirits of all flesh” include even non-Jews. Thus, based on the passage from the Talmud Yerushalmi cited above,5 the Rogatchover Gaon interprets44 the verse:6 “I am G‑d, the L‑rd of all flesh,” as teaching that “particular Divine Providence also [controls the fate of] the non-Jews.”

This was the basis of the plea of Moshe and Aharon, that G‑d invest Himself in a particular manner and clarify the difference between those who acted offensively and the sinner. True, they all were included in the categories of “the fools” and “the wicked.” Nevertheless, since G‑d “knows the thoughts” of even a non-Jew, and particular Divine Providence controls their fate as well (even those who do not cling to Him with their minds),45 He certainly “knows the thoughts” – and has His providence oversee and control the particular fate – of every Jew, even those who have overtly severed their bond with G‑dliness.

True, when a Jew does not fulfill G‑d’s will, G‑d’s particular Divine Providence controls his fate in an external manner (chitzonis) and, thus, it is enclothed in the garments of nature, like the Divine Providence which controls the fate of the non-Jews. Nevertheless, there remains a fundamental difference between the manners in which G‑d invests Himself in the providence that controls the fate of Jews and non-Jews.

The non-Jews’ source of nurture and life-energy is chitzoniyus; it derives from G‑d’s name Elokim ( א - לקים ), which is numerically equivalent to הטבע , “nature.”46 Consequently, their destiny is fundamentally controlled by the natural order. From the outset, the providence that governs their fate stems from G‑d’s name Elokim, i.e., from that level of G‑dliness which is enclothed in the natural order.47

The life-energy of the Jewish people, by contrast, even those who do not carry out G‑d’s will, stems from G‑d’s name Havayah. Accordingly, fundamentally, the providence that is manifested over them stems from “G‑d’s name Havayah itself.”48 This providence is p’nimiyus49 and can be overtly appreciated.

Although the particular providence that controls the fate of the Jews who do not carry out G‑d’s will is concealed and is enclothed in nature, the intent is not that the providence from the name Havayah departs from them, Heaven forbid. On the contrary, in whatever situation a Jew is found, he is part of “the people to whom Havayah is close”50 (as our Sages state, quoting G‑d, “Regardless, they are My children,”51 ) and their lives are governed by providence that stems from “G‑d’s name Havayah itself.” In this instance, however, due to the Jews’ conduct, the providence is enclothed in the name Elokim.

This concept is also reflected in the phrase, “I shall conceal My face.” “My face,” i.e., the inner providence stemming from the name Havayah is present, but is concealed. Therefore, through meditation, it is possible to recognize and appreciate that particular Divine Providence52 impacts each and every dimension of all Jews’ lives, even those who do not perform His will. This recognition causes the unfolding of G‑d’s particular providence to become apparent.53

On this basis, we can also comprehend G‑d’s purpose in “concealing His face,” and thereby allowing a person to develop the misconception that the difficulties which he suffers are “visited upon him” and come on their own, without cause, and not from G‑d.

On the surface, such a motif raises a question: G‑d’s self-concealment is intended to spur a Jew to teshuvah. But how is it possible for “concealing My face” to inspire a Jew to turn to G‑d in teshuvah when he does not feel that the suffering he undergoes comes through particular Divine Providence? On the contrary, it appears to him that it is merely a matter of circumstance and was not brought about with the intent of motivating him to teshuvah.

This question can be resolved based on the explanations above: As mentioned, the concealment of G‑d’s face is only bichitzoniyus, on an external level. However, bip’nimiyus – from an inner perspective – providence from G‑d’s name Havayah is involved in every single facet of the person’s existence. Therefore, since the concealment and the difficulties stem from G‑d’s inner dimension – i.e., His name Havayah – these difficulties have the power to motivate a Jew to turn to G‑d in teshuvah.

On the contrary, since the providence from the name Havayah does not relate to a Jew’s revealed powers, i.e., his thoughts and feelings – for the Divine Providence is not obvious on that level because of the concealment it undergoes – but rather to his essential being, the process of concealment will affect and arouse his essence.54

As is well known,55 specifically teshuvah that comes from the awareness of one’s awesome distance from G‑dliness affects the very essence of the soul and, therefore, it involves and brings about an all-encompassing change in the person’s Divine service as a whole. When, by contrast, a tzaddik turns to G‑d in teshuvah, the effect on his Divine service as a whole is less. His teshuvah does not involve a total metamorphosis, but merely contributes a dimension of perfection to his Divine service.

On this basis, we can appreciate Rashi’s formulation of G‑d’s answer to Moshe, “You have spoken well. I know and will make known who has sinned and who has not sinned.” Moshe’s plea was based on the principle that G‑d knows the thoughts of all men – even non-Jews, “all flesh,” – and, therefore, particular Divine Providence should control the lives of all Jews, even those on the spiritual level of Korach’s company. Not only did G‑d accept that principle, His reply was more encompassing, indicating that not only does He know, He will “make known who has sinned and who has not sinned,” i.e., the particular Divine Providence will be overtly revealed. All people will actually see that G‑d reveals providence of an inner nature to save those who have not sinned (although they did act offensively).

This type of providence – relating to such people, i.e., even sinners, and investing His providence in a particular and revealed manner – exists only with regard to the Jewish people, the people to whom G‑d is close. In a unique and personal way, He leads the Jewish people as a whole – and each Jew as an individual – along a carefully designed path to ultimately develop a complete bond with Him.

Adapted from a sichah delivered on Shabbos Parshas Korach, 5733 (1973) Likkutei Sichos, Volume 18, P. 196ff.