"Vayikach Korah. . . " Numbers 16:1 "And Korach took. . . "
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The Talmud explains that this verse teaches us that Korach took a bad
"mekach" or acquisition for himself. What did he take and from whom did he
take it ? The Medrash Agadah explains that a wealthy person is called an
"ashir" ( spelled 'ayin shin yud resh') to instruct us that money has the
potential to cause a person harm. If one gives his money to charity and to
other causes of olam haba which is known as "yesh" (yud shin) his money will
not cause him harm because money can be harmful for a person if he wastes it
on mundane selfish matters. Therefore the word '"ashir" which
is glorious to its owner, contains a first and last letter that spells the
word, "ra," bad. The word "yesh" or charity breaks up the "ra" because the
letters yud and shin comprise the middle letters of the word "ashir." When a person gives of his money to the necessities of "yesh," on matters that will bring him to olam haba, he will not be harmed when he spends his money on material possessions. If money is selfishly horded and not spent on charitable and other worthwhile endeavors, it can become hurtful to its possessor, because the letters of "yesh" flee the "ashir" and what remains is "ra." Korach did not expend his money towards olam haba because he was a stingy miser. He therefore only actualized into "ra" because he never developed and exerted effort to bring out the "yesh" in his character. Thus, our Sages said that he took a bad "ra" portion for himself. Mishlei 28:22 states that "a miserly man runs after wealth; he does not realize that wealth will overtake it." Since a miser does not give to charity he winds up lacking. By witholding charity the "yesh" is missing and the "ashir" is only left with "ra."
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