A person who travels about in the city of Jerusalem these days could pass by different protests (and even opposing ones), appearing at times close to each other. There is the tent on Azza - Balfour street (not a coincidental name) relating to the hostages. There is the "Maahal Hagvura" in front of the Supreme Court demanding in the name of bereaved families, to continue the war until full victory is accomplished, protests near the entrance to the city, against the mandatory drafting of the Hareidim, and several others.
Can someone make some order out of this mess?!
In Parshat Korach, there are several groups getting up against Mosheh Rabeinu's leadership. Not all of them are making the same complaints, nor do they all have the same motivation.
There is Korach himself and his group which consists of the 250 princes- Nesi'ei Eida from the Sanhedrin. There is Bnei Levi from the Tribe of Levi, and of course there is Datan and Aviram together with On the son of Pelet from the tribe of Reuvain. Apparently, there were also simple people from the nation of Israel who joined each party.
Were they all protesting for the same thing? When looking into the Pesukim you see that there isn't homegenity; not in their claims and not in the punishment they received.
The Netziv (Haamek Davar, Korach 15:1,15:18) explains throughout the entire Parsha that there is a big difference between the various protesting groups. They must be separated and their differences analyzed:
"אבל יש לדעת ולהתבונן מכל ענין הפרשה, מהליכות המחלוקת, ומעונש שהגיע להם, כי לא נשתוו בערכם ובכוונת מחלוקתם קרח, ודתן ואבירם, ומאתיים חמישים איש, שהרי אנו רואים שלא היו בכלל לוקחי המחתות אלא קרח ומאתיים חמישים איש... על כן יש להבין שמאתיים חמישים איש היו באמת גדולי ישראל בכל פרט גם ביראת ה', והיה מניעת הכהונה שהוא גורם דבקות ואהבת ה' כאש בוער בקרבם, לא לשם שררה וכבוד המדומה כי אם להתקדש ולהשיג מעלה זו על ידי עבודה, וגם המה ידעו אשר דבר ה' אמת בפי משה... ומסרו עצמם למסירת נפש ולמות על אהבת ה' כי עזה כמות אהבה... והנה לא היה אפשר להם לקחת מחתות וכדומה ולהקריב במשכן, שהרי הלוים שמרו שלא יקרב זר, משום הכי היו מוכרחים לעשות מחלוקת על משה ואהרן ולפרוץ גדר... ובשביל שמכל מקום כיונו לשם שמים משום הכי נענשו בשריפה באש שיצא מקודש הקודשים...
לא כן דתן ואבירם המה היו רחוקים מתאוה עליונה זו, כי אם שהיו בטבע בעלי מחלוקת ושונאי משה עוד במצרים... "
Only the 250 princes (nesiim, who joined the Korach revolt) who obligated the "incense test" - whoever Hashem chooses is the chosen one, by responding with fire to his incense sacrifice. The Netziv explains that they actually were the greatest people in Am Yisrael, and what was motivating them really was the desire to get closer to Hashem. Their intentions were "L'shem Shamayim", for the sake of heaven, as they did not want to be excluded from the holy Mikdash, and they wanted to serve and approach the holiness closer just like a Kohen Gadol. Their will is compared to Nadav and Avihu. the sons of Aharon Hakohen. It is no coincidence that the punishment they received was like the death of Nadav and Avihu-- with fire coming directly from Hashem. Nonetheless, their "Machtot" (fire pans) were sanctified and were used for the altar.
On the other side, we have Datan and Aviram, who were motivated by baser interests such as honor and power. They even stated that they wanted to return to Egypt. Therefore, their punishment was to be swallowed up by the earth.
According to this explanation, the Netziv wants to explain a pasuk mentioned later (Bamidbar 26:9) that differentiates between the act of Datan and Aviram and the act of the two hundred and fifty princes:
"וּבְנֵי אֱלִיאָב נְמוּאֵל וְדָתָן וַאֲבִירָם הוּא דָתָן וַאֲבִירָם קְרִיאֵי הָעֵדָה אֲשֶׁר הִצּוּ עַל מֹשֶׁה וְעַל אַהֲרֹן בַּעֲדַת קֹרַח בְּהַצֹּתָם עַל ה'".
"The sons of Eliab were Nemuel, Dathan and Abiram, they are Dathan and Abiram who were chosen from the congregation who incited against Moses and Aaron in the assembly of Korach, when they incited against the Lord".
And the Netziv explains:
"...וכל דברים אלו מבואר במקרא בפרשת פינחס, הוא דתן ואבירם קריאי העדה אשר הצו על משה ועל אהרן בעדת קרח בהצתם על ה', מבואר שהמאתיםם חמישים איש הצו על ה', והמה הצו על משה ועל אהרן"
Here we can clearly see that there is a different description to each party's deeds. One is described as "inciting against Moshe '' and the latter is described as "inciting against the Lord".
Some mefarshim also claim that the 250 princes had good and pure intentions
The Shla"h (Korach, Torah Or, 23,25) writes:
"מאתים וחמשים איש לא חטאו במרד ובמעל...וחפצו בדבקות עליון, ובקרבתם לפני ה' מתו. כמו נדב ואביהוא בקטרת כן הם בקטרת, והקטורת מורה על רוב הקישור והדבקות, וכוונתם לשמים. על כן המחתות שלהם קדשו, ולא כמחתות קרח שהיא קטורת זרה ממש"
Similar to the Noam Elimelech (Prashat Korach):
"אלא נראה, דהנה בודאי שכוונתם היה גדולה מאוד לשם שמים, כי תשוקתם היה לכהונה גדולה ולהקטיר קטורת לפני ולפנים...כי הם היו ראשי סנהדראות כולם לכן היו מתאוים אל העובדא הזאת כדי על ידה יוכלו לתקן את שלימות נפשם ולבא אל הדביקות היותר גדול... וזה היה חטא נדב ואביהוא ...וזה כוונת רש"י במה שכתב הם חטאו בנפשותם פירוש הם סברו שיתקנו בזה את נפשם".
In the book "Studies in Parshat Hashavua", Rav Samet explains that there was one big "coalition" resisting Moshe's leadership. Moshe Rabeinu tried to break the coalition apart and isolate the separate pieces and parts to the resistance. Moshe understood that they had different intentions and motivations., and by speaking to each separately, perhaps he's able to understand and discuss each one's needs and wills, and perhaps address them .
In our day as well, among protesters, there are different causes and factions that are represented. Apparently, we should know how to distinguish each group. When a certain organization is coming with a certain demand, is this a clear black and white issue? Or, are their true interests hidden from view.
What is clear is that our enemies pay close attention to these protests and are encouraged in their war efforts against the Jewish state.
