Ilustration Credit: Elad Lifshitz, Dov Abramson Studio
In This Week’s Parashah: מָה בַּפָּרָשָׁה
Full Parashah Reading: Bemidbar 16:1-18:32
- Korah leads a rebellion against Moshe and Aharon. He is joined by Datan, Aviram, and 250 others.
- Moshe sets up a test. Aharon and the 250 others will bring קְטֹרֶת (ketoret, incense) offerings in מַחְתּוֹת (mahtot, firepans). Everyone will see which ketoret God chooses.
- The earth opens up and swallows Korah and those who stuck with him. A fire consumes the 250 people holding the mahtot.
- The mahtot from the ketoret test are hammered into a cover for the מִזְבֵּחַ (mizbei’ah, altar) as a reminder of this event.
- Benei Yisrael continue to complain, and God sends a plague. Aharon stands in front of the people to protect them, and he uses the same ketoret to stop the plague.
- Moshe collects a staff from each שֵׁבֶט (shevet, tribe), including from Aharon, for Shevet Levi. The next morning, Aharon’s staff miraculously blossoms with almonds.
- It’s clear that God chooses the כֹּהֲנִים (kohanim, priests) and לְוִיִּם (Levi’im, Levites). The parashah describes some gifts and privileges they receive in exchange for their work in the mishkan.
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