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Copyright 2003 Darche Noam Institutions
Salt and the Leviim
The Torah follows the story
of Korach with a number of halakhot relating to gifts given to the Kohanim and
Leviim. G-d calls His covenant with Aharon to give him teruma and the other
priestly gifts a "Brit Melach Olam," "an eternal covenant of salt (Bemidbar
18:19)." Rashi comments that salt is used as an image for a covenant because
it lasts, never decaying or rotting.
The Kedushat Levi notes that this image is purposely used here. Salt itself
is a symbol of one of the central messages of the Korach episode.
Korach wanted to wipe out the distinction between Leviim and Kohanim, with all
of the Leviim doing the service previously limited to Aharon and his sons. G-d's
lesson to them and the people of Israel was that it is important to have two
different levels, Kohanim and Leviim. What is the distinction between them?
The Kedushat Levi (drawing from mystical sources) explains that Kohanim are
connected with the trait of chesed, lovingkindness, whereas Leviim are connected
with gevura, restraint, judgement, and might. Korach wanted unbridled chesed,
unchecked by the borders and discipline of gevura. G-d taught him and the people
of Israel that judgement, borders, and restraint are essential for the world.
Chesed must be mixed with gevura to form rachamim (the combination of the two).
Salt is the ideal image for this mix. Salt is the "fire within the water." It
includes within it the characteristics of both water (chesed) and fire (gevura
and din). After the Korach episode it is now appropriate to use salt as an image
for the covenant.
from
Classic Divrei Torah on Parshat Shavua
Print Version of http://www.darchenoam.org/articles/web/parsha/ar_korach.htm.htm
Copyright 2003 Darche
Noam Institutions