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Similarly, one who pursues a life of Torah, sacrificing himself for it, is above the laws of nature, will warrant distance from its understanding, in
exempt from the authority of the Yetzer Hara. order to teach us the above fundamental concept.

Rabbi Akiva understood that there are no half-way measures in learning
Torah. Therefore, he exiled himself for twenty-four years in order to learn
Torah diligently. He merited teaching many disciples, all in the zechut of
Rachel, his wife, who sacrificed everything for the sake of his Torah
study.

In contrast, Korach had divided loyalties. He was one of the Ark-bearers,
yet he felt he was worthy of leading the nation in place of Moshe and
Aharon. He ridiculed the mitzvot of tzitzit and mezuzah and asserted that “This is the decree of the Torah, which Hashem
the mitzvot were valid only in Eretz Yisrael. His half-hearted service of has commanded, saying: Speak to the Children
Hashem led to him disputing Moshe’s authority, which was ultimately the of Israel, and they shall take to you a completely
cause of his downfall. red cow, which is without blemish, and upon
A person should strive to serve Hashem to perfection. This will enable which a yoke has not come”
him to elevate his physicality. In that case, even after he dies, his (Bamidbar 19:2)
neshamah will be intimately connected with his body, as our Chachamim
teach that the lips of the tzaddikim move in the grave when their Torah
teachings are being learned.

The pasuk states, “If a man will die in a tent.” Chazal expound that a
person is obligated to “kill himself” in the tent of Torah. Regarding
“This is the teaching regarding a man if he will Yaakov, the pasuk states, “Yaakov was a wholesome man, abiding in
die in a tent: Anything that enters the tent and tents.” The letters of the word (wholesome) can be transposed to spell
(dead). Yaakov “killed himself “in the tent of Torah.
anything that is in the tent shall be
contaminated for seven days. Any open vessel There is no halfway mark when it comes to Torah study. Torah must be
learned comprehensively and completely. The Rambam teaches that as
that has no cover fastened to it is contaminated. long as a person breathes, he is obligated to study Torah. Just as there is
The pure person shall sprinkle upon the no concept of a half-dead person, so too, sacrifice for the sake of Torah
contaminated person on the third day and on must be complete. The Yetzer Hara has no control over the dead. # 26347-EYAL-6BOOKS - 26347-Bamidbar-EYAL | 13 - A | 18-08-19 | 13:48:25 | SR:-- | Black 26347-EYAL-6BOOKS - 26347-Bamidbar-EYAL | 13 - A | 18-08-19 | 13:48:25 | SR:-- | Magenta 26347-EYAL-6BOOKS - 26347-

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