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Korach and his followers challenged Moshe and his beis din, court. This psalm was composed by the three sons of Korach who repented and wished to praise the sages of the court of Moshe (Targum). This psalm expresses the repentance and reverence that Korach’s sons had for Moshe. They had been placed in a most challenging predicament. They wished to support their father while at the same time they did trust and respect Moshe. How were they to act? Also, what led to their repentance compared to the rest of their family and the two hundred and fifty sages who all perished along with Korach?

Spark of Inspiration

The Midrash (Yalkut Shemoni 752) sheds light on this topic. It states that although Korach’s sons originally took sides and supported their rebellious father, they still maintained their reverence for Moshe and were deeply torn. Their respect for Moshe was the merit that helped them reach clarity and to repent in this world. The Midrash teaches that Korach and his sons were all sitting together when suddenly Moshe passed by. Korach’s son were at a loss for what to do. If they would stand up this would insult their father, but on the other hand, how could they not stand for Moshe? They debated how to react and concluded that they must honor Moshe despite the affront to their father. They stood up and in doing so this ignited a spark of repentance in their hearts that ended up saving their lives. It was from this deep place of truth and clarity that they were finally able to see the fallacy of their father.

Wedding Song

Alshich explains that this psalm is a wedding psalm and expresses the bond formed between bride and groom. Each person comes into marriage with different personalities and diverse views but as time goes by they learn to blend and respect one another. This is the harmony achieved in the psalm and this explains why it opens with the words, “Shir dididus, a song of endearment (verse 1).” This psalm describes how Korach had a different perspective than Moshe, but he used his differences to confront and destroy a relationship. Instead of working together with Moshe to make peace as Moshe had tried to initiate, he escalated the argument and caused the death of his entire family and many righteous people. Korach’s sons recognized the importance of respect and reverence towards Moshe and were willing to put in their efforts to achieve peace.

Rose and Thorns

They open the psalm talking about a shoshana, rose. The Torah scholar is like a rose, he is beautiful and enhances his surroundings with his wisdom. But he must be handled and treated gently, if he is mistreated, he has thorns which can cause great pain to the one who abuses him. The sons of Korach separated from their father and saved themselves from the thorns. They saw Moshe and his court as possessing great qualities, truth and justice worthy of respect.

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