Yischor and Zevulun became the teachers and
supporters of Torah
Rashi quotes the Midrash: Yissochor and Zevulun became great in Torah
because their tents were placed next to the tents of Moshe, Aharon, and his
sons. The 250 individuals who joined Korach in his rebellion against HASHEM,
on the other hand, did so because their tents were located next to Korach’s.
From here Chazal learn, “Praise be a Tzadik, and praise be his neighbors.
Woe to the Rasha, and woe to his neighbors.”
The Medrash seems to attribute both the great success of Yissochor and
Zevulun and the utter destruction of Korach’s congregation to the influence
of neighbors. This seems to imply that the pivot point for both groups was
who they associated with.
What makes this statement startling is the distance between the two ends.
Throughout the generations, the role of Torah teachers was given to
Yissochor and the role of supporting Torah went to Yissochor and Zevulun. In
this way, they reached the heights of greatness. On the flip side, the
people who followed Korach in rebellion against HASHEM are depicted as still
burning in Gehinom to this day. Yet Yissochor, Zevulun, and Korach’s
followers all began at the same starting point.
How could something so trivial make such a
difference?
It seems difficult to understand how such a stark difference in results can
be caused by simply living in close proximity to one person. This question
becomes compounded when we take into account the circumstances and the
times.
These events were taking place during the 40 years in the Midbar. Rather
than bringing the Jewish people directly to Eretz Yisroel, HASHEM cloistered
them within the confines of the Clouds of Glory --locked away from the world
-- to allow them to become spiritual giants. All of their physical needs
were taken care of: they ate the Mon delivered to the doors of their tents;
they drank water from the be’er,; their clothes didn’t tatter; and their
shoes didn’t wear out. They experienced countless overt miracles.
They had all received the Torah
Furthermore, all of the individuals involved had not long before stood at
the foot of Har Sinai. When HASHEM proclaimed for the entire world to hear,
“I am HASHEM your G-d,” every man woman and child standing there reached a
level of seeing HASHEM greater than a Navi. They experienced HASHEM’s
presence first-hand.
With that experience came a clear understanding of the purpose of life. The
Jews at Sinai fully recognized that we are put on the planet for a few short
years with a specific mission to grow, to accomplish, and to shape
ourthemselves into what we will be for eternity. They knew that whatever
state of perfection we reach here, we will enjoy forever.
How then is it possible that something as inconsequential as living next to
a Tzadik or a Rasha could spell ruination or great success?
The human: a social being
The answer to this question seems to be that we humans are social beings,
and because of this, we are exquisitely sensitive to influence from others.
One of our needs is to belong. We need friendships, we crave associations,
and we hunger for a sense of community. When we fit into a group that we
feel a part of, we identify with that group. This is our chevra, our circle
of friends, and it becomes almost an extension of us. Our circle of friends
affects our value systems, the way we view ourselves, and our roles in all
that we do. But it’s a double-edged sword It can be one of the greatest aids
to a person’s spiritual growth or the greatest liability . . .
Because the 250 men lived in Korach’s vicinity, this became their community,
their peer group. As such, it created their social environment. Korach
yielded great social equity in that group, and he led the march to its
abysmal failure. But those who lived in the immediate proximity of Moshe and
Aharon were affected by a different force. The presence of Moshe Rabbenu
shaped the social fabric of that group. Its norms and ideals were shaped by
a Torah giant. The social atmosphere had such an affect that Yissochor and
Zevulun were changed for generations.
Chazal are teaching us that the great heights that one group reached and the
low depths to which the other sank were due to one factor — peer pressure.
This is an eye-opening revelation as to the power of influence.
The average person is smarter than the average
person
One of the quirks of human nature is that the average person assumes that he
is smarter than the average person. Often times, when we are confronted by
the foibles of human nature, we exclaim, “How strange is the human!” But we
forget to take that next critical step - remembering that “I too am a
human.”
When it comes to issues like the influence of friends, we may agree that is
significant in the life of some, and certainly in the lives of teenagers.
However, once we are fully-formed adults, mature, with an understanding of
life and the world, we think these concepts no longer apply to us.
What we see from this Chazal is a very different perspective. The 250 men
who joined Korach were men of greatness. They were distinct and illustrious,
singled out by name in the beginning of Bamidbar - yet they were influenced
to rebel against HASHEM. The tribes of Yissochor and Zevulun included many
fully mature adults, and they became great Torah leaders, all because of the
influence of others.
This is a powerful insight into the affect of the friends that we keep and
their impact upon who we wish to become.
For more on this topic listen to Shmuz #166 -
Everybody is Doing it
