When the Levites were inaugurated to serve and assist the Cohanim in the Mishkan, Hashem ordered Moshe to have all of the Levites completely shaven.
Our Sages teach us that Korach felt very rejected and embarrassed when he was totally shaved, looking more like the purification process from leprosy.
To compound things, Korach’s wife made him feel even worse about himself. bringing him to begin to doubt the validity of Moshe and his role as leader.
This pushed Korach to become envious of the role of High Priest, leading him to challenge Moshe and Aharon for the role as High Priest.
Aharon, on the other hand, demonstrated his joy and delight in the success of others.
The Torah asserts this when Hashem sent Moshe to be a prophet and redeem the Jews from Egyptian bondage and slavery.
Moshe argued that Aharon was already a prophet, he was older than Moshe by 3 years, and that Aharon would be jealous when he would see that his younger brother Moshe was chosen to be the prophet and redeemer of the Jews over himself.
Hashem told Moshe that Aharon will “rejoice in his heart” when he sees Moshe as the redeemer and prophet of the Jews.
This joy in the heart over another’s success is the greatest proof of how a person is truly happy with their portion and whatever Hashem deems them worthy to receive.
Now, to prove who was really sad and who was really happy with their lot, Moshe used the Ketoret.
For the Ketoret is associated with joy as it is totally offered and burnt for the pleasure and desire of Hashem with no benefit to man (i.e. no atonement for sins etc.)
On a deeper level the Ketoret has the power to bring out and reveal a person’s inner desire for joy or the opposite.
This in turn will either elevate a person or destroy him.
For this reason Korach was swallowed into the earth, and his assembly of 250 high court rabbinical judges were all burnt through the Ketoret.
For their desire of jealousy and strife emanated from their inner flaw of sadness and depression over their limitations.
The Ketoret simply brought out and punished them for their inner flaw of sadness.
May we always strive to yearn for true happiness and content over our portions in life, and may we use the power of the Ketoret (through reciting it in our daily prayer services) to bring out and elevate our inner joy. amen.
Shabbat Shalom.
