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The Mitzvot of Tzizit and Mezuzah

By: SFW Students & Alumna
Judy Bernstein (SFW ‘08) and Dassi Shulman (SFW ‘08)

In Bamidbar 16:1 the Torah says "Vayikach Korach…". What did Korach take? The Midrash Rabbah (18:3) explains that this passuk refers to the mitzva of tzitzit mentioned in the previous parsha. Korach insisted to Moshe that a  tallit made entirely of techelet should be exempt from tzitzit. Moshe disagreed.  Korach continued, claiming that a house full of sefarim should be exempt from a mezuza. Again, Moshe disagreed with the false claim. That is why it says “vayikach Korach”, he “took” his heart to heresy.

We can understand from smichut parshiot the source for knowing that Korach’s complaint was about tzitzit, yet the source for Korach’s second complaint is still unclear.  According to the Kli Yakkar, this is hinted at in the passuk: “v’Datan va’Aviram yatzu nitzavim petach aholeihem”. The passuk emphasizes the “entrance to their courtyards” to teach us that they wanted to disgrace the mezuza that was hanging in the doorway of the tents. According to this idea, it was Korach who complained about the tzitzit, and Datan and Aviram added their own complaint about the mezuzah.,Because of this, Moshe was blamed for instituting these  mitzvot out of his own will. 

The common factor between these two claims, according to Rabeinu Bechayei, is that just like a tallit that is completely techelet should be exempt from techelet, and a house full of sefarim should be exempt from mezuza, so too a nation that is entirely kadosh has no need for a leader. Another similarity between these two mitzvot is that they both come to remind us of Hashem’s mitzvoti in general. Their argument was that an entirely holy nation does not need means to remind them of Hashem and His mitzvot, since they are always present.

The Rambam says:

Our sages said that whoever has tefillin on his head and arm, tzitzit on his clothing, and a mezuzah on his doorpost, is “guaranteed” not to sin. [This is] because he will have many reminders.

Just as tefillin, tzitzit, and mezuzah are always needed to serve as constant reminders to prevent a person from sinning, so too, even a nation where everyone is kadosh still requires a leader to serve as that same constant reminder. 

(Adapted from Lekach Tov)