?Vayiplu al Peneihem Vayomru ? ?. Why did Moshe and Aharon fall on their faces?
R. Bachye and Targum Yonasan: In Tefilah (And we learn from here to fall on our faces during Tefilah (Tachanun) 1 - for three reasons: 1. in awe of the Shechinah; 2 2. to demonstrate our pain and humility before It; 3 3. to display the stopping of our senses and negation of our feelings in Its presence 4 - because when we Daven, we stand opposite the Shechinah. 5 - R. Bachye).
As the Torah writes in Sh?mos 3:6 ?Vayaster Moshe Panav ki Yarei me?Habit el ha?Elokim?. See R. Bachye who elaborates.
See R. Bachye, middle of page 116, who cites the episode of R. Eliezer?s wifr - the sister o Rabban Gamliel and elaborates.
See R. Bachye, end of page 116 who explains that for the same reason, we Daven the Amidah with our feet together, and elaborates.
R. Bachye: As the Pasuk writes in Tehilim 16:8 ?Hivisi Hashem Lenegdi Tamid?.
Why did Moshe use the title "Elokei ha'Ruchos"?
Rashi: Assuming (mistakenly) that Hashem was about to destroy all of Yisrael, Moshe pointed out that following a rebellion, human kings, cannot distinguish between those who sinned and those who didn't, and punish them all, but Hashem is able to distinguish between tose who sinned and those who didn't. 1
Rashbam: He meant that Hashem knows the hearts and the minds of tho rest of the people who did not sin.
Who is ?ha?Ish Echad Yecheta ? ? referring to?
Rashi, Seforno, Targum Onkelos and Targum Yonasan: It refers to Korach.
Ramban and R. Bachye: It refers to Korach and his congregation.
What did Moshe set out to achieve with his Tefilah?
Rashi, Ramban and R. Bachye: He set out to remove the punishment from the people 1 and to place it fairly and squarely on the shoulders of Korach and his cohorts, who were directly responsible for the rebellion, 2 as is the way of those who plead for mercy on behalf of the masses. 3
Seforno: He set out to remove the punishment from the people and to place it fairly and squarely on the shoulders of Korach, who incited the congregtion to rise up against him and Aharon. 4
Seeing as the entire congregation had assembled against Moshe, why did Moshe say "ha'Ish Echad Yecheta"?
Refer to 16:22:2:3.
