Torah Po
Moses The Leader
Meets A Challenge
Shabbat Korach: Numbers 16:1-18:32;
I Samuel 11:14-12:22.
I
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his week's Torah portion raise yourselves above the Lord's
deals with the most serious congregation?" He is suggesting
rebellion faced by Moses that if all Israelites are holy, what
and Aaron during their en- need is there for someone like
tire 40 years of wandering: The Moses to instruct us, or why do
rebellion led by Korach, Dathan we need laws to make us holy? If
the people are holy, command-
and Abiram.
The rebellion came at a time ments are not necessary.
As the Plaut commentary sug-
wIren the people were demoral-
ized by the majority report of the gests, Korach's argument turns
on the eternal tension be-
scouts spying out the
tween authority and free-
Promised Land. They felt
dom. Like many
abandoned by God. The
demagogues after him,
people were psychologi-
Korach offered himself as
cally receptive to a dema-
a living guardian of the
gogue appealing to the
spirit of freedom; but God
masses and waiting to
would not accept his of-
overthrow the leadership
fer of substitute leader-
and return to Egypt.
Four separate rebel- DR. RICHARD C. ship.
The Midrash quotes
lions are recorded in this
HERTZ
portion: the Levites re- SPECIAL TO THE four types of wicked per-
sons: one who contem-
belling against Aaron; the
JEWISH NEWS
plates violence against a
people rebelling against
Moses; the tribal chieftains re- fellow man; one who borrows but
belling against Aaron; and the does not pay back; one who is ar-
entire community rising up rogant and does not respect his
against Moses and Aaron. The superiors; and one who is prone
arch conspirator is the Levite Ko- to cause strife. The Midrash says
rach, who instigates or is asso- that Dathan and Abiram fell into
ciated with all four rebellious both of the latter categories.
The Korach episode in the life
groups. Korach is the chief vil-
of Moses shows something of his
lain.
There are two stories here. The personality. His enemies, even
first tells of Korach and 250 men his closest associates, had
who complain about the special charged him with dictatorial am-
bitions for arrogating all political
religious privileges of the Levites.
Korach's people come to the Tent authority to himself and all re-
of Meeting and they are con- ligious powers to his brother
sumed by fire. Their censors are Aaron. Moses was judged to be
taken away and some 14,000 who the humblest of men and imper-
support the rebellion, or who are vious to the taunts of his oppo-
unhappy with Korach, are killed nents. Moses is seen here as
different from the Moses of the
by a plague.
The second is the rebellion of Exodus story of the plagues. That
Dathan and Abiram, who are Moses was God's obedient ser-
members of the tribe of Reuvan. vant fulfilling his command-
They are complaining against the ments. Here we see Moses
civil authority of Moses. They confronting the rebels asking for
maintain all the community is divine retribution. He is not God.
holy. This is a claim opposite to He has not assumed absolute
the teaching that only the priests powers but rather he remains
are holy. They argue, as Korach God's faithful servant. Despite all
had done, that if all Israel aspires the physical harsh ordeals of the
to holiness, who should not be wilderness and the psychological
harassment of his accusers, they
eligible for the priesthood?
The intent of this by biblical have worn down his patience.
tradition is clearly to underline They have shaken his equilibri-
in the strongest terms possible um, but he remains Moses the
the political and spiritual su- leader par. excellence.
premacy of the priests. A rebel-
lion against them and against
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Moses, as their leader,was noth-
Deadlines •
ing less than a rebellion against
❑
God.
Korach said, "All the commu-
nity is holy. Why then do you
Dr. Richard C. Hertz
is distinguished Professor of
Jewish Studies at the
University of Detroit-Mercy.
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