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A Biblical Rebel
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Shabbat Korach: Numbers 16:1-18:32;
Numbers 28:9-15; Isaiah 66:1-24; I
Samuel20:18, 42.
e live in times when the Our rabbis have offered many
word "rebel" is not nec- suggestions about what the rebels
essarily an insult. As a "took," but none is necessary to
result of rebellions over the text. The rebels had nothing
200 years ago, in America and to take and offer. That is, the
France, the divine rights of rulers great rebellion, the rebellion
ended For this reason, among oth- which was to serve as paradigm
ers, some modern readers have for assault on legitimate leader-
had difficulty with the account in ship, had no platform. No alter-
Numbers of the rebellions of Ko- native plan to Moses' (obey God
and prepare for the eventual oc-
rach and his allies.
cupation of Canaan)
We start with the as-
was ever put forward.
sumption that some re-
The rebellion lacked
bellions are justified, and
any justifying idea or
are not horrified, as our
ideology. The entire con-
ancestors were, at the
tent of the rebellion was
very fact that Moses'
personal. The rebels
leadership is questioned.
wanted to do what
In the parsha, Korach,
Moses and Aaron were
who is a Levite, and
doing, but, we may as-
Datan and Aviram, lead-
sume, thought that
ers of the tribe of Reuben,
ED CODISH
they, rather than Moses
and 250 otherwise un-
SPECIAL
and Aaron, should be
named communal lead-
TO THE
the leaders of the Jews.
ers, offer a number of
JEWISH NEWS
The lack of ideas, a
indictments against
lack which empties the
Moses and Aaron, his
rebellion of content, does
brother. They are ac-
have one advantage. In
cused of taking too much
the absence of an ideol-
power for themselves and
ogy, anyone can join in.
of not recognizing the
Thus, men from many
group holiness of the
tribes assembled, unit-
Jews. Moses is also ac-
ed only by their opposi-
cused of taking the Is-
tion to Moses and
raelites from a good land
Aaron. We are remind-
into a desert, where they
ed of the blind support
will all die.
which used to be ex-
There had already
tended in America to
been complaints about SUSANN CODISH
SPECIAL
any foreign despot who
Moses. Repeatedly, some
TO THE
presented himself as an-
of the people murmur
JEWISH NEWS
ticommunist. We, too,
about the general state of
rarely asked what such
supply: the lack of food,
water, and (after the episode of the a person "took."
What did motivate Korach and
spies) hope. But these complaints,
no matter how heartfelt and in- his allies? Personal aggrandize-
sistent, were demands on Moses ment is an obvious incentive. We
to do something, to be a better all, whether we deserve it or not,
provider. The complaints of Ko- want to be the boss. One midrash
rach and his allies question the points out that Korach had been
leadership of Moses and offer, by passed over as leader of his fam-
ily. The Reubenites were not
implication, to replace it.
The Torah might be offering in- among the princes of their tribe.
sight into when rebellion is not Datan and Aviram are presented
acceptable, and therefore, per- in midrash as habitual malcon-
haps, when it is. The parsha be- tents. We suggest that, at least in
gins: "Korach, son of Yitzhar, son the case of Korach, midrash hints
of Kahat, son of Levi; and Datan at a more meaningful lesson.
"Rich as Korach" has become a
and Aviram, sons of Elia -v., and
On, son of Pelet, Reubenites, took. modern Hebrew idiom, almost a
And they rose up before Moses cliche. Korach is depicted as the
[with their supporters]." Never is wealthiest of the Israelites, and
what the leaders of the rebellion the details of his indulgences are
"took" specified. Neither is what, given. He may well have thought
other than their wish to usurp that his wealth entitled him to a
leadership, they had in common. greater part in decision making.
W
Susann Codish is president of
Ed Codish is gabbai of Or
Congregation Or Chadash, a
liberal observant community.
Chadash and a writer on
Judaism.