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When Challenge And Dispute
Are Self-Serving

pute itself — the truth becomes
clarified. But a dispute that is not
for the sake of heaven has as its pur-
pose authority and the love of victo-
ry and this end is not realized. Thus
we find with the dispute of Korach
and his allies, whose purpose and
ultimate intention were to seek
honor and authority, instead the
his week's Torah portion is
opposite resulted."
dominated by the dispute
Korach and his cohorts, as the
between Korach and his
verses indicate, objected to
allies against
the authority of Moshe
Moshe and Aaron.
and Aaron. They were not
Korach, Moshe's cousin,
so much interested in the
Doson and Avirom and
truth, but rather in the
250 leaders of the commu-
honor and power con-
nity complain to Moshe
ferred upon the leaders of
and Aaron, "You have
the Jewish people by
taken too much (authority)
God. Thus they failed, as
upon yourselves ... Why
the Bartinura explains.
do you elevate your-
The
very things that
selves over the Lord's con-
RABBI ELIEZER Korach, Doson and Avi-
gregation?" (Numbers
COHEN
rom accused Moshe of
16:3)
Special to
seeking
— mastery and
It seems from the unfold-
The Jewish News authority — not only
ing story that the primary
weren't true, but were their
complaint of at least some
own
motives
for the dispute.
of the disputants is the claim of
Likewise,
over
the last number of
nepotism in the choice of Moshe's
years,
disputes
between
the various
brother Aaron as high priest. How-
religious
factions
within
the Jewish
ever, it seems that Doson and Avi-
community
have
escalated
and the
rom simply resent Moshe's authority
attacks have become more personal
over them when they accuse him of
and vitriolic — particularly in Israel.
"making yourself a leader over us.
One wonders whether these disputes
(Numbers 16:14) Ultimately, the
are really "for the sake of heaven" or
revolt is crushed by divine interven-
simply to gain or maintain power,
tion and the rebels perish.
authority and funding.
In the tractate of "Mishna Avos,"
Each faction, while claiming its
popularly known as "Sayings (or
position
is for the constructive bene-
ethics) of the Fathers," there is a
fit
of
the
Jewish people, and their
mishna that reflects upon this key
relationship
with God, also impugn_
episode in the Torah:
the
motives
of its opponents in the
"Any dispute that is for the sake
most
derogatory
and insulting ways.
of heaven (God) ultimately will be
Is
it
possible
that
each side truly is
realized; and if it is not for the sake
seeking
the
"truth"
and that, as the
of heaven ultimately it will not be
Bartinura
says,
the
dispute
itself (if
realized. Which is a dispute that is
conducted
in
a
respectful,
dignified
for the sake of heaven? The dispute
manner) will be constructive and
between the schools of Hillel and
ultimately reveal "true judaism"? Or
Shammai. And which dispute is not -
is the dispute simply a matter of
for a heavenly purpose? The dispute
jockeying
for political, religious or
of Korach and his allies. ("Avos"
communal power that brings not
5:17)
only destructive results, but even
The classic commentary on the
disfavor and disrespect to both
mishna of Rabbi Ovadia of Bartinu-
sides?
ra (1450-1516) brings this elucida-
Let us hope that we can give each
tion:
other
the respect and attention that
"The word 'ultimately' refers not
will
elevate
the "war" to a real
to the dispute but rather'to the pur-
"debate"
to
clarify the truth so that
pose sought. The purpose and end
ultimately
the
dispute will result in a
sought by a dispute for the sake of
constructive
and
mutually beneficial
heaven is to find truth and this is
outcome
instead
of
simply exposing
achieved through the process of dis-
less constructive, self-serving
motives.
Eliezer Cohen is rabbi of Congrega-
tion Or Chadash.

Shabbat Korach:
Numbers 161-18:32;
I Samuel 1: 14-12:22.

T

❑

6/26
1998

62

(248) 661-4021