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TORAH PORTION
Think, And Then Speak
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Shabbat Korach:
Numbers 16:1-18:32; 28:9-15;
Isaiah 66:1-24.
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36 June 14 2007
tests, perhaps by saying: "The guys are
counting on me" or something to that
effect. So his wife resorts to filling him
n this week's parashah, Korach, a
with food and wine and other pleasures
Levite, gathers Datan, Aviram, On
and 250 other prominent individu- so that he oversleeps in the morning
als to come before Moses and Aaron and and misses the horrendous punishment
leveled against the others.
challenge their authority. They accuse
There is so much in the
them of elevating themselves
story of the rebellion of
above the community, which
Korach that is fascinating and
they say is "entirely holy"
instructive. We should think
The Torah doesn't specify
about authority and how we
the cause of this challenge
respond to it. We should think
although the Midrash offers
about the nature of Jewish
the theory that they are frus-
law and how we view it. We
trated with what they view
should think about being
as the arbitrary nature of the
happy with our position
commandments Moses has
Rabbi Robert
and not look for more kavod
placed upon the community.
Dobrusin
(honor) just because we're
They accuse him of taking
Special to the
envious.
power for himself and his
Jewish News
But, one of the great les-
family unfairly through the
sons of the story is the wisdom this
legal system.
fanciful midrash offers us. It is always
Moses' first reaction is to fall on his
wise to take a step back and reconsider
face, perhaps in prayer or in anger. But,
a challenge or a confrontation before it
when he stands up, he tells Korach to
goes too far. And, it is always beneficial
come before him and before God on
to have people we can depend upon
the next day. "In the morning',' Moses
says, "God will make known
who is His and whom He has
chosen:'
It seems curious that
Moses would delay the con-
frontation with Korach until
the next morning. Perhaps
he wanted the rebels to have
a chance to think it over a bit
and back out of the confron-
to remind us which battles are worth
tation before it was too late.
fighting and which are not when we
If that was the plan, it didn't work.
find ourselves getting caught up in the
Korach comes back the next day as
excitement of a building fiasco.
determined as ever and he and his
Let us remember On and let us all
band are swallowed up by the earth as
cherish the opportunities we have to
a punishment as God publicly confirms
think twice before following through
Moses' authority.
with a threat or a challenge. And, may
However, it is interesting that one
we always listen to those who speak
of Korach's band apparently benefited
wisely and urge us to restrain ourselves
from this delay. For, on this fateful day,
one of Korach's pals, On, who was previ- when there is nothing to gain. I1
ously mentioned by name, is noticeably
Robert Dobrusin is rabbi of Beth Israel
absent.
Congregation in Ann Arbor.
A midrash tells why On was miss-
ing. According to the midrash, On's
Conversation
wife tried to get him to stay away from
If Korach had legitimate com-
Korach, claiming that even if by some
plaints
against Moses, what
chance Korach was vindicated, On
would
have
been a more effec-
would not benefit as he would still be
tive
way
of
raising
them?
subservient to another leader. On pro-
Ann Arbor
I
It is always wise to take a
step back and reconsider a
challenge or a confrontation
before it goes too far.