32 | JUNE 10 • 2021 

SPIRIT

Arguing for Heaven’s Sake 
A

mong the many gifts 
Judaism offers us are 
two seemingly contra-
dictory notions. The first gift is 
future-oriented: When the mes-
sianic era arrives, all humanity 
will unite behind shared truths 
and peace among peoples will 
prevail. In those times 
even “the wolf shall 
dwell with the lamb; 
the leopard (will) lay 
down with the kid ... 
And the lion, like the 
ox, shall eat straw” 
(Isaiah 11:6-7). The gift 
is the confident hope 
in the attainability of 
quiet, contentment, rest 
from our journeys, and 
cessation of suffering.
The second gift is 
focused on the pres-
ent. Until that time 
of Messiah, we all must learn 
how to fight with each other 
with decency. God demands 
that individual arguments must 
proceed with civility, and we’re 
commanded to overcome our 
animal instincts and build a 
society to make God proud.
This week’s portion offers an 
example of fighting that fails to 
pass the test of divine- 
ordered civility. To explain the 
swift and significant punish-
ment rendered by God against 
Korach and his followers, our 
rabbis teach that Korach and 
company challenged Moses’ 
leadership under false pretenses. 
Selfishness and greed fueled 
their complaints; gossip and 
slander powered as their griev-
ances.
In contrast to Korach’s 
rebellion, our rabbis offer the 
ongoing debates between the 
schools of Hillel and Shammai 
as fulfillment of God’s expecta-
tions of us. In the Talmud, we 

read that for three years Hillel 
and Shammai argued over a 
matter of Jewish law. Then, “a 
Divine voice emerged and pro-
claimed: Both these and those 
are the words of the living God.
” 
In a profound moment, God 
declares that two versions of 
truth can indeed exist side 
by side. God gives Hillel and 
Shammai the permission to 
agree to disagree.
Nevertheless, even when 
both versions of truth hold 
merit, followers of Jewish 
law require a path for-
ward. As such, the Talmud 
instructs us that, by and 
large, Jewish law follows the 
teaching of Hillel because 
Hillel displayed pleasant-
ness, humility and respect-
fully brought forward its 
opponent’s finest points. 
Hillel “fought” not just fairly, but 
with civility.
Judaism assures us that better 
days are ahead. However, until 
the time of the Messiah, nations 
must learn to live alongside 
other nations, and individuals 
must learn to live alongside 
other individuals. 
We must balance truth and 
compassion. Our demean-
or must be pleasant and our 
approach humble. We must give 
the benefit of the doubt and, in 
so doing, we consider even and 
especially the finest points they 
make.
May we strive to behave like 
Hillel. With prayers for a better 
tomorrow, we do what we can 
today to achieve civility in our 
times: to utilize with pride and 
joy the gifts that Judaism gives 
us. 

Rabbi Aaron Starr is spiritual leader 

of Congregation Shaarey Zedek in 

Southfield.

TORAH PORTION

Rabbi Aaron 
Starr

Parshat 

Korach: 

Numbers 16:1-

18:32; 

I Samuel 

11:14-12:22. 

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