JULY 4 • 2024 | 35
J
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Becoming Holy
W

here did Korach 
err in his rebellion 
against Moses and 
Aaron? On the surface, his argu-
ment appears to be logical and 
just: “You [Moses and Aaron] 
have gone too far. The entire 
congregation is holy, and God is 
in their midst. So why do 
you raise yourselves above 
God’s assembly?” Indeed, 
did not the Torah com-
mand the nation, “You 
shall be holy” (Lev. 19:2)?
According to Korach, if, 
in fact, everyone is equally 
holy, leadership becomes 
a mere function of oppor-
tunity. The era of the old 
guard rule (Moses’ fami-
ly) must come to an end; 
Korach’s family must be 
given its chance to express 
its inherent holiness.
If Korach had been 
raised in the palace of 
the pharaohs, and if he had had 
the opportunity as a free man of 
princely background to slay the 
Egyptian taskmasters, God would 
have spoken to him as well. After 
all, we are all holy. 
In reality, however, Korach 
and Moses represent different 
philosophies of life. At Mount 
Sinai, God did not declare every-
one to be holy. Rather, He placed 
into the world the possibility of 
achieving holiness. “You shall be 
holy” is a command, not a prom-
ise or a declaration of a fact. It 
represents a potential, attainable 
by means of the commitment to 
the 613 commandments.
When Korach argues that 
everyone is holy, he is, in fact, 
uprooting holiness, not defending 
it. By arguing for holiness in the 
way that he does, Korach actually 
argues against holiness. In his 
view, we need not strive to achieve 
holiness. We are already holy.
Korach misses the point. 

Moses teaches that the human 
being must constantly strive to 
improve, to become more holy 
than he was before. Humans 
must never dare rest on their lau-
rels because evil is always lying in 
wait to ensnare. Never be com-
placent. There is never sufficient 
holiness; we must always 
strive for more.
In contrast, Korach 
maintains that the status 
quo is holy because noth-
ing need change, grow or 
develop. Korach rejects 
the command to become 
holy because he is cynically 
scornful of one’s ability 
to grow, develop, change 
and inspire. This mistaken 
worldview is the core flaw 
of Korach’s rebellion.
Moses’ approach is 
fundamentally different. 
When Moses announces 
to the rebels the means by 
which God will determine who 
is holy to Him, he orders Korach 
and his men bring fire in the fire 
pans and offer incense. 
Fire symbolizes the possibility 
of change. By means of extreme 
heat, the hardest materials can be 
transformed from solid to liquid 
and to many states in between. 
Likewise, incense improves its 
surroundings: The sweet-smelling 
fragrance can transform the car-
casses of the animal sacrifices into 
an experience of commitment to 
God that can perfect the world.
Moses’ vision is of optimistic 
faith; the rising flames that draw 
forth the fragrance of the incense 
and soar heavenward. Material 
objects, humanity, the very world 
can be changed, elevated and 
sanctified. All that is required 
is our merit, commitment and 
achievement. 

Rabbi Shlomo Riskin is chancellor of Ohr 

Torah Stone and chief rabbi of Efrat, Israel.

SPIRIT
TORAH PORTION

Rabbi 
Shlomo 
Riskin

Parshat 

Korach: 

Numbers 

16:1-18:32; 

Numbers 

28:9-15; 

Isaiah 66:1-

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Blessing

Braided

Bride

Candles

Challah

Chicken

Cloves

Connect

Eat

Family

Festive

Friday

Grape Juice

Hamotzi

Handwashing

Havdalah

Home

Kabbalat

Kiddush

Kippah

Kugel

Lighting

Loaves

Mitzvot

Observe

Oneg

Prayer

Reflect

Remember

Rest

Ritual

Saturday

Shabbat Shalom

Sundown

Torah

Tzedakah

Wine

Work

Shabbat
Word Search

PUZZLE ANSWERS

Solution to puzzle in 6/27/24 issue.