Korach – Once Upon a Week

Read the transcript below, or watch a video of the teaching by Yehuda Bachana.

The last three Torah portions describe rebellions against authority, starting with Aaron and Miriam who spoke badly of Moses. The following week we read about the rebellion of the spies, after which the people rebelled, too. This week we read and study about the rebellion of Korach and his followers. It is written that Korach’s company included 250 people; however, in reality, the rebellion of the opposition was much greater, and included a significant part of Israel.

Even if we disagree with Korach, there's some logic to his rebellion. Let’s think about this together for a second. The people find themselves in a difficult situation. They cannot move forward to the Promised Land. Last week's Torah portion showed that those who tried to enter the land by force, failed to succeed and died in the process (Numbers 14:44).

So, what’s left for Israel to do? A slow death awaits in the wilderness, as they can only continue after the last ones of the wilderness generation have died. Yet, another rebellion arises and develops as the result of the people’s despair and hopelessness, shaking the rest of the nation.

Korach didn’t say: “Rebellion! Revolution!” What he actually said was: “Corrupted, go home!”

Korach's claim is that Moses and Aaron appointed themselves to the position of power. He argued that they benefit from their position and look down at the People of God. However, concerning the People of God, Korach claims that everybody is holy and everybody is equal. This is some kind of an early version of the famous saying by Paul from the letter to Galatians:

This verse means that everyone is equal in the eyes of God, everyone's value is equal and everyone is created in the image of God. It is clear that this verse does not cancel any physical nor practical differences between men and women, or between workers and employees.

This verse simply states that we all stand before God in an equal manner. It does not matter to God if we are rich or poor, because we do not take our property nor our status when we ascend to the afterlife. Rather, then, every soul will stand before God in an exposed manner:

We will stand before God, purified by the sacrifice of Messiah. Israel as well as the nations were not left without redemption. Yeshua paid the full price for us all, and the verse from Galathians exactly points out our equality in Yeshua.

However, Korach is a wise enemy, and attacks using half-thruths or even mostly-truths. He argues that we are all holy and that God dwells among us and in our midst. There is no male or female in the eyes of God, there is no master nor slave. So, why are you our leader, Moses? You have failed. Now go home!

Here we see the complete opposite between the phrases 'We are all holy' and

Korach says that everyone is holy, and as such, our status before God, as a holy nation, is secure. Korach says that we have already reached our goal of coming to faith. That from now on, we can do anything we want, everything is allowed, we are free from responsibility and from petty commandments. Such attitude leads to arrogance, pride and overconfidence: "I am from Israel, so my status and holiness are secure."

John the Baptist opposes this idea, and warns the crowds that come to be baptized by him in the Jordan river:

John tells those that come to repent that it is not their identity, nor the fact that they belong to the nation of Israel, being sons of Abraham. Truly, the tree symbolizes man who must produce good fruit. John warns that the axe lies at the root of the tree. In other words, John the Baptist says that the view that claims that everyone is holy, actually is in rebellion with God and the Scriptures, allowing us to do what is right in our own eyes.

A different, and actually a contradictory approach, is 'keep all my commandments' (Numbers 15:40). The additional part of this verse, 'to be holy', is the direct result of the act of keeping the commandments. This idea is presented in a verse at the end of the previous Torah portion and leads directly to the story of Korach, and his distorted and incorrect claim that everyone is holy, just because of their identity or affiliation. No, quite the opposite is true, Mr. Korach. We need to read the previous verse, 'keep all my commandments', if we wish to be credited with holiness.

As mentioned earlier, we touched upon how Korach’s approach diminishes the importance of the actual keeping of the commandments. It also underestimates the value of seemingly unimportant commandments. A similar approach is expressed in an interesting midrash, which reduces the importance of the commandments, and portrays them in a ridiculous and negative way:

It is clear that the above text is a Midrash, a story, and not a real event. I think that this story faithfully portrays demagogy that politicians use to attack each other in order to influence the public opinion. Sadly, every generation witnesses cheap emotional manipulation from politicians.

The sad thing is that, at the end, demagogy does work. We see that the opposition is not limited to Korach and his company of 250 leaders and key figures. Many others joined in, too. It probably started with Korach and just a few followers. Then they began spreading disinformation and succeeded. We read that a large group of people follows. And so, the opposition to Moses became strong and loud.Tragically, Korach, his followers and a very large number of Israelites are convinced that they are right. This is the reason why they agree to the test of the incense burners, which goal was to determine which side was right.

It is hard to know if they truly realized that this test would be a matter of life and death. Everyone came forward and stood beside Moses and Aaron at the entrance to the Sanctuary. They stood before God, ready to be the tested, while holding the incense burners. This makes it seem Korach’s assembly did believe justice – and God - were at their side; all the while, presuming Moses and Aaron take advantage of the people while ruling harshly.

In addition to Korach, there are two brothers - Datan and Aviram - from the tribe of Reuven. Who are they, and why do they mix in with the argument between Korach and Moses? Moses tries to understand them and invites them in, hoping they might come to an understanding. Yet, the reaction of Datan and Aviram is harsh and disturbing:

Moses is very angry and hurt. Remember how the story in the Midrash pictures Korach’s description of the leadership as oppressive. However, unlike Korach’s stories, and unlike the thoughts and suspicions of some in the community, Moses and Aaron did not act out of greed, nor the desire to dominate. On the contrary, both Moses and Aaron paid a high personal price for the sake of the people.

Before continuing on the topic of this great personal sacrifice, it is good to remind ourselves of the death of Nadav and Avihu, the two sons of Aaron who were killed while serving in the sanctuary. Moses now turns to God in anger and pain:

Moses, who truly dedicated his life to the People of Israel, fails to understand how reality could be so grossly distorted.

In this week’s Haftara, from the second half of chapter 11 and chapter 12 of 1st Samuel, the prophet speaks similar words to those of Moses. This is most likely the reason why this specific Haftara was chosen. Samuel proclaims that his hands are clean. He did not oppress the people and did not take a donkey nor an ox. Note, that Samuel’s words are, almost exactly, taken from the speech of Moses. These leaders are facing challenges both from within as well as external ones.

We are certain that it is fun to be a leader and be the one in charge. We forget the part called responsibility. Leaders shoulder the burden of heavy responsibility. This responsibility takes away their sleep. Leaders and commanders usually work longer hours and often take their work home. However, that does not make their subordinates less bitter.

Here I want to remember Yeshua the Messiah. When Yeshua came back to His hometown, Nazareth, we read how He went to a synagogue ‘according to His custom’. Yeshua also taught there. As a Messianic Jew, as a believer, I think: “I wish I had the privilege to hear Yeshua the Messiah talking, having been present there, during His sermon.” But what did the people of the town think? They wanted to push him to His death from the mountain cliff. It was there, that Yeshua said:

The Messiah, Who came to save the world and to only do good, to sacrifice His life for the sake of others: He was the One they falsely accused and wanted to hurt to such an extent, that it stopped Yeshua from going up to Jerusalem:

As we can see, leadership is a task that is mostly being taken for granted.

Continuing our Torah Portion in Numbers 16:20-22, God asks Moses and Aaron to separate themselves from the congregation of Israel, as He plans to destroy them. What do Moses and Aaron do? They fall on their face and pray in order to mediate for the people.

The leadership of Moses and Aaron is one of self-sacrifice. I would like to read a verse from our Torah portion that is definitely underappreciated. We truly cannot grasp the level of sacrifice hidden in this verse. Numbers 16:46-48:

We often read this verse without paying attention. We read it as a side note, and then move on. But, who would rush into a burning fire? Who runs towards danger without thinking twice? Aaron does, the priest who lost two of his sons (we just mentioned Nadav and Avihu), who died in the sanctuary from the fire of God, as a punishment from Above. What does Aaron do? He rushes towards the punishment. I am certain, that Aaron did not think himself to be extra-resistant nor immune. A man who lost as much as Aaron did does not think he is untouchable.

Aaron takes a great risk. However, as a leader, he cannot run away from the fire, the fear, the plague nor from the angel of death. That very Aaron, whose two sons died as a punishment of God, rushes towards the center of the plague, towards the center of God’s punishment. Aaron stands between the dead and the living, and by doing so, Aaron stops the plague with his own hands. God, Who examines the heart, finds Aaron worthy.

Here we see the essence of Moses’ and Aaron’s leadership. They did not come to oppress the people; on the contrary, they put people before themselves. They love the people, and even when they have sinned, Moses and Aaron are willing to endanger themselves for the sake of the people.

I want to conclude with a story from the Talmud called ‘the dilemma of the water jug’:

Ben Ptora said: “It is best if both drink and both die, so that one will not see the death of his friend. But then Rabbi Akiva taught:

Rabbi Akiva explained that your life comes before your friend’s life.” Many commentaries discuss this story, including the different interpretations of Ben Ptora and Rabbi Akiva.

There is a third alternative that was not discussed here. Possibly, the man with the jug might give, or might be asked to give, the entire jug to his friend, and therefore die himself. The third interpretation, the idea of self-sacrifice, is taught by Paul:

Heaven forbid, we read this verse as something obvious. I see how Aaron has a similar attitude of self-sacrifice as he rushes into the storm, and physically stops the plague with great courage.

We see the ultimate act of sacrifice in Yeshua the Messiah, Who sacrificed Himself for us: