PARSHAT KORACH - REBELLION & CONFLICT RESOLUTION

KORACH, NUMBERS 16:1-18:32 

REBELLION & CONFLICT RESOLUTION

In our Parshah there is a two-pronged attack against the appointment of Aaron and his sons to the priesthood, and against Moses as the leader of Israelite nation.  This ultimately comes down as a rebellion against God.

Aaron and his sons’ appointment to the priesthood begins in the Book of Exodus at 28:1, when Hashem makes a declaration to Moses:

וְאַתָּה הַקְרֵב אֵלֶיךָ אֶת-אַהֲרֹן אָחִיךָ וְאֶת-בָּנָיו אִתּוֹ, מִתּוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל--לְכַהֲנוֹ-לִי:  אַהֲרֹן--נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא אֶלְעָזָר וְאִיתָמָר, בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן.

“And you shall bring near to you Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that they may minister unto Me in the priest's office,  Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's sons”.

Contrary to Hashem’s declaration, Korach, Aaron’s cousin wants to open the Priest’s office to everyone. This was not to be; the Priesthood was, is and will be an exclusionary office.   Korach is assisted by 250 tribal leaders, including possibly some Levites.  They too wanted the privilege to offer sacrifices on the Altar, the Mizbeach (מזבח).  They maintained that offering sacrifices, ie. being Priests, should not rest exclusively with Aaron and his family.

Secondly, Dathan and Abiram are causing a problem for Moses.  They are leaders from the Tribe of Reuben.  They do not want to wander and die in the dessert for the next 39 years.  For better or worse they want to return to Egypt, the home that they had known.  After all, they will not be allowed to enter the Promised Land.  

However there is no turning back.  In comparison to the ten spies who were killed outright, the generation of the dessert were given a life sentence without any hope of parole.

Moses has the full support of Hashem.  The ground opens up, as if it is a living being and swallows up Korech, Dathan and Abiram.  The 250 co-conspirators who are carrying their fire pans bring down a heavenly fire that consumes them all. It is similar to what happened to Aaron’s sons Nadav and Avihu.  

You play with fire and you get burned.

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A PRACTICAL WOMAN SAVES HER HUSBAND'S LIFE

In the Parshah, Korach is assisted by three co-conspirators: Dathan, Abiram and On son of Peleth.  Korach, Dathan and Abiram perish, but On’s situation is in clouded in mystery. 

 The Midrash (Numbers Rabbah 18:20) comes out and says that On’s wife saves the day: On’s wife was wise and practical.  She sums up for her husband that he is in a lose-lose situation.  Then she gets him so drunk that he falls asleep.  

When the boys come by to fetch her husband, she stands at the entrance to her tent and loosens her hair.  This unseemly act causes the boys to turn tail and run off to their doom.

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MAX’S PARSHAT KORACH QUIZ QUESTIONS

Max has come up with a quiz that relates to Parshat Korach.  Here are his questions.  Do your best.  The answers are found at the end of this post.

1-WHAT IS THE SPECIAL COMPLAINT ABOUT  PARASHAS KORACH?

2-WHICH PRESTIGIOUS POSITIONS DID KORACH HOLD?

3-HOW MANY  ADDITIONAL JEWS DIED IN ADDITION TO HIS FOLLOWERS?

4-WHICH WIVES GAVE THEIR HUSBANDS BAD ADVICE CAUSING DEATH?

5-WHO IS PERFECT EXAMPLE THAT HONOR & JEALOUSY CAUSES DEATH?

6-WHAT LASHON HARA DID KORACH SPREAD ABOUT MOSHE?

7-WHY WERE THE 250 PANS USED BY KORACH USED IN THE MIZBEIYACH ?

8-WHY WAS KETORES USED TO STOP THE PLAGUE AFTER THE REBELLION?

9-HOW DID KORACH BECOME SO RICH ?

10-WHY DOES DAVID REPEAT IN TEHILIM ""REQUEST & PURSUE PEACE""?

11-WHY DID AHARON'S STICK SPROUT WITH ALMONDS?

12-WHO HID AWAY AHARON'S STICK WITH THE ETERNAL ALMONDS?

13-HOW MANY GIFTS ARE WE REQUIRED TO GIVE SHEVET LEVI?

14-WHO SAVED HER HUSBAND FROM GOING OFF TO JOIN KORACH?

15-WHERE WAS THE BIGGEST VACUUM CLEANER USED?

16-WHICH BAD MIDAH CAUSES HATRED AND FIGHTING

17-HOW MANY TIMES WOULD ONE HAD TO ASK HIS FRIEND FORGIVENESS?

18-WHICH PERSON DOES TORAH SPECIFICALLY WARN NOT TO BE LIKE?

19-WHAT IS HASHEM FAVORITE KORBAN ?

20-WHO WAS THE ORIGINAL PERSON KORACH WAS REALLY JEALOUS OF?

21-HOW MANY KOHANIM GEDOLIM DID KORACH SUGGEST TO HAVE?

22-FROM WHERE DO WE LEARN THAT BAD NEIGHBORS CAN CAUSE HARM?

23-HOW WERE DOEG & ACHTOFEL COMPARED TO NASAN & AVIRAM?

24-HOW MANY LETTERS ARE THERE IN THE 10-COMMANDMENTS?

25-WHAT ARE 3-KINDS OF LIVING FIRST BORN GIVEN TO KOHANIM ?

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I heard a shiur by Rabbi Riskin in which Moses’ punishment not to enter Israel (Parshat Chukat next week) is directly attributed to his encounter with Korach in this week’s Parshah.  No one sticks up for Moshe.  Not one of shows gratitude for all that he has done.  And Moshe is angry. Then next week when Moshe encounters the rock, his misplaced anger comes out.  The rock becomes the Jewish people, stiff-necked, hard and implacable.  And he strikes it.  

Rabbi Riskin concludes that to be a leader of the Jewish people, one must not lose patience, must be forgiving and love us passionately despite our failings.  

Korach failed in his rebellion, but in doing so he may have pushed Moshe out of his office

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The Punishment of Korah (detail from the fresco Punishment of the Rebels by Sandro Botticelli (1480–1482) in the Sistine Chapel)

 In a previous Parshah, Behaalotecha, Eldad and Medad were prophesying.  Joshua becomes outraged. Moses calms him down, gracefully saying, “If only all of G-d’s people would be prophets!”  Yet in Parshat Korach, when Korach challenges Moses’ authority saying, “The whole community is holy, and the Lord is with them, why then do you exalt yourself over the community of G-d?”

And in this instance Moses uses his power to call upon a miracle to eliminate his opposition. 

What’s going on here?  How are the two instances reconciled?

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The  Haftarah portion is from Samuel I, 11:14 - 12:22. 

About 400 years before, Joshua, starting out from Gilgal, had conquered the Land.  It had taken him 14 years.  Then for a period of more than 300 years, from time to time when we were beset by enemies, we were led by Prophets and Judges.  Our enemies were the Ammonites or the Moabites or the Philistines and even some remaining Canaanites.

Now we requested a different kind of leadership; we wanted a King.  Hashem listened and although not entirely pleased, granted the request.  Saul, the Benjaminite was anointed King of Israel.  Samuel, who unselfishly administered to us for 40 years, traveling from village to village on his own dime, begrudgingly went with the program.  Listening to his words I hear some regret and remorse.

"YOU CAN'T ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU WANT"

 https://youtu.be/krxU5Y9lCS8

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MAX’S PARSHAT KORACH QUIZ QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

My friend Max has come up with a quiz that relates to this week's Parshah. Attached are his questions and answers. How did you do? Maybe you have to study more; I do.

1-WHAT IS THE SPECIAL COMPLAINT ABOUT  PARASHAS KORACH?

AN ATTEMPT TO OVERTHROW MOSHE & AHARON AS LEADERS OF ISRAEL

> 2-WHICH PRESTIGIOUS POSITIONS DID KORACH HOLD?

MOSHE'S COUSIN, CHOIR LEADER, HIGH SCHOLAR, VERY WEALTHY

> 3-HOW MANY  ADDITIONAL JEWS DIED IN ADDITION TO HIS FOLLOWERS?

14,700 JEWS DIED BECAUSE THEY CLAIMED MOSHE CAUSED THEIR DEATH

> 4-WHICH WIVES GAVE THEIR HUSBANDS BAD ADVICE CAUSING DEATH?

KORACH'S WIFE , AND HAMMAN WIFE IN PURIM

> 5-WHO IS PERFECT EXAMPLE THAT HONOR & JEALOUSY CAUSES DEATH?

KORACH INTENSE DESIRE FOR HONOR & JEALOUSY CAUSED HIS DEMISE

> 6-WHAT LASHON HARA DID KORACH SPREAD ABOUT MOSHE?

THAT MOSHE HIMSELF MADE UP MANY COMMANDMENTS

> 7-WHY WERE THE 250 PANS USED BY KORACH USED IN THE MIZBEIYACH ?

A REMINDER FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS NOT TO OPPOSE THE KEHUNAH

> 8-WHY WAS KETORES USED TO STOP THE PLAGUE ?

TO PROVE THAT KETORES CAN CAUSE LIFE OR DEATH, ONLY SIN KILLS

> 9-HOW DID KORACH BECOME SO RICH ?

HE WAS THE ROYAL TREASURER AND HE ALSO FOUND JOSEPF TREASURE

> 10-WHY DOES DAVID REPEAT IN TEHILIM ""REQUEST & PURSUE PEACE""?

PURSUE IT FROM THE ENEMY, REQUEST IT FROM FROM YOUR FRIENDS

> 11-WHY DID AHARON'S STICK SPROUT WITH ALMONDS?

SYMBOLIZE ANY FIGHT AGAINST KEHUNAH WILL BE DEALT WITH SWIFTLY

> 12-WHO HID AWAY AHARON'S STICK WITH THE ETERNAL ALMONDS?

YOSHIYAHU HAMELECH HID IT SO AS NOT TO DESECRATE IT

> 13-HOW MANY GIFTS ARE WE REQUIRED TO GIVE SHEVET LEVI?

LEVITES ARE ENTITLED TO 24 DISTINCTIVE GIFTS

> 14-WHO SAVED HER HUSBAND FROM GOING OFF TO JOIN KORACH?

ON BEN PELES'S WIFE PERSUADED HIM NOT TO FOLLOW KORACH

> 15-WHERE WAS THE BIGGEST VACUUM CLEANER USED?

THE MOUTH OF THE PLANET THAT SWALLOWED KORACH AND HIS GROUP

> 16-WHICH BAD MIDAH CAUSES HATRED AND FIGHTING

JEALOUSY CAUSES ANIMOSITY , HATRED, AND ARGUMENTS

> 17-HOW OFTEN WOULD ONE HAD TO ASK HIS FRIEND FORGIVENESS?

UP TO THREE TIMES

> 18-WHICH PERSON DOES TORAH SPECIFICALLY WARN NOT TO BE LIKE?

KORACH

> 19-WHAT IS HASHEM FAVORITE KORBAN ?

KETORES IS HASHEM FAVORITE BECAUSE IT UNIFIES ALL PROPLE

> 20-WHO WAS THE ORIGINAL PERSON KORACH WAS REALY JEALOUS OF?

JEALOUS OF ELIZAFAN , HIS YOUNGEST COUSIN, HE BECAME HIS LEADER

> 21-HOW MANY KOHANIM GEDOLIM DID KORACH SUGGEST TO HAVE?

12-KOHANIM GEDOLIM , ONE FOR EACH TRIBE, ROTATING EVERY MONTH

> 22-FROM WHERE DO WE LEARN THAT BAD NEIGHBORS CAUSE HARM?

BECAUSE DATAN & AVIRAM LIVED NEXT KORACH'S CAMP

> 23-HOW WERE DOEG & ACHTOFEL COMPARED TO DATAN & AVIRAM?

BOTH GROUPS WERE INSULTING & CURSING THEIR LEADERS

> 24-HOW MANY LETTERS ARE THERE IN THE 10-COMMANDMENTS?

THERE 613 LETTERS , ONE LETTER FOR EACH MITZVAH

> 25-WHAT ARE 3-KINDS OF LIVING FIRSTBORN GIVEN TO KOHANIM ?

FIRSTBORN KOSHER ANIMAL, ISRAELITE., MALE DONKEY

PARSHAT SHEMINI, LEVITICUS 9:1–11:47

PARSHAT SHEMINI, LEVITICUS 9:1–11:47

Devorah the first woman Judge rendering judgment

At 10:8-9 

וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה, אֶל-אַהֲרֹן לֵאמֹר

יַיִן וְשֵׁכָר אַל-תֵּשְׁתְּ אַתָּה וּבָנֶיךָ אִתָּךְ, בְּבֹאֲכֶם אֶל-אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד--וְלֹא תָמֻתוּ:  חֻקַּת עוֹלָם, לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם

“And the Lord spoke to Aaron, saying, Do not drink wine that will lead to intoxication, neither you nor your sons with you, when you go into the Tent of Meeting, so that you shall not die. [This is] an eternal statute for your generations”

The prohibition against drinking wine is directed at the priests officiating in the Sanctuary. However this prohibition is true and good for any person who is required to discern and distinguish between things. A Judge is such a person.  A Judge is also forbidden to give a ruling or render a verdict when intoxicated.

However get this from the 13 century Sefer HaChinuch 152:

“…And the prohibition of coming to the Temple in drunkenness is practiced at the time of the (Temple) by males and females. And the prevention of giving a ruling is in every place and at all times by males and so by a sage woman that is fitting to give a ruling.”

Does this mean that it is O.K. for a qualified woman  such as Deborah to interpret the Law and give Halachic rulings? Oy Vey… What are things coming to?

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At 11:6 we are commanded not to eat rabbits:

וְאֶת-הָאַרְנֶבֶת, כִּי-מַעֲלַת גֵּרָה הִוא, וּפַרְסָה, לֹא הִפְרִיסָה; טְמֵאָה הִוא, לָכֶם

“And the hare, because it brings up its cud, but does not have a cloven hoof; it is unclean for you”

An animal that chews its cud is called a ruminant. The hare or rabbit or אַרְנֶבֶת is not a ruminant although the scientist Carl Linnaeus, who formalized modern biologic nomenclature, at one time included the hare with other ruminants.  What’s going on here? How can the Torah say that the rabbit chews its cud when science knows that it does not?

In terms of eating and digesting of its food, the hare does something close to ruminant behavior, but not exactly so. Rabbits eat a large amount of greens each morning. These are only partially digested and the remnants are excreted.  After some time the hare returns to have another go, this time on its half digested droppings…ugh.  It has the appearance of animal chewing its cud. Thus the Torah has come up with a warning not to eat hares because they do not have split hooves.

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THE KILLING OF NADAV AND ABIHU

In Parshat Shemini, Aaron’s two oldest sons, Nadav and Abihu, die at the hand of heaven when they bring “strange fire” before HaShem (Leviticus 10:1-2).  The Sages and commentators offer many reasons for their death.  For example: their behavior was inappropriate because they were drunk or they did not seek permission from Moses or that they were in the Holy of Holies, and only the Kohen Gadol was authorized to enter the Holy of Holies.

I think however that the responsibility for their death lies in part with their father or perhaps with their uncle Moses, himself.  It all begins in the previous year, eight months before, in the month of Tammuz with the Sin of the Golden Calf:  Moses is away on Mt. Sinai, learning Torah from HaShem, and Aaron is in charge.  The Israelites become restive; Aaron calms them down; he makes a golden calf and proclaims the next day as a festival day (Exodus 32:1-6). 

Then early the next day, a festival day, the people bring Olah and Shlamim offerings to an altar that Aaron has erected. The Olah is the standard voluntary offering where the entire animal, except for its skin goes up to HaShem. It is a form of a gift, a thank you and by doing so, the offeror comes closer to HaShem.  The Shlamim is also voluntary, and also has a thank you connotation, but in this instance it is shared between HaShem, the priesthood and the offeror.  In both of these offerings there is a prescribed ritual  which Aaron’s sons are required to carry out which means that although Aaron may have made the golden calf, his sons assisted the populace in giving thanks to it.

HaShem becomes incensed; he vows to annihilate the entire population except for Moses, but Moses pleads on behalf of the people and calms HaShem down.  However, in the aftermath, the Sons of Levi by name, and not Aaron and his sons by name, slay three thousand of the evil-doers.  Additionally as a punishment, HaShem brings a plague against the Israelites. But in no instance does it appear that Aaron and his sons are held accountable, at least not at this juncture.

Fast forward one year later to the 1^st of Nissan, the Mishkan has been completed and ready to be activated as a resting place for HaShem.  Aaron and his sons, including Nadav and Abihu the eldest of them, have been personally trained by Moses as to how to carry out their duties.  Nadav and Abihu are consumed by a heavenly fire. And the question is…Who is responsible for their deaths?

The Sages and commentators place the responsibility on the two brothers themselves.  Support for this position can be found in the narrative of the death of Uzzah found in this week's Haftarah portion (2Samuel 6:3-7).  At King David’s direction, Uzzah was helping to transport the Ark by wagon from his father AviNadav’s (interesting name) house to Jerusalem, and inadvertently grasped the Ark when it became dislodged.  Although Uzzah intended no disrespect, HaShem struck him and he died.  If this could happen to Uzzah because of an accident, then how much more so Nadav and Abihu because of their deliberate actions.  Although King David, very much like Moses, was ultimately responsible for the care of the Ark, he like Moses was not punished.  However, King David was frightened enough not to move the Ark again for another three months.

Notwithstanding that the Torah does not explicitly hold Aaron, Nadav and Abihu or any of Aaron’s children responsible for the sin of the golden calf; a case may be made for doing so.  Again, returning by example to King David in 2 Samuel 12:13-18: David sinned with Batsheva.  HaShem through the prophet Nathan called him to account.  David admitted his guilt; HaShem did not kill him, but the son born to David died seven days after having been born.  It could be that Aaron paid a similar price.

I think one of the lessons here is that leadership is an awful responsibility, one not to be taken lightly, not only for purposes of potential culpability, but because of possible dire consequences from inadvertent or deliberate errors in judgment.

I’ll leave it you as to who should take responsibility for the death of Nadav and Abihu. I myself like happy endings.  It could be as some say: their physical bodies were not up to being in such close proximity to the Divine Presence, and their spiritual souls just exited their physical bodies, only to be united with HaShem.

I realize that calling this essay “THE KILLING OF NADAV AND ABIHU” and not “THE DEATH OF NADAV AND ABIHU” I am making a statement that their death was a deliberate act and not an accidental occurrence.

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