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This Parsha HaShevua may seem to the reader a continuation of Parsha Shelach. This is done by intention because it seems very much as if Korach and his attempted power grab is a logical aftermath of the denial of Eetz Yisrael by 10 of the 12 miraglim (spies).
The Sefer “Torah Gems” by Aharon Yaakov Greenberg states the following thought; “Now took Korach…”; that Korach was blessed with many positive attributes: fine lineage, wisdom, qualities worthy of a leader of B’nai Yisrael. “‘Now took Korach — he took himself.’ He did not wait until he was offered the leadership, but he sought to take it by force. That is why he is not worthy of it.” (Torah Gems, by Aharon Yaakov Greenberg, Parsha Korach, Volume 3, page 79.)
Sefer L’lmod Ul’lamed (Rabbi Mordechai Katz) quotes gemora Sanhedrin 7b which states; “…a Jewish leader should be strong and dynamic rather than weak and vacillating. But, at all times, the Jewish leader should not let his position make him haughty. He should remember that he is but dust and ashes and that in the end his bones will rest in the same soil as do those of all other men.”
However, it seems that Korach, while feigning concern for the masses, actually stood in distain of them selfishly seeking power and prestige for himself.
Shem Mishmuel writes about Korach that he seemed to resent that Moshe was the leader of B’nai Yisrael, that Aaron was the Kohen Gadol and that he was not the one appointed head of the Children of Kehath, his branch of the priestly family. Korach’s motivations were complex, the layers of discontent behind his abortive challenge to the leadership numerous as is discussed by the great commentators. (Shem Mishmuel on Parsha Korach, page 335)
Shem Mishmuel relates a thought on Korach from Rashi;
“Korach was an intelligent man. If so, why did he involve himself with this nonsense? His eyes deceived him, for he saw a chain of noble descent emerging from him, ending in Shmuel HaNavi [the great prophet], who was considered equal to Moshe and Aaron. He said, ‘On his [Shmuel’s] account, I will be saved.’ There were also to be twenty-four stations of his descendents who would prophesy with the Divine spirit … He said, ‘Is it possible that all of this greatness will emerge from me and I should be silent?’ Therefore, he joined [with the other rebels] and came to the opinion that when he heard from Moshe that all of them would perish save one … he mistakenly assumed that it referred to him. He failed to look carefully, for his sons did teshuva…” (Rashi, Bamidbar, Perech 16, posuk 7 as related in Shem Mishmuel on Parsha Korach, page 335)
It seems that in Korach’s case, he had basis for reasoning that his decendents, the generations of nevi’im who came before Shmuel would emanate from him and thus “it must be because he himself was a worthy and holy person.” (Shem Mishmuel on Parsha Korach, page 335)
Korach’s perception of history brought him to envision himself as “born to lead” and therefore, took issue with the leadership of Moshe and Aaron HaKohen. Thus, while Hashem and history look disapprovingly at Korach’s attempt at a leadership grab, one might be able to understand what was behind Korach’s actions and possible rationale behind his false claims.
Last year, this author posted discussing a Drasha heard over Shabbos concerning the Nesachim (libations) attendant to Korbanos (sacrifices) of the Kehal and the the individual, wrote the following;
These corrupt, self-interested, self-aggrandized “leaders” fear the day when the unity of entire B’nai Yisrael possesses the entirety of Eretz Yisrael and thus every man is charged with the mutual responsibility for each other — no more cheating your fellow, no more deception, no more dishonesty, no more graft, bribes and corruption, no more violations of omission or comission — on any level. This would seem to this author to be the fundamental truth which lay beneath the surface of all of the euphemisms; territories, occupied territories, Oslo, “shtachim”, Saudi or Arab League “peace” plans, “American or EU pressure,” “roadmaps”, “disengagement”, “consolidation” and multitudes of other rationales too numerous to list here. Israel’s political leaders; they know the score — just as it seems that the Miraglim did.
What other rationale could there be for this regime’s actions which appear as nothing other than forced suicide being inflicting on B’nai Yisrael? When this blog asserts that the regime’s true aim is a forced separation or expulsion, a “disengagement” if you will, between Israelis and their Jewish roots, heritage and laws; can anyone give a reasonable, rational alternative explanation? Can anyone make any sense of the actions, equivocations, appeasements Olmert and his immediate predecessors? Can any thinking human being make sense of the four-pronged liquidation sale of Israel’s strategic assets undertaken in recent days by the Olmert, Barak, Livni, Yishai Regime? Is there a logical explanation as to why the Regime would be complicit in rearming the enemy and why “anything goes” during this cease-fire as long as there is a respite, however temporary, from Kassams, Grads and mortars launched from Gaza?
Korach’s arrogance and lust for leadership was based on self-interest, wrong and invalid as it was, had an element of spiritual basis. But a regime which acts only irrationally; based anti-religious bias and self-interest in the continuation of their own governing power, influence and self-enrichment as well as a Prime Minister’s narrow interest of keeping himself out of the slammer at the nation’s expense is without any basis or grounding in reality. About the self-interest part of the regime’s irrationality, others have subsequently echoed Former IDF Chief of Staff Moshe Ya’alon who voiced similar thoughts;
Government corruption is a greater threat to the country than Iran…. It is possible to deal with the threat from Iran but that corruption “is an internal and secret threat.”
Ya’alon said the leadership crisis in Israel stems from moral and professional failures. He charged that the political culture in Israel has forgotten the principle that “when a person fails, he should accuse himself and not others.”
The former Chief of Staff also attacked the current system whereby senior police and army officers advance according to their political opinions and their friendships with those in power instead of according to their professional abilities.
May we, the B’nai Yisrael be zocha that our brethren — the refugee families from Gush Katif be permanently settled and be made totally whole, that our dear brother Jonathan Pollard and the 3 captive Chayalim and the other MIAs be liberated and returned to us and that we fulfill Hashem’s blueprint of B’nai Yisrael as a Unique people — an Am Segula, not to be reckoned with as with “the nations” and may we be zocha the Moshiach, the Ge’ula Shlaima, as Dov Shurin sings; “Yom Hashem V’Kol HaGoyim”, the Ultimate Redemption, bim hay v’yameinu — speedily, in our time”, — Achshav, Chik Chuk, Miyad, Etmol!!!
Good Shabbos!
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Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
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