Korach

Numbers 16:1−18:32

D'var Torah By: Rabbi Philip “Flip” Rice for ReformJudasim.org

All Men Are Not Created Equal

No advance in wealth, no softening of manners, no reform or revolution has ever brought human equality a millimeter nearer. (George Orwell)

Please stop reading this. You rebel! No doubt you are someone who actually enjoys reading about Korah's revolt, which is found in our Torah portion, Korach, this week. The rebellion ends in failure, but it is fundamentally quite painful to most Jews who read it, largely because it is complex, timeless, and timely. Jewish tradition trained us to sympathize with Moses and his supporters. For the Rabbis of the Midrash, Korah represented all that was evil in the community and all that was wrong with human character. Still, it is difficult for anyone passionate about democracy not to be stirred by Korah's powerful message. It is almost as if our Jewish loyalties are pitted against our democratic allegiances. And for those of us who take both the Torah and the Declaration of Independence seriously, that conflict hurts.

Let's review: Moses and Aaron have successfully led the tribes out of slavery in Egypt, through the threats of the wilderness, and they are now relatively safe, secure, and comfortable. As the families of the Israelites are living out their lives, waiting to arrive in the Promised Land, God continues to speak through Moses to the people. In the midst of this idyllic serenity, in the hills outside of the Land of Israel, Korah rebels! Resenting having to follow Moses in all matters, Korah challenges him with these profound words:

You have gone too far! For all of the community are holy, all of them, and the Eternal is in their midst. Why then do you raise yourselves above the Eternal's congregation? (Numbers 16:3)

Korah's defiant words strike at the heart of the democratic values so cherished by American sensibilities. If all people are created equal, then why would any one person have authority over another? Why should one person have access to power, wealth, or prestige in a way that another person does not? Korah's challenge echoes the words of Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln. But these sentiments also are found in the prophetic voices of the Torah. In fact, in every generation there are leaders who fight for the assertion that each person has intrinsic worth and that all people have equal value. And since few of us would challenge this claim, Korah's disobedience strikes a chord within us.

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