Ziv: Parashat Korah

We continue the reading of the “book of catastrophes”, the book of Numbers, which describes the crossing of the wilderness by the children of Israel. This wilderness, where the children of Israel have recently learned that they will remain for forty years, because of the sin of the spies, is a real laboratory for learning about liberty of life following a Holy God. It is a time of purification, where the darkness of the human heart comes to light in order to be denounced.

In this passage, we read of Korah’s revolt, a Levite, accompanied by Datan and Abiram, of the tribe of Reuben. He comes to meet Moses and reproaches his choice of Aaron as Cohen - High Priest - and not all the entire tribe of Levi to which they belong. As Rashi observes, he uses a fallacious argument : “All the congregation is holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them” (Numbers 16:3). No, they are not saints, but they are called to sanctity. Another modern commentary underlines the fact that sanctity is always in the future, in the becoming. The sin of Korah is that he wished to stop midway, considering that the goal has been reached.

The attitude of the two brothers is particularly violent. And for the first time, not only does Moses not pray for pardon as he did for example in the case of the Golden Calf, but he actually asks for their death by a special divine intervention (Numbers 16:30). This is because this conflict is particularly serious. In fact, Korah, by claiming High-Priesthood, questions the truth of the divine revelation given to Moses: the Torah. He contests the election of Aaron and his sons, and finally… the election of Israel. He considers it as power, a superiority, while in fact, it is service and duty. Israel is elected for serving God, and to be a people of witness among the nations. The gifts it has received are for its particular mission. Unfortunately, all of history, through to most recent times, shows how difficult it is to accept that one is elected for the salvation of all.

Election, when misunderstood, produces hate and jealousy very quickly. However, from the beginning of creation, God shows that He acts by separating, by placing apart, by giving to everything, every people, every human, its proper vocation in view of the greatest good of all.

It is therefore necessary that God Himself be manifested to show the Hebrew people the authenticity of Moses’ mission. He causes Aaron’s rod to bud, making it also produce flowers and fruit, for God’s word is alive and eternal. Shabbat Shalom.