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JUNE 10, 2021 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home
Think, Feel, Grow
The Downfall of Korach By Shmuel Reichman
H
ave you ever felt on top of the world, energy pulsing through your veins, ready to take on any challenge that comes your way? Most people, at some point in their lives, have felt invincible, unstoppable, almost godly. And yet, at other times, these very same people have felt weak, incapable, deflated, and worthless. If we take a step outside ourselves, and realize that everyone experiences this, we are likely struck by how strange and paradoxical this phenomenon is. How can we feel so capable and then so powerless, so brilliant and then so worthless, so full and then so empty, in such a short span of time (or maybe even simultaneously)? There is a fundamental idea that lies at the root of this experience, one that sheds light on the inner meaning of a strange event in Parshas Korach.
The Story of Korach The story of Korach is often considered one of rebellion, but it can also be seen as a case of mistaken
idealism, a philosophical challenge, or misplaced spiritual yearning. At the most basic level, Korach attempted a coup, rallying supporters from amongst Klal Yisrael in an attempt to overthrow Moshe and Aharon’s leadership. However, Chazal add multiple mysterious layers to Korach’s attempted rebellion that far surpass the idea of a typical attempt to seize power. The Midrash (Bamidbar Rabbah 18:3) fills in the background behind Korach’s contentions, detailing the specific arguments that Korach brought to support his case. Korach challenged Moshe: “Should a room full of sefarim require a mezuzah on its doorpost?” In other words, should a room full of holy objects require the finishing touch of a mezuzah affixed upon its doorpost? Similarly, Korach asked: “Should a four-cornered garment made completely of techeiles require techeiles in its strings.” After all, if the garment itself is made completely of
techeiles, why should it require additional techeiles in its strings? These questions preface Korach’s main question: “If the entire Jewish Nation is holy and exalted, “kol he’edah kulam kedoshim” (Bamidbar 16:3), why should you, Moshe and Aharon, hold uniquely exalted positions of power? In other words, why do we need you as spiritual leaders if we are all spiritually perfect? Although there may be elements of truth in Korach’s claims, his approach and arguments are critically flawed and ultimately lead to him being punished severely. The ground opens up, and, like a mouth, consumes Korach, his followers, and all their possessions. This punishment is unique, and strikingly so – a fact that is not coincidental. As Moshe stands up to Korach’s claims against his leadership, he specifically asks Hashem to punish Korach in a new, unique, and unnatural way to prove that Moshe indeed acts only as a messenger of Hashem. Moshe says that if Korach dies a nat-
ural death, then Moshe was not sent by Hashem. If, however, Korach dies because “briyah yivrah Hashem” – Hashem creates something out of the ordinary and the ground swallows them alive, along with their possessions – it should stand as proof that Korach and his followers were in the wrong, acting against Hashem’s will (Bamidbar 16:30). The nature of this punishment is quite strange. Why does Moshe emphasize that Korach must be punished by something completely novel, and why is the ground swallowing them up the proper punishment for their crimes? In order to answer these questions, we must delve into Korach’s argument and better understand where he went wrong.
Three Spiritual Perspectives There are three main approaches to the relationship between the spiritual and the physical world. The first approach is that of monotheism, which centers around the concept of
