d’var torah
Who Is Honored?
He Who Honors Others
BY RABBI BARRY DOV LERNER
O Parshat Korach
ur Torah reading takes its
name from its central fi gure,
Korach. More than a few years
ago, this was my bar mitzvah parsha.

As a 13-year-old, my perspective of
the Korach story was simplistic: A mob
gathered to express their disappointment
in Moses and Aaron; they wanted to take
over as leaders. Today, however, I see in
the tale of Korach an historical tipping
point: Th is was a true social, political and
religious moment of change!
Abba Eban observed that the fi rst
reference to Israel as a “people” comes in
the book of Exodus, “vayilonu ha-am”—
“the People complained.” “Th is people
entered history in a querulous mood,
and they have remained in that posture
fairly consistently ever since.”
What were the complaints of Korach
and the rebels to create this boiling point?
Firstly, the Torah itself makes the
case for the uprising. Th e rebels claimed
they left Egypt promised freedom, life
in a land of plenty and divine protec-
tion on their way. But aft er the fi asco of
the spies’ report and their punishment
— now they are terrifi ed! Why?
Th ey must die in the desert, and they’re
told it is their fault. Th ey failed to believe
in themselves and God. Bummer! And
now the demagogues strike!
Secondly, Korach is a Levite and ques-
tions the special position of Aaron to
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the disqualifi cation of all other Levites.

But Moses chose him! Moses? Aaron is
his brother! And it’s to be permanent?
Eligibility for kohen status is reserved
only for Aaron’s descendants — forever?
What of the remaining Levites? Th ey
are limited to assisting priests, per-
forming with Temple chores, carrying
and cleaning. Nepotism! Th is outraged
Korach, and he easily found Levitical
supporters. Revolting. Literally!
A third contributing factor began
earlier with Abraham and Isaac. While
they had led the family based upon the
rule of the fi rst-born son’s right, Jacob
broke that hereditary custom. He pro-
moted Judah, the fourth-born, based
on merit above Reuben, his fi rst-born.

Aft er the Exodus, three especially dis-
appointed Reubenites ally with Korach.

Were they simply jealous of Moses as
a leader? Or was there popular dis-
satisfaction with Moses. Do Israelites
blame him for their hunger, thirst and
dashed dreams — for seizing the lead-
ership although not the fi rst-born nor a
Reubenite? Now they charged Moses for
“bringing them into desert to die.”
I suggest that these factors unite to
create a major shift in Israel’s model
of leadership. Korach, Levites and the
Reubenites resisted such a seismic
change in this new religious and political
dynamic. Th ey preferred the previous
model which they had known for genera-
tions, was familiar and in which they had
leadership clout, not Moses and Aaron.

Th is is, literally, no longer your
grandfather’s Israel. It is the cusp of a
new Israel, emerging from Egypt with
a reconfi guration of religious authority.

And everyone senses there probably are
many more changes ahead.

However, the story remains very
complicated, confl ating perhaps diff er-
ent sources and traditions. Our sages
apparently felt this was incomplete.

Th ey created commentary, known as
midrash, to fi ll these gaps.

We read midrash today as if their cre-
ative details were facts. Midrash broad-
ens an event to provoke deeper inquiry.

How did Korach do his thing? He
confronts Moses with a trick question,
asking, “Does a library full of scrip-
tural books need a mezuzah?”
Moses answered him: “Yes, even a
Torah library needs a mezuzah.” Th en
Korach points out, “Since the whole
Torah has thousands of verses in it and
many Torah books do not exempt the
library, how can only a few verses in a
mezuzah fulfi ll your law?”
Korach twists the argument, reveal-
ing his real purposes to a listening mob:
“Th is failure of your own logic proves that
these are not laws about which you have
been commanded by God. Rather you are
inventing them out of your own heart.”
Now, the scene is set for him to replace the
leadership of Moses and Aaron.

Remember, however, it’s a midrash
— a rabbinic creation fi lling in for what
is not written. Did this conversation
truly occur, or is it an example of what
might have taken place? But this is one
example of how our sages interpreted
Torah to provide each generation with
laws and parables taught in the Torah.

Remember Abba Eban’s observation?
It has been our people’s nature to debate
each other across the centuries in a con-
stant search for truth and authenticity.

Moses was right because he was sat-
isfi ed with his allotment in life. Korach
was wrong because he was not satisfi ed
with his lot in life.

As we follow the story of Korach, his
allies and their self-serving rebellion,
hopefully we will be encouraged to live
by another rabbinic adage: “Who is
rich?” “Whoever is content with their
portion.” JE
Rabbi Barry Dov Lerner is the presi-
dent of Traditional Kosher Supervision,
Inc. Th e Board of Rabbis of Greater
Philadelphia is proud to provide diverse
perspectives on Torah commentary
for the Jewish Exponent. Th e opin-
ions expressed in this column are the
author’s own and do not refl ect the view
of the Board of Rabbis.




Courtesy of Marissa Luznar
Photo by Jordan Cassway
Out & About
around town
3 Courtesy of Kay Skloff
2 4
5 Courtesy of Elvera Gurevich
Courtesy of Jewish Family Service of Atlantic & Cape May Counties
Courtesy of the Abrams Hebrew Academy
1 6
1 A senior class of 53 students graduated from the Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy in Bryn Mawr on June 13. 2 The Abrams Hebrew
Academy celebrated the last day of school with an awards ceremony and an outdoor pizza party. 3 The Jewish Family Service of Atlantic
& Cape May Counties and the Milton & Betty Katz JCC raised more than $60,000 at their annual golf tournament. 4 Plymouth Meeting
resident Sophia Lombardo will play for the 12U Israel Softball Team at the EMRYT Tournament, an international youth softball tournament.

5 The National Council of Jewish Women’s Greater Philadelphia Section held its closing luncheon and installation of officers on June 7 at the
Philmont Country Club’s outdoor terrace. 6 Kohelet Yeshiva community members and other families volunteered at the Jewish Relief Agency’s
June food distribution, which was held in loving memory of Lianna Saiman.

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