korach

This Shabbos we read Parshas Korach. In the Parsha we read of the tragic tale of Korach and his rebellion against Moses. Korach , who was a cousin of Moses, was also a very special person. He was a man who possessed Divine Inspiration (Ruach Hakodesh). He was one of those who carried the Ark in the desert. He was already 130 years old, and a righteous person. He also was fabulously wealthy. Nonetheless, with all the great attributes that he had, he ended up creating a rebellion against Moses that we know as the greatest of all arguments. All this, our Sages teach us, came because of the jealousy for honor that he had when someone else was given a position of authority rather than him. When Korach approached people to challenge Moses, he didn’t say a word about his feelings that he should have been appointed to this position of leadership. Rather, he talked about Moses and Aaron raising themselves above everyone else. Instead of stating his real intent, he proclaimed that the entire congregation was holy and no one should be raised over the others. This he said, in spite of the fact that his true intent was precisely to do what he was fighting against – to raise himself above the other Jews. Korach recognized that if he reveals his true intentions, no one would come to his side against Moses. Therefore, he found a way to raise a claim against Moses that could be conceived of as being truly to help others. This, the Stiepler Gaon explains, is the way most instigators of arguments work. They won’t reveal their true motivation. Rather, they shroud it in all sorts of claims of helping the community and responsibility to others. Deep down, however, their thoughts are totally in serving themselves and promoting their own agenda. Our Sages make it clear, however, that even those who do follow the instigator of an argument recognize what his true motivations are. When On Ben Peles, the sole survivor of the argument with Moses, was challenged by his wife for following Korach, she told him the following argument: “What will you gain from this? If Moses is the leader, you will be his follower; if Korach is the leader you will be his follower.” He responded to his wife that although she was right, he could not get himself out of his agreement to support the rebellion. At that point she devised a plan for him to get out of it. We see that even the followers of Korach understood that his motivations were simply to become the leader of the Jewish people himself, not for the help of the people. When we realize this, we hopefully can follow the example of On ben Peles and avoid embroiling ourselves in any sort of arguments at all cost. As Maimonides tells us, “Prophets have said prophecy, wise men have said wisdom, and they have added to describe the evil of arguments, but they have not reached its totality.” The only response that can help us is the example of Aaron the high priest and On ben Peles – no reponse!!! Don’t answer!!! Stay out of it!!!!!!!!!! May Hashem give us and the entire Jewish people peace!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!