A Look at Parashat Korah

Parashat Korah

פרשת קרח

במדבר Numbers 16:1 to 18:32

This week’s parashah, coming on the heels of the incident of the twelve scouts and the consequences, describes the first serious challenge to the hegemony of Moses and Aaron. It may have been fueled by the people’s resentment upon learning that they will die in the wilderness rather than either return to Egypt or enter the promised land.

Chapter 16 – Korah’s rebellion (Verses 1 through 15)

Korah is not a Kohen but subordinate to them like the rest of the Levites. He instigates a rebellion and carries along with him 250 prominent members of the community. From this we know that this was not a rebellion of rabble rousers. He does not deny the authority of G-d but does call into question the authority of Moses and of Aaron, with a hint of an accusation of nepotism. Note that Korah’s three ringleaders, Dathan, Aviram, and On are all members of the tribe of Reuven (so perhaps, being descended from Jacob’s firstborn son, they may feel that they should also have a privileged position, not just the Levites).

Korah may have had reasonable and justifiable grievances that could have been addressed peacefully. After all, what is so terrible about stating (verse 3) “All the community is holy, all of them, and G-d is in their midst” (כל העדה כלם קדשים ובתוכם ה’)? Basically, he was preaching equality among the Israelites regardless of tribal affiliation. However, they verbally attacked Moses and Aaron publicly (continuation of same verse) “… why do you raise yourselves above G-d’s congregation” (ומדוע תתנשאו על קהל ה’ …) Korah’s sin may have been that by publicly broadcasting his grievances instead of requesting a private audience, he showed that he had no interest in working with Moses to facilitate beneficial change for the people. Korah most probably was motivated by self-interest, wanting to bring Moses down and put himself in his place. In reaction, Moses fell on his face (ויפל על הפנים) and rather than attempt to reason or negotiate with this group, he called on G-d to sort things out and show who is boss. “Fell on his face” may be interpreted in contemporary speech as “threw up his hands” or alternatively, a form of prayer or supplication.

Note the response of Dathan and Aviram. They refuse to be subservient to Moses and do not come when summoned. Only one year removed from servitude in Egypt, they already have forgotten the indignities and hardships that they have been subject too, and they long for a “return” to an imaginary Egypt, one flowing with milk and honey, that only existed in their imaginations. If I may be permitted a political statement, this may be a distant mirror to our own time, where a large underbelly of discontented Americans was, and still is drawn under the spell of a master huckster vowing to “Make America Great Again” and return us to the idyllic past of Mayberry and “Leave It To Beaver” that of course never existed.

Plaut notes that biblical scholars see this section as a merger of two traditions, one a rebellion lead by Korah against the appointment of Aaron and his descendants as having a lock on the position of Priests (nepotism?) and a second rebellion led by Dathan and Aviram against Moses’ leadership.

Moses summons Korah and his followers (Verses 16 through 27)

Moses told Korah to gather his followers, each to bring his fire pan and incense before the tent of meeting to present before G-d.

Again, G-d’s impulse is to wipe out the entire community, save Moses and Aaron. Again, G-d’s anger is assuaged (not clear from the text if only Moses speaks, or both Moses and Aaron) appealing to G-d not to wipe out the innocent along with the guilty. G-d relents, and commands Moses to warn the community to withdraw from the tents of the ringleaders and to distance themselves from even the possessions of the ringleaders of the rebellion.

Moses asserts his authority (Verses 28 through 35)

Moses, to assert the validity of his authority, declares that if the conspirators are left to go on with their lives, or die a natural death, then he is not in command. If the earth swallows Korah and his followers, and even their households and possessions, then that is a sign that they have rejected G-d, and by implication, Moses is still the leader. Was this a challenge by Moses to G-d to show unequivocally who is in command? If so, apparently, Moses is not so humble after all!

The earth accordingly opened and swallowed the ringleaders, with fire consuming the 250 followers (but does not mention the fate of Korah himself).  We shall read in Parashat Pinchas (Numbers, chapter 26 verse 11) that the sons of Korach did not die. No explanation is given.

Recall earlier (Numbers, chapter 12) that when Aaron and Miriam challenged Moses’ authority, they were not zapped. Miriam got off relatively easy, with no lasting harm done, and Aaron got off scot-free (at least physically). How does that reconcile with the punishment of Korah and his followers? Of course, Aaron and Miriam were not attempting to provoke a rebellion. This was more of a “family spat”.

Note the reference to sheol (שאול). This appears occasionally in the Torah and is a vague reference to the final abode of people after they have died. There is no real description of sheol or a promise of an afterlife in the Torah or even in the rest of the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible). The development of concepts of the world to come (עולם הבא) as well as ideas about heaven, purgatory, or hell or a messianic age will have to wait for the development of the Talmud. There was possibly influence from the early Christian church or eastern religions such as Zoroastrianism.

Chapter 17 – The people are in revolt (Verses 1 through 15)

G-d instructs Moses that Aaron should recover the fire pans that were prepared by the followers of Korah and have them hammered into sheets to plate the altar. Thus, they will serve as a warning that nobody who is not a descendent of Aaron (that is, anybody that is not a priest) could offer incense to G-d. This is on pain of death.

Next day, the whole people rail against Moses and Aaron, accusing them of causing the death of Korah and his followers. Moses and Aaron retreat to the Tent of Meeting. Again, G-d wants to destroy the people, save Moses and Aaron. After falling on his face, Moses apparently recovers and instructs Aaron to take a fire pan, with fire from the altar and make expiation. Unfortunately, a plague has already begun, and Aaron was only able to check the plague after 14,700 deaths. We do not know if the victims of the plague were all active agitators or if innocent bystanders were caught up in it.  A midrash has Aaron standing between the dead and the living, physically restraining the Angel of Death.

G-d affirms Aaron’s position (Verses 16 through 28)

G-d wants to end the incessant gripping about Aaron’s appointed position. Hence, Aaron’s staff, and his alone sprouts blossoms and almonds. The Israelites are left in fear that if they approach the tabernacle they will die.

Chapter 18 – G-d assigns the duties of the priests and of the Levites (Verses 1 through 11)

Aaron and his male descendants (sorry, ladies) shall be held fully and solely responsible for what happens in the sanctuary. While the House of Aaron (the priests or Cohanim) have the ceremonial duties, the rest of the tribe of Levy shall be assigned to do the manual labor at the Tent of Meeting. Any outsider who dares to encroach shall be killed.

The offerings and sacrifices shall belong to the administering priests. Females may partake of heave (wave) offerings, all others are exclusively to be consumed by males.

Tithings for the Priests (Verses 12 through 20)

Description of the tithings that are to be taken by the priests for their use and consumption: new oil, wine, and grain. First born of man or unclean animals shall be redeemed after one month for five shekels. From this is derived the orthodox ceremony of Pidyon HaBen (פדיון הבן). Offerings of clean (cattle, sheep, or goats; that is, kosher) animals are not to be redeemed. They must be sacrificed at the altar, with the meat consumed by the priests.

This position is reserved for Aaron and his descendants for all time. In return, they are to have no territorial share in the promised land.

Reform Jewish congregations have, for the most part, abandoned the recognition of the privileged position of Levites and Cohanim. Similarly, they forgo the Pidyon HaBen ceremony.

Tithings for the Levites (Verses 21 through 32)

The Levites are to perform (as yet undefined) services at the Tent of Meeting. Just as for the Priests, they will not have a territorial share but will collect tithes from the Israelites., with one tenth (the choice parts) to be in turn their tithe to the priests (“gifts for G-d”).