Two Minute Torah Podcast

Korah 5769 by Amy Grossblatt Pessah

This is Amy Grossblatt Pessah of Congregation Shaarei Kodesh in Boca Raton, Florida. Welcome to this edition of KOACH's Two-Minute Torah.

In the world around us we often hear of political coups or rebellions replete with smaller groups challenging the current leadership. We listen to the news and ask ourselves, “Are these justified or unjustified revolutions?” This desire to remove the leaders in power is hardly a new issue. In fact, we read about it in this week's Torah portion, Korach.

A Levite named Korach, who along with several other highly ranking Israelites, claims the right to leadership while questioning the leadership of Moses and Aaron. Korach and his top guys had riled up 250 chieftains to start the rebellion. Ultimately, Korach and his followers are swallowed up in a giant earthquake and Moses and Aaron remain the leaders of the Jewish people.

In Numbers 16:3 we read,” They combined against Moses and Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! For all the community are holy, all of them, and the Lord is in their midst. Why then do you raise yourselves above the Lord's congregation?” Reading between the lines, we see Korach's use of persuasion. He is trying to win over the Israelites by suggesting that they are all holy and that Moses and Aaron have no more holiness over the rest of the Israelites.

In the Etz Hayim Torah commentary, we find Professor Yeshayahu Leibowitz commenting on Korach. Profesor Leibowitz attributes Korach's demagoguery to his words that claim “all are holy,” thereby implying that all of the Israelites have achieved the goal of holiness. But, according to the Torah in Leviticus 19:2 we, as a nation, are challenged to “become holy.” Holiness is a process; it is a goal for which we continually strive. Leibowitz continues by noting that in Numbers 26:11 the text reads, “the sons of Korach…did not die,” meaning that in every generation there are those who assume that just by being Jewish, they are holy.

The goal for us as Jews is not just to be holy but to act holy. So, how do we act holy? What kinds of actions represent holiness? According to our Jewish tradition, we become holy through observing the mitzvot, the commandments. We become holy when we welcome the stranger into our midst, when we give tzedakah to those less fortunate, when we light Shabbat candles, and when we learn Torah. Becoming holy is an ongoing process.

Perhaps God's wrath toward Korach stems not merely from starting a rebellion and challenging God's chosen leaders in Moses and Aaron but also from his insinuating that the Israelites were already holy and did not need to continue to strive toward holiness. The Torah comes to teach us through Korach's downfall and his ultimate defeat that we, as Jews, should always be reaching for greater heights. We should always be striving toward a place of holiness.