Questions & Commentary on Parashat Qorach
1. Commenting on the incident with Qorach, Pirkei Avot 5:17 says, "Any argument
that is for the sake of heaven will endure; but one that is not for the sake of
heaven will not endure." What is the difference between an argument that is for
the sake of heaven and one that is not? How can we tell the difference? How do
we know that Qorach's dispute with Moses was not for the sake Heaven?
Rabbi Jason Sobel
Determining whether or not a dispute is for "the
sake of heaven" can be extremely difficult. However, this week's Torah portion
provides several indicators which can help us make an informed decision. First,
we must try to ascertain the motivation of the people involved in the dispute.
If it is evident that one party is motivated by a sinful or bad desire then
their argument is clearly not "for the sake heaven." This was certainly true of
Qorach who was motivated by pride and a desire for power and prominence; all of
which were self-serving and sinful. Qorach's evil motivation is highlighted by Midrash
Rabba, the Talmud, and the Brit Chadasha:
One NOW QORAH . . . TOOK. What moved him to start a quarrel?
He was moved to it by the fact that Elizaphan, the son of his father's brother,
was appointed prince over his family; as it says, And the prince of the
fathers' house of the families of the Kohathites being Elizaphan the son of
Uzziel (Numbers 3:30).
Numbers Rabba 18:2
Like the serpent [in the Garden of Eden] . . . Similarly do
we find it with Cain, Korach, Balaam, Doeg, Ahitophel, Gehazi, Absalom,
Adonijah, Uzziah and Haman, who set their eyes upon that which was improper for
them; what they sought was not granted to them and what they possessed was
taken from them.
b. Sotah 9b
Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject
authority, and speak evil of dignitaries. Yet Michael the archangel, in
contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not
bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!" Woe
to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error
of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Qorach.
Jude 1:8-11
If the archangel Michael did not speak despairingly
of the evil Satan when they fought over the body of Moses, how much more so,
should we guard our tongue from speaking evil of other people with whom we have
a dispute.
Second, we must examine the method of the
disputants. Clearly Qorach's method was inappropriate. Instead of speaking with
Moses directly, Qorach chose to criticize and slander Moses behind his back in
order to win the support of Israel's
leaders. He then took these two hundred and fifty leaders and publicly accused
Moses of abusing and overstepping his authority. Qorach's sinful actions were
the natural outworking of his sinful intent.
Not only is a person's method for dealing with
conflict important but also is the manner in which they approach a conflict or
disagreement. If the tone of the argument is primarily pejorative and
disrespectful, if the content of a person's argument is an attack on the other
person's character, or if they present negative information not related to the
disagreement at hand, then that side is most likely in the wrong. This manner
and method of argumentation is usually just a smoke screen to hide a lack of
solid evidence for a particular point of view.
Instead, one should always be respectful of the
others and should carefully consider their point of view. An excellent example
of this is Hillel and his disciples whose argument with Shammai is a dispute
for the sake of Heaven:
For three years, there was a dispute between the School
of Shammai and the School
of Hillel, the former claiming: the
law is in agreement with our views. And the latter claiming: the law is in
agreement with our position. Then a voice came out of Heaven and said: Both of
these views are the words of the living God, but the law goes according to the School
of Hillel's rulings. But if both
are the words of the Living God, why is law established according to the School
of Hillel?
Because the School
of Hillel behaved modestly and like
people of good character. They studied Shammai's rule as well as their own and
even mentioned Shammai's words before their own.
b. Eruvin 13b
Third, one should consider the potential and actual
consequences that result from each position. The actions of Qorach, Dathan,
Aviram and On were divisive from the start and led to a schism among God's
people. Qorach was projecting his own sinful motives and bad character traits
on Moses, a common, yet ironic method used to undermine godly leaders.
Furthermore, Qorach and his cohort's rebellion could not have been for the sake
of heaven for their argument did not endure nor did IT have a "positive
outcome" for themselves or for the Children of Israel. Not only did Qorach's
dispute lead to his death and the death of his followers, but it also brought
about the death of 14,700 Jews (Numbers 17:14).
2. Names in the Hebrew Bible usually shed light on a
person's character and calling. They also communicate a central message. The
name of this week's Torah portion is Qorach. Why is this Torah portion named
after such a wicked person? In other words, what important lesson does this
name convey to us?
Rabbi Jason Sobel
Many Hebrew words and the majority of Hebrew verbs
are built on a trilateral root (i.e. three consonants). The name of this week's
Torah portion, named after the rebellious Qorach, is made of the Hebrew
consonants Qof, Resh, and Chet. This root gives us insight
into Qorach's character and the nature of his sin. The word qerach,
which is built on the same trilateral root, means "ice" or "cold." This word is
used in Job 6:16 which says, "My brothers have dealt deceitfully like a brook,
like the streams of the brooks that pass away, which are dark because of the
ice, and into which the snow vanishes" (also see Job 37:10, Job 38:29, Psalm
147:17). At the root of Qorach's rebellion was a heart that had grown ice cold
toward God and his appointed leaders, Moses and Aaron. Qorach's cold approach
to God and Torah caused a spiritual numbness that progressed into a deadly
hypothermia. It is also ironic to note that Qorach, whose name is associated
with ice and coldness, was consumed by its opposite, fire, for his
disobedience.
Isaac W. Oliver
Mark 14:32-50 - The Complete Besora
The story in Mark 14:32-50 takes place in an orchard
of olive trees, called Gethsemane, which in Hebrew means
"oil press." Yeshua senses that his time is near and decides to pray. His
prayer was not a liturgically fixed prayer like the Shemoneh Esreh. This
was a moment of crisis when formulated prayers could not replace the personal
need for a private audience with the Most High. Of course, Yeshua was not
against liturgy, the so-called Lord's Prayer was taught by himself to his Talmidim
(Matthew 6:9-13; Lukek 11:2-4). Fixed prayers have their place. They help us go
through the daily rituals of life providing us with instruction on how to pray.
They give us words when we can find none. They force us to pray even when we do
not feel like it.
But fixed prayers alone are not enough. In this
instance, Yeshua's prayer was a very intimate one: "Abba, Father, for you all
things are possible; remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want, but what
you want" (Mark 14:36). The Reb
Nahman of Bratslav taught his disciples to take time each day for individual
prayer (hitbodidut) where each could talk to God in his own language
about his needs and concerns. Like a Hassidic Rebbe, Yeshua reminds us to
follow his example, complementing ancient formulated prayers with our own
spontaneous pleas directed toward Abba.
In antiquity, it was customary for students to
imitate their teachers' behavior. Students were not only supposed to learn from
books or scrolls but observe and repeat the actions of their masters. The
relationship between teacher and student could be very intimate, taking
precedence at times even over family. In Judaism, the Torah was not merely a
scroll; it was lived and expressed through the life of the sage. Sometimes, rabbis
could even determine the halakha through their actions. In the Tosefta
tractate Berakhot 1:4, it is said that Rabbi Ishmael on one occasion
stood up to recite the Shema while Rabbi Eleazar b. Azariah reclined.
Why two different customs? One of the answers to the question was provided by
R. Ishmael: "So that the disciples should not see [both of us reclining to
recite] and enact the halakha permanently in accord with your views!"
[i.e., Rabbi Eleazar's]. Here a halakhic issue could be decided by a
simple bodily action.
Unfortunately, in the moment of crisis, the Talmidim
of Yeshua were not following their rabbi. Yeshua's question to his Cephas only
highlights the shock that one could have felt when hearing this story in
antiquity: "Shimon, are you asleep? Could you not keep awake one hour?" (Mark 14:37). In the meantime, another of Yeshua's
followers, Judah, was busy preparing his arrest. Yet even in Judah's
betrayal, his identification of Yeshua as "Rabbi!" (Mark 14:45) inadvertently reminds us that Yeshua is not only
our Messiah and Lord but also an expounder of the Torah who was "day after day
in the temple teaching" (Mark 14:49).
The Besora is not only a message of crucifixion and
resurrection but also the record of the teachings of the greatest rabbi. Yet
his message has often been reduced to a mere creedal confession. By neglecting
his teachings found in his parables, beatitudes, sayings, and sermons we join
the rest of his Talmidim who "deserted him and fled" (Mark 14:50). Not only belief in Yeshua but also the
belief of Yeshua should function as an integral component in the formation of a
Messianic Judaism whereby we as Talmidim of Yeshua seek to emulate his
conduct.
Parashat Qorach
1. Commenting
on the incident with Qorach, Pirkei Avot 5:17
says, "Any argument that is for the sake of heaven will endure; but one that is
not for the sake of heaven will not endure." What is the difference between an
argument that is for the sake of heaven and one that is not? How can we tell
the difference? How do we know that Qorach's dispute with Moses was not for the
sake Heaven?
2. Names in the Hebrew
Bible usually shed light on a person's character and calling. They also
communicate a central message. The name of this week's Torah portion is Qorach.
Why is this Torah portion named after such a wicked person? In other words,
what important lesson does this name convey to us?
NEXT WEEK'S READINGS
- PARASHAT HUQAT
Numbers 19:1-22:1
Judges 11:1-33
Mark 14:53-72
UPCOMING YACHAD NETWORK EVENTS
4th Annual Young Leaders Shabbaton
New
York City ●
June 2008
7th Annual Young Messianic Jewish
Scholars Conference
New
York City ●
June 2008
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