Korach(Numbers 16-18)

Perfidy

While the story of the rebellion of Korach is well known, the very idea of a rebellion against Moses seems strange to us. Moses was surely the greatest leader the Jewish people had ever known. More than that, he was our greatest teacher and to top it off Moses was the most modest man to ever live.

Adding these characteristics together should produce an extremely attractive package, a leader of unparalleled stature. How was Korach able to convince anyone to join him in a rebellion against Moses?

Undoubtedly, Korach was sly and devious. The Midrash stresses his manipulative qualities. But how did his movement gain a foothold within the Jewish community?

The seeds of the insurrection can be found in an unexpected quarter.

A number of the steps are clear. Korach gathered the disenfranchised, namely the tribe of Reuben who had lost the rights and privileges of the tribe of the eldest son. The timing was also significant: the people had just been sentenced to wander in the desert for forty years. Although this was not Moses' doing, there most likely was whispered criticism of Moses' management of the spies, murmurings which called Moses' leadership into question.

All this is true, but the seeds of the insurrection can be found in an unexpected quarter.

The most important and debilitating attack on Moses came from his own brother and sister, Aaron and Miriam.

And Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Kushite woman whom he had married; for he had married a Kushite woman. And they said, "Has God indeed spoken only by Moses? Has he not spoken also by us?" And God heard it. And the man Moses was very humble, more than any other man upon the face of the earth. And God spoke suddenly to Moses, and to Aaron, and to Miriam, "Come out you three to the Tent of Meeting." And the three came out. (Numbers 12:1-4)

Perhaps this talk against Moses from such reputable people burst the bubble of Moses' unparalleled status in the eyes of the people. It is interesting that while Miriam was immediately punished, Aaron apparently escaped that episode unscathed.¹ Ironically, when Korach waged his war against Moses, he pointed his accusations at Aaron as the beneficiary of Moses' nepotism.

JACOB AND HIS SONS

Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik² once pointed out a similar dynamic in relation to Jacob and his children. Where did the children of Jacob get the audacity to contemplate killing Joseph, when it was obvious to them that their father would treat any harm to Joseph in the most severe manner? The answer is: from Reuben. Reuben acted in a manner which was almost too shocking to be understood.

And it came to pass, when Israel lived in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine; and Israel heard it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve. (Genesis 35:22)

The Talmud declares that Reuben was certainly not guilty of that nefarious crime; he merely moved his fathers bed from the tent of Bilhah to the tent of his mother:

Rabbi Shmuel ben Nachman said in Rabbi Yonatan's name: Whoever maintains that Reuben sinned is merely making an error, for it is said, Now the sons of Jacob were twelve, teaching that they were all equal. Then how do I interpret, and he lay with Bilhah his father's concubine? This teaches that he transposed his father's couch, and the writ imputes [blame] to him as though he had lain with her... He resented his mother's humiliation. Said he, "If my mother's sister was a rival to my mother, shall the bondmaid of my mother's sister be a rival to my mother?" [Thereupon] he arose and transposed her couch. (Shabbat 55b)

It seems strange; how can moving furniture be associated with arguably one of the cardinal sins of Judaism? The answer is that had Reuben not committed this act, the other brothers would never have dreamt of selling Joseph.

Once the brothers saw that Reuben was able to act in such an impertinent manner toward their father, the reins of awe and respect were loosened, and the brothers' impudence surged. This is evident from the explanation offered by the Midrash for Reuben's disappearance during the sale of Joseph.

And Reuben returned to the pit. Where had he been? Rabbi Eleazar said: "He was taken up with his fasting and sackcloth, and when he became free he went and looked into the pit. Hence it is written, and Reuven repented." (Midrash Rabbah Genesis 84:19)

Apparently, at that point, Reuben understood the ramifications of his actions; his impertinence led directly to the sale of Joseph. His moving of furniture almost led to murder -- one of the cardinal sins of Judaism.³

EMPOWERING KORACH

Similarly, the episode of Aaron and Miriam empowered Korach. Furthermore, an analysis of the substance of Aaron and Miriam's criticism of Moses will yield greater understanding into Korach's arguments.

Rashi (based on the Midrash Tanchuma) explains the sin of Miriam. The Torah had said And Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Kushite woman whom he had married; for he had married a Kushite woman. According to Rashi the problem was not the marriage, but Moses decision to separate himself from his wife. In the opinion of Miriam and Aaron this was undue, excessive asceticism.⁴ After all, God had spoken to them as well and never made such demands. This separation is arguably one of the decisions Moses had taken on his own:

This was one of the three things which Moses did of his own accord, but which received the full approval of God. He separated himself from his wife, because (said Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai) Moses thus reasoned to himself: "If in connection with Mount Sinai, which was hallowed only for the occasion [of Revelation], we were told: Come not near a woman then how much more must I, to whom He speaks at all times, separate myself from my wife?" Rabbi Akiva said: "[No!] it was God Himself who told him [to separate himself from his wife]," (Midrash Rabbah Exodus 46:3)

Whether God had actually told Moses to separate from his wife or merely agreed ex post facto, it is clear that Aaron and Miriam had not known that Moses' actions enjoyed the Divine blessing (at least). This opened the door for Korach's insidious claim that Moses was "making things up" and not acting within the Divine mandate.

It was the same with Korach. He contended with Moses, and said that the latter had invented all these things from his own mind and on his own initiative. (Midrash Rabbah Numbers 18:12)

Korach would never have been able to make such a claim had Aaron and Miriam not said as much before him. Interestingly, all three decisions mentioned in the Talmud as independent decisions by Moses may be connected to the insurrection and demagoguery of Korach:

Three things did Moses do of his own understanding, and the Holy One, blessed be He, gave His approval:

1. He added one day of his own understanding,
   
2. he separated himself from his wife, and
   
3. he broke the tablets.

(Talmud - Shabbath 87a)

The initial claim which Korach makes is that the "entire people are holy."

You take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and God is among them. Why then do you lift up yourselves above the congregation of God? (Numbers 16:3)

What is the import of this "holiness"? The Midrash connects the holiness with the theophany at Sinai:

Korach said to them: "All the congregation are holy, every one of them and they have all heard at Sinai the commandment: I am God thy God. Wherefore, then, do you lift yourselves above the assembly of God? (Midrash Rabbah – Numbers 18:6)

This claim echoes the claim of Miriam that "we too are prophets," Moses is not the only one to have been privileged to hear the Divine word. Now Korach takes the same claim from the micro to the macro: "You, Moses, are not the only prophet – we all experienced God at Sinai."

SEPARATION

On the other hand, perhaps there is a deeper, more cynical statement being articulated. As we saw, the substance of the slander of Miriam was Moses's separation from his wife. In preparation for Sinai, Moses had instructed all of Israel to practice abstinence. We know that the phrase "holiness" is at times a catchword for separateness.⁵

Perhaps Korach is making reference to the other action Moses took on his own initiative: calling the entire community to separate. Hence "all the congregation is holy," which is proof that Moses is playing "fast and free" with the Divine decree.

The third action Moses arguably took on his own was the breaking of the tablets when he descended from the mountain and saw the golden calf. Perhaps more than anything else the golden calf symbolizes the argument of Korach. His stated goal was to usurp the High Priesthood, a position of which he felt more deserving than Aaron. One can imagine his argument: "If Aaron was guilty regarding the golden calf, why is he worthy to be Kohen Gadol?" Or: "If Aaron was innocent, why did Moses break the tablets, especially when we recall that the tribe of Levi [Korach's tribe] did not sin with the golden calf?"

One of the ways of understanding Moses' action is based on the rules of marriage.

There is another way to understand the argument regarding the breaking of the tablets.

One of the ways of understanding Moses' action is based on the rules of marriage. The people of Israel are considered to be a bride to God. When we stood at Mount Sinai and said "we will listen we will obey," this was analogous to accepting vows of matrimony. When the Jews sinned with the golden calf, this sin was analogous to adultery.

So what did Moses do? He took the tablets from the hands of God in order to appease His wrath. It can be compared to a king who sent a marriage-broker to betroth a wife unto him, but while the broker was on his way, the woman corrupted herself with another man. What did the broker, who was entirely innocent, do? He took the marriage document which the prince had given him wherewith to betroth her and tore it, saying: "It is better that she be judged as an unmarried woman rather than one married." This is what Moses did; when Israel perpetrated that act, he took the tablets and shattered them, as if to imply that had Israel foreseen the punishment awaiting them, they would not have thus sinned. (Midrash Rabbah Exodus 43:1)

Moses hoped to extricate the Jews from their precarious position, and broke the tablets, which would be analogous to the wedding document. If the document was broken and undelivered, the Jews are still unwed and technically innocent.

But Korach argued that the entire congregation is holy – and married to God. How dare Moses break the tablets on his own authority and go against the will of God!⁶

THE MARRIAGE THEME

The marriage theme may also be discerned in Moses' making the Jews drink the water with the gold dust of the ground up calf. If God will judge them as married then they will prove their innocence:

And he took the calf which they had made, and burned it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and scattered it upon the water, and made the people of Israel drink of it. (Exodus 32:20)

On account of Israel's iniquity, he broke the tablets and the writing flew away from them. And for that obliteration of the writing Israel drank the water as their punishment. And he shall make the woman drink (Numbers 5:24) alludes to what you read, And made the children of Israel drink (Exodus 32:20); he tested them like suspected wives. (Midrash Rabbah Numbers 60:48)

The theme of marriage and fidelity of the nation of Israel leads to an even more bizarre and shocking claim by Korach:

And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face. What news did he hear? Rabbi Shmuel ben Nahmani said in Rabbi Yonatan's name: "That he was suspected of [adultery with] married women, as it is written, They were jealous of Moses in the camp, which teaches that every person warned his wife on Moses' account, as it is written: And Moses took the tent, and pitched it outside the camp (Exodus 33:7). (Sanhedrin 110a)

It seems difficult to fathom that the people could have suspected Moses of so heinous a crime. The verse which is referred to comes right after the golden calf episode; it was then that Moses moved his tent outside the camp. We know that the women did not heed the men during the golden calf episode. Quite the opposite, the women refused to be a part of that sin:

In that generation the women built up the fences which the men broke down. Thus you find that Aaron told them: Break off the golden rings, which are in the ears of your wives, but the women refused and checked their husbands; as is proved by the fact that it says, And all the people broke off the golden rings which were in their ears. The women were not participating with them in making the calf. (Midrash Rabbah - Numbers 21:10)⁷

This had actually been part of the strategy employed by Aaron; he knew that the women would not listen to their husbands.⁸ The fact that the women were more dedicated to Moses and God than to their own husbands certainly caused strife in the camp.

Korach's claim that Moses had unnatural control over the women was articulated as "suspicion" regarding Moses.⁹ Therefore, the men warned their wives not to be secluded with Moses.

ADDITIONAL INTRIGUE

This insight will also provide an explanation for additional intrigue we see here. In the very beginning of the rebellion the names of some of the leaders are singled out:

Now Korach, the son of Yizhar, the son of Kehath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Aviram, the sons of Eliav, and On, the son of Pelet, sons of Reuben, took men. And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the people of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, regularly summoned to the congregation, men of renown. (Numbers 16:1-2)

Of these leaders, one is mentioned only in this first verse and never mentioned again in the Torah: On, the son of Pelet. While the text returns to the other leaders and their respective ignominious fates, On's fate remains a mystery although the Midrash tells how On's wife saves him from the counsel of the manipulative Korach:

Rav said: "On, the son of Pelet, was saved by his wife. Said she to him, 'What matters it to thee? Whether the one [Moses] remains master or the other [Korach] becomes master, you are but a disciple.' He replied, 'But what can I do? I have taken part in their counsel, and they have sworn me [to be] with them.' She said, 'I know that they are all a holy community, as it is written, seeing all the congregation are holy, everyone of them. She proceeded, 'Sit here, and I will save you.' She gave him wine to drink, intoxicated him and laid him down within [the tent]. Then she sat down at the entrance thereto and loosened her hair. Whoever came [to summon him] saw her and retreated. Meanwhile, Korach's wife joined them [the rebels] and said to him [Korach], 'See what Moses has done. He himself has become king; his brother he appointed High Priest; his brother's sons he has made the vice High Priests. If terumah is brought, he decrees, "Let it be for the priest." If the tithe is brought, which belongs to you [i.e., to the Levite], he orders, "Give a tenth part thereof to the priest." Moreover, he has had your hair cut off, and makes sport of you as though you were dirt; for he was jealous of your hair.' ... Thus it is written, Every wise woman builds her house — this refers to the wife of On, the son of Pelet. But the foolish plucks it down with her hands — to Korach's wife. (Sanhedrin 109b-110a) (See Midrash Rabbah - Numbers 18:20)

HEROISM OF ON'S WIFE

The heroism of On's wife saved him, while the wickedness of Korach's wife led him to be swallowed into the abyss.¹⁰ On's wife employed the same logic as Korach, but in a reverse: "The entire congregation is indeed holy," she says, yet her conclusion is not that they therefore have a right to lead. Instead, she concludes that no member of such a holy congregation will enter a house where a woman's hair is uncovered.

Her uncovering of her hair may also be symbolic of the woman suspected of adultery, who is forced to do so.

Her uncovering of her hair may also be symbolic of the woman suspected of adultery, who is forced to uncover her hair as part of the trial of the Sotah. Perhaps by uncovering her hair in the doorway the wife of On is stating that she is innocent,¹¹ that her home is untainted, that the community is indeed holy,¹² and, of course, Moses is innocent as well.

The tragedy of the episode of the Korach is how one man with a grudge, encouraged by one woman, could lead an entire community to death and despair. Additionally, it is frightening how a "minor" comment by Miriam and Aaron could be escalated into a full-scale rebellion. When speaking about a man like Moses, extreme caution must be exercised, for the slightest disrespect could have severe implications.

According to the Zohar, Moses did not make any decisions independently:

But, in fact, there is no word in the Torah which Moses spoke on his own authority. Hence it says, "Moses spoke" with his own voice, "and God answered him with that mighty Voice", confirming what he said. (Zohar, Leviticus Page 7a)

The anonymous heroine of Parshat Korach is the wife of On who gallantly took her husband's destiny in her own hands, and forced him back to Moses' side.¹³ In the tradition of all the women who refused to sin throughout the years in Egypt, in the desert,¹⁴ and ever since. They preserved their families and the community through their dedication to God, Moses and Torah.

NOTES