Turning Stumbling Stones into Stepping Stones

It is indeed inspiring to continually observe signs of progress towards the vitally required reconciliation for bringing about final Redemption. Our recent series of Blog commentaries on the Parashiyot of the last 3 months concluded that we are at the Redemptive stage of the 2^nd Exodus, having left the exile in spiritual Egypt, and now being “in the Wilderness Trek” towards the Promised Land where HaShem will raise and perfect His Tabernacle (Temple) in which He will dwell amongst His People to rule over His Universal Kingdom through “His Servant” whom He is preparing.

Resistance amongst the Nation featured prominently in the 1^st Exodus. It now serves as a paradigm for our current experience on this Final Lap. We can mirror our current experience in this and learn from the mistakes made in the 1^st Exodus.

This week’s Parashat Korach highlights a second major flaw in the Nations reactions after just last week’s major flaw of lack of Faith by their reception of the negative report of the 10 Spies. According to Rabbinic interpretation, G-d in response pulled the plug on them, installing the Tisha b’Av (9^th of Av)  ‘memorial’ which would bring destruction to them in the future. He also sentenced them to a 40 year wandering in the Wilderness to ‘find’ themselves and to prevent the current generation from entering the Land.

Yet, so soon after this disastrous flaw, they failed yet another time (in this week’s Parashah) through the rebellion of Korach against Moshe’s leadership. This serves as yet another mirror for us on our current Final Trek to the ultimate Achievement.

We will extract and list the high points of this failure, for us to examine our own attitudes and thereby conquer compliance to HaShem’s Will. We will then present an erudite review and commentary by Rabbi Chaim Richman on the Parashah and conclude with some great positive guidelines regarding differences of opinion and our grievances against the Pattern of operation.

Complaints by Korach

From the Biblical record:

1. Complaints raised not by the common members of the Nation but by advanced, elected religious members of the nation.

For purposes of our consideration and comparison:

As partakers of the 2nd Exodus, we today, have to consider our current obstructive attitudes: “We” refer to religious, Bible students, who take the Restoration and the ultimate Promises of God serious; who sort under the 20%-only select group who responded to G-d’s Call out of Egypt (exile). We have to measure ourselves against the actions and attitudes of the partakers of the 1st Exodus to ensure our successful passage into the Promised Land with all its Blessings.

 

From the Biblical record:

2. The complaints were against the authority of Moses. Rabbi Richman emphasises G-d’s authorising of Moses as authority over the people next to Him (ref. 4.16 min. on the Time line of the video)

For purposes of our consideration and comparison:

From the reawakening Ephraim side, the Torah restoring non-Jews around the World who generally still reject and resist Rabbinic authority which comes down from Moses and the 70 elders at the start. They have to measure themselves against the actions and attitudes of Korach and the partakers of the 1st Exodus to ensure successful passage into the Promised Land with all its Blessings. Resistors against Rabbinic authority and Halachic Torah interpretation (Oral Torah), just like Korach, while they believe and profess Torah observance, yet blame Rabbis for ‘making their own Laws which they then force upon the believers.’ The Divine Mandate given by G-d to Judah for handling the Justice Arm of His Kingdom until He Comes to rule over the Nations is comprehensively discussed in Judah – The Lawgiver of God (Hebrew: Mechoqeck)

 

From the Biblical record:

3. Korach’s main argument was: “You have taken too much! All Israel are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is in their midst. How dare you raise yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?’ (Numbers 16:3)

For purposes of our consideration and comparison:

We have in this the echo of a rising voice these days, even from amongst Judah itself, that Judaism and Halacha claim all the Blessings of Torah just for Jews and fail to share that Blessing and full Torah knowledge with the Nations. That finger points even to the Voice and Call of Kol Hator and other Rabbis who are starting to open up towards the growing masses of Torah restorers in the World out there today. We who call for Judah’s reconsideration of its Divine Calling.

We need to be careful that we do not commit to a ‘Korach rebellion’.  We need to be aware of the dire warning “I will bless those who bless you, and curse those who deride / scorn / despise you” Gen. 12:3 (Hebrew ‘mekalel’, a different word from ‘curse’). We need to accept the Divine mandate granted to Judah by HaShem to be His Judicial Arm.

We find comforting guidance in this respect from a commentary on Korach by Otniel.org.

Comforting reassurance from interpreting Parashat Korach

– which also reveals the compassionate heart and spirit of Judaism.

“Argument is good”

(An extract from the Parashat Korach commentary by Otniel.org:  Not for the sake of heaven – Korachs ticket to hell)

“Everybody knows that Korach’s strife was bad news for Am Yisrael, but we would be wrong to conclude from the events of our Parshah that argument is something to be avoided. In the famous Mishna in Pirkei Avot, Korach and his men are held up as the prototype of negative debate, but that same Mishna points out positive manifestations of argument as well.

“Differentiating between the two types of arguments is no simple task. …when two parties argue and each side is convinced that he is arguing for heaven’s sake, then neither side will ever give in to the other, …. People may be willing to compromise on their personal interests or opinions, but when someone believes he is upholding a sacred truth, when he argues with the pretence of representing G-d, he sanctifies his stubbornness and nothing will make him back down.

“We must contemplate the world of arguments in order to differentiate between the destructive strife to be avoided, and the valuable debate we must strive for, which brings blessing to both sides.”

“Korach and his followers challenged Moshe and Aaron, “Everybody in the entire assembly is holy, and G-d among them. Why do you put yourselves above the congregation of G-d?” (Bamidbar 16:3).).

“Does not this seem to be an awesome, even holy and justified claim? Korach presents a vision of social equality based on the fundamental understanding that all people are holy beings, created in G-d’s Image. Doesn’t Korach have a point? Why doesn’t Moses respond to the content of Korach’s claim? No doubt Moshe has plenty to say on the matter, and elsewhere, it even seems that he would agree with some elements of Korach’s claim.

“Moshe chose to ignore the content of Korach’s challenge because he understood that Korach himself didn’t believe in the truth of his claims. On the contrary, his true motive was to attain power for himself. By rousing the nation against Moshe, Korach covers up his own intent – to rule in Moshe’s stead.

This commentary also includes a goldenGguideline on a related issue:

Truth is Inclusive

“The proper definition for “debate,” can be found in the Rambam. He defines “for the sake of heaven” to be “seeking truth.” This definition has two cornerstones: truth, and the search for it. When I am positive that I know exactly what is true, and all I have to do is convince my opponent of the error of his ways and to accept the truth as I tell it to him, then we conduct a debate of the deaf. Neither of us is listening to the other, because neither of us is searching. An argument of this has no resolution; it can only deepen the rift. But when a person sees himself as in the process of searching and is open to hear and listen to that which the other side has to say, the argument becomes a place from which to grow. One shouldn’t expect that in the course of an argument someone will abandon their primary principle or thought, but by remaining open, they can gain insight which can enrich their opinion and, through meeting with an alternative point of view, come to a deeper understanding

KHT Comment:

The friction between the two main parties to this Feud, i.e. Judah (Judaism) and Reawakening Efraim (10-Israel returning to Torah observance ex Christianity) is a topic on which both sides are very adamant – as in the example used above. They are both soundly educated in their opposing perspectives and they will not budge. They in fact do not even listen to the counter-arguments in a debate.  The above Guideline by Otniel.org provides the solution:

“When a person sees himself as in the process of searching and is open to hear and listen to that which the other side has to say, the argument becomes a place from which to grow.”

If we can define the word ‘searching’ in this definition as “searching for a way to bring Reconciliation – and thus the Geulah (Final Redemption)”, then Hope flames up and will surely succeed. It is the deafness created by a religious cultural conviction that refuses to listen, to consider and thus eternalizes division.

It is significant that we consider here the devastating Divine reprimand against the ‘Servant of HaShem’ which He is creating in these End Times:

Isa. 42

יח  הַחֵרְשִׁים, שְׁמָעוּ; וְהַעִוְרִים, הַבִּיטוּ לִרְאוֹת.	18 Hear, ye deaf, and look, ye blind, that ye may see.
יט  מִי עִוֵּר כִּי אִם-עַבְדִּי, וְחֵרֵשׁ כְּמַלְאָכִי אֶשְׁלָח; מִי עִוֵּר כִּמְשֻׁלָּם, וְעִוֵּר כְּעֶבֶד יְהוָה.	19 Who is blind, but My servant? Or deaf, as My messenger that I send? Who is blind as he that is wholehearted, and blind as the LORD’S servant?
כ  ראית (רָאוֹת) רַבּוֹת, וְלֹא תִשְׁמֹר; פָּקוֹחַ אָזְנַיִם, וְלֹא יִשְׁמָע.	20 Seeing many things, thou observest not; opening the ears, he heareth not.

For a comprehensive overview of this “Servant”, be sure to read “The Servant of G-d”

 

NOW! – for the main thread; on to Rabbi Haim Richman’s enlightening review on Parashat Kotach:

Parashat Korach

By Rabbi Chaim richman, The Temple Institute

Parashat Korach    Numbers 16:1 – 18:32
Haftarah Korach   1 Samuel 11:14 – 12:22

DISCLAIMER – the authors and promoters of the articles and videos that we place here are mostly not connected in any way to KOL HATOR and may well not share our views and interpretations. We do however thank them for their insight and pointers that confirm our understanding and often broaden our insight.