The Drive for Power: Korach 5784

Ramban (Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman) generally holds that the events recorded in the Torah occurred in a linear timeline, despite the maxim that there is no ‘before’ or ‘after’ in the Torah. So according to Ramban the story of Korach and his contest against Moshe—the central part of this week’s parsha—must have happened after the tragedy of the spies and their negative report about the Land of Israel.

 As I have commented before, the negative report of the spies was motivated, according to rabbinic opinion, by personal interests that had no objective value concerning the Land of Israel itself. So too, the uprising Korach led against Moshe concerns neither justice nor objective benefit to the people; rather, it was driven purely by personal issues and by the jealousies of Korach and his followers. 

Both Korach and the spies before him masked their own personal drives for power and position with high-sounding principles of public good, social justice and great concern for the future of the people of Israel. The very shrillness of their concern for the good of society itself calls attention to their true motives—they protested too much! Pious disclaimers of self-interest always seem to accompany those that clamor for greater justice and a better world. Dictators in the past and present centuries have promised great improvements for their nations—yet all, without exception, eventually pursued only their own personal gain and power. Beware of those who speak in the name of the people. They are mostly only imitations of Korach. 

This insight might explain why Moshe took such a strong stand against Korach and demanded an exemplary punishment from Heaven. It is extremely difficult for humans to judge the true motives of others in their declarations and policies. Only Heaven, so to speak, can do so. Moshe’s plea to Heaven is directed not only against the current Korach that he faces, but also against the constant recurrence of other Korachs throughout Jewish and world history. 

Only the shocking miracles of the earth swallowing Korach and his followers, and of a fire consuming those who dared to offer incense in place of Aharon, would impress upon the historical psyche of Israel the paramount need to be wary of Korach’s imitators through the ages. 

There is an adage in Jewish life that one should always respect others while remaining wary of their true motives. Only regarding Moshe does the Torah testify that, as the true servant of God, he is above criticism and suspicion. But ordinary mortals have ordinary failings—and self-interest is one of them. Moshe is true and his Torah is true. After that, no matter how fetching the slogan or how glorious the promise, caution and wariness about the person and cause being advocated are the proper attitudes to embrace. 

Shabbat shalom, Rabbi Berel Wein