Rebel, Rebel

Rebel, Rebel
Rabbi Sarah Berman

This week, we consider and commemorate a people--our own ancestors--who were once controlled by an absolute ruler.

This ruler, who believed his role was granted to him by God, could no longer control his people simply with commands.

His people began to mutter their discontent.

Amongst them, a small group of rebels decided to rise up--on behalf of all the people--seeking a different future.

Their actions inspired others to follow them… and so a revolution was born.

Today, on the 5th of July, this story is familiar as the tale of the American Revolution.

But in fact, it is the tale of two revolutions: America’s, and also the Israelite rebellion at the center of this week’s parasha.

(The rebellion is so important, in fact, that the entire portion is named for its leader--Korach.)

Korach was a member of the tribe of Levi, and loudly proclaimed his discontent with the leadership provided by his cousins Aaron and Moses.

Korach had the chutzpah to pose the question, “Why do you raise yourselves up above God’s congregation?” Indignant, Korach fumed that, “All of this community are holy--ALL of them, and God is in their midst!”^[1]

This question of who deserves to hold power seems like the most democratic, and understandable, challenge one could make to a pair of absolute leaders.

It feels similar to the kinds of questions our Founding Fathers and Founding Mothers were asking of King George and the British Empire in the 1770s.

“Who are YOU to be ruling over us? Where is OUR voice? How can WE shape this nation?”

But unlike our Founding Mothers and Founding Fathers, Korach is not a hero in our tradition.

He is one of our greatest villains, a man whose uprising is considered downright evil.

So what makes the American Revolution righteous and Korach’s rebellion wicked?

The writings of George Washington, Abigail and John Adams, Ben Franklin, and Lin Manuel Miranda teach us that the American Revolutionaries sought to correct the injustices they saw by creating a participatory government, one in which a single demagogue or king could not wield absolute power.

A government of the people was what they aspired to, rather than a monarchy.

Like the Patriots, Korach did not act alone.

He had two co-conspirators and 250 followers.

These were not just any followers--they were “chieftains of the community, chosen in the assembly, men of repute.”^[2]

Ostensibly, they rose up in order to champion all the people--all those in this holy community without a voice.

This was a righteous cause!

It could so easily have been a holy revolution.

The problem with Korach’s rebellion was its impetus.

Despite his democratic words about the holiness of the entire congregation of Israel, the importance of each Israelite, Korach (we are taught) did not rise up out of idealism

He didn’t really challenge Moses because he thought all Israelites deserved a voice in their governance.

According to generations of commentary and interpretation, Korach rebelled purely out of ego.^[3]

He rose up because he thought he deserved a voice in the governance of the people.

As a cousin and contemporary of Moses and Aaron’s, he thought he should have a higher position, and used beguiling words to convince others to support him in his pursuit.

Rising up in order to amplify your own voice…

Challenging the status quo to create a better future for yourself…

Rebelling in order to prove that you were created to be better than your family…

These are the makings of a wicked rebellion.

But…

Rising up in order to give voice to the voiceless…

Challenging the status quo to create a better future for all…

Rebelling in order to prove that “all men are created equal”...

These are the makings of a righteous rebellion.

In looking at our histories, both American and Jewish, it is satisfying to see righteous rebels succeeding, and wicked rebels failing.

In reward for their success, the American Patriots became Founding Fathers and Mothers, figures in history books and public monuments.

In punishment for his failure, Korach and his followers were swallowed by the earth--they disappeared without a trace.

By standing up for himself and not for all the people, Korach missed the opportunity to raise up multiple, holy voices.

He had ignored the structure of decentralized leadership that already existed amongst the Israelites.

Tribal leaders, one per tribe, had already been named to act as governors and judges, back when Moses sought leadership advice from a more thoughtful and selfless family member--his father-in-law Yitro.

Each tribe’s chief was meant to work in partnership with Moses and Aaron to help lead the people.

But in Korach’s rebellion, they were nowhere to be seen…

…Until the aftermath, when the Israelites were finally reminded of the checks and balances they already had, in the form of this proto-“People’s House” of tribal leaders.

Following Korach’s demise, each one of the tribal representatives was called by God to bring a staff before the Tent of Meeting--where God would indicate the righteous and chosen leaders by causing the staff to sprout.

Only the staff belonging to Aaron sprouted--sending forth sprouts, blossoms, and almonds.

Moses and his family were affirmed in their positions, for another generation.

And the other leaders were sidelined, their grumbling silenced.

So much for representatives of the people, and the shared burden of leadership.

The cracks in the system of Israelite leadership were laid bare by Korach’s rebellion.

What could have been a moment of expanded inclusion and representation ended up doing just the opposite.

The rebellion of Korach failed.

The American Revolution succeeded, and a nation built on the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights was born.

A nation dedicated to the ideals of representation and shared leadership emerged.

But like Korach’s rebellion, the American Revolution was also imperfect, highlighting what was still missing.

Huge swathes of “we the people” were excluded from full participation in our nation.

Women, enslaved people, Native Americans—so many of us were not considered “men,” and therefore not treated as “equal” for far too long.

The history of our nation over these past two and a half centuries is a history of correcting past mistakes, of learning from our shortcomings and trying to do better.

This, too, is the history of the Jewish people.

We read and wrestle with our history, so we can make better, more righteous choices tomorrow.

The legacy of Korach’s rebellion and the American Revolution is in what we learn from them, and how we seek to do better.

Both had their imperfections, and their work remains incomplete.

The idealism of honoring the voice of each holy member of our community—Jewish and American—remains our task today.

What are we to do with this charge, this responsibility?

How will we live out the ideals we inherit from each?

The answer, in the words of Abigail Adams, is, “To be good, and do good….”

Let us seek the good and righteous path, acknowledging those who blazed it for us.

Let us value justice and compassion, wisdom and forbearance.

Let us pray for peace and understanding, and let us also work for it.

Let us learn from the past, and join together in honoring our highest ideals, through words and through action.

Please, now, join me in the Siddur on page 258 as we read together the prayer for our nation.

Prayer for America & its leaders, MT p. 258:

O Guardian of life and liberty, 
may our nation always merit Your protection. 
Teach us to give thanks for what we have 
by sharing it with those who are in need.
Keep our eyes open to the wonders of creation,
and alert to the care of the earth.
May we never be lazy in the work of peace;
may we honor those who have died in defense of our ideals.
Grant our leaders wisdom and forbearance.
May they govern with justice and compassion.
Help us all to appreciate one another,
and to respect the many ways that we may serve You.
May our homes be safe from affliction and strife,
and our country be sound in body and spirit.
Amen.

^[1] Numbers 16:3

^[2] Numbers 16:2

^[3] Rashi on Num. 16:1; Tanchuma Korach 1