Rabbi Sacks questions what made this trial different for Moses. Why did he lose control at this time and place? He suggests that Moses lost control because he was mourning for his loss of Miriam – his sister as well as a mother figure.
Rabbi Novis-Deutsch questions what was wrong with Korah’s message. Why was it wrong to say that everyone is holy? Yet, Korach’s message really seems to be about asking for his own personal superiority, next to Moses and Aaron, rather than everyone in the community being considered equal. Rather, the message should be that because we are all holy, an individual should not see himself as superior by simply saying that everyone is holy.
Rabbi Dov addresses the problem raised by human nature – hatred towards another. In the case of Korach, he had dynastic heritage, he was born into the nobility of the Levite tribe, and he was charismatic. Yet he wanted what Aaron had, to the point of insane jealousy and hatred. Rabbi Dov writes that it is common for contemporary rabbis, who are well-respected and loved by their congregations, to yet be targeted by a select few who, due to their personal issues of jealousy and hatred, attack the leader.
Korach’s words implied that equality should have been part of the picture, yet he did not actually mean that leadership should not be institutionalized. Rabbi Sacks considers the implications of his statement, assuming that he actually meant what he said. He quotes Gideon, who said that ’neither I nor my son will rule over you, but the Lord will…’. This challenges the concept that the Israelites should have a single, life-appointed leader.
Rabbi Keller reflects that the sages interpreted the problem with the actions of the spies as a perception of their own weakness. Therefore, because they perceived themselves to be weak, they were doomed to wander for 40 more years. He compares it to the “born this way” rhetoric, which implies that “it’s not our fault for being weak”. He suggests that the attitude should be “where are we now?”
Rabbi Barenblat cites the first key theme of the parashah – “raise the lamps”…as in having an Aliyah, ascending symbolically to Sinai. The second key theme is the lights: “going up and shining”. When we left Egypt, we ascended. And God described it as giving light.
Rabbi Sacks questions the rationale behind the actions of the spies – whether they had a failure of faith, or nerve, or both. He cites Hassidic literature, which interpreted the spies’ actions as well-intentioned; they feared success, not failure!
Rabbi Nevins comments on the concept of hereditary holiness – it conflicts with our egalitarian principles. Yet, the mystical ritual of the priestly blessing is something that continues to be highly valued. He continues to discuss the merits, or lack thereof, of the person who today holds the heritage of the kohanim; the Tanakh is clear about the requirement for the kohanim to be honorable in order to fulfill their office.
Rabbi Barenblat relates the census in this week’s parashah, which stipulates that each person matters. She ties the theme to the loss of life from recent anti-Semitic attacks, as well as the violence from the war in Gaza. She observes that, according to the Torah, the death of any human being is the destruction of an entire world.
The role of the Nazirite was to essentially renounce desire; the text is unclear as to why someone would make this choice. The Torah has mixed views on this, whether it is a positive or negative practice. Maimonides even contradicts himself. Rabbi Sacks states that according to Maimonides, there are actually 2 models of a virtuous life, instead of just 1. They result from 2 ways of understanding the meaning of a moral life.