This week's Parasha features a central
episode in the forty-year wilderness journey, the rebellion of Korach (Korah), Da’tan (Dathan),
Aviram (Abiram), On, and 250 other leaders, "… princes of the congregation, the elect men of
the assembly, men of renown" who “… assembled themselves together against
Moses and against Aaron…" (Num.16:2, 3). The above quotes, as well as the
language employed by the rest of the discourse between the malcontents and
Moshe, contain words and expressions which we have already encountered
elsewhere. The usage of the very same words (or ones emanating from the same
roots), albeit in different contexts, as well as the protagonists' method of
echoing each other's expressions, intensify the story line and add color to the
characters and the issues at hand.
The "princes," with whom we commence the study, are called here
"nesi'im" ("nasi" - singular, of the root n.s.a, meaning to
"lift up"), just as were the leaders in Parashat Nasso (Num. 4:21ff).
In the latter we noted that "nasso," "lifting, carrying, raising,"
also means "to bear" and in 5:31 (of the same Parasha) it was used as
the "bearing of sin" (in reference to "being guilty").
However, the verb "bearing" may also indicate the bearing of
another's sin in a sense of forgiveness, as is seen in Parashat Ki Tissa (whose
title also means "lifting," being connected, in that case, to the
census of the People). In the said Parasha (in Ex. 32:32), Moshe pleaded with
YHVH on behalf of the people, in the wake of the Golden Calf episode, saying,
"If you will forgive…"(or literally "bear"), in Hebrew:
"eem tissa." In Bamidbar (Numbers) 11:11,12 (Parashat
B'ha'alotcha) Moshe complains about "bearing" and
"carrying" the people of Yisrael. “…You lay the burden (massa
Korach and company are also described here as "elect men of the
assembly" (ref. 16:2), or "k'ru'ey mo'ed." In
Parashat Emor (Lev. 23:2-4), we recognized that the root k.r.a is to
“call" and that "mikra" means "a called (out) assembly, a
congregation, or a convocation." Thus, these leaders were not only
"lifted up," but were also honored by being "called out"
(translated here "elect"). However, their "calling" does
not stop there. They are also the "called out" of the "mo'ed,"
which is translated "assembly," but if we refer again to Va’yikra
(Leviticus) 23 we see that "mo’ed” stems from the root
y.a'a.d (yod, ayin, dalet) and means "appoint, design, or designate."
Thus YHVH's special appointments, His feasts, are called "mo'adim,"
plural, and "mo'ed,” singular. When
we reviewed those concepts, we noticed that the people who are appointed and
designated are collectively called "edah," of the very same root.
Thus, the "nesi'im" (the “elevated ones”) are the "princes of
the congregation," which is the "edah," or the "appointed
assembly." How ironic that these
"lifted up" individuals of the "appointed assembly," who
have been "called," or "singled out," by "appointment"
for special "YHVH-designated" occasions, and who are also men of
renown ("shem", i.e. "name"), are the very ones now
"gathered… against Moshe and A'haron" (16:3)! These men did not
understand that it was not for vainglory that they had been raised up. Although
described as "men of name" (translated "renown"), it was
not their own names that were to be lifted, but the name of the One who had called
and appointed them for His name's sake. Let us take note, though, that in spite
of their flagrant behavior their "company" (16: 5, 11,16, 21) is
still termed here "eda" which is, as mentioned, "an appointed
assembly."
These "nesi'im," in their blinded
fury and haughtiness decry YHVH's leaders of choice and dare challenge them
saying: "Why do you lift yourselves up [“tit'nas'u”] above the congregation of YHVH?" (16:3b
italics added). Prior to that, they maintain: "This is too much
["rav"] for you, since all the congregation are holy, every one of
them, and YHVH is among them" (16: 3a literal translation, italics added).
Moshe's initial response to these words is to fall on his face, after which he
says: "In the morning YHVH will show who are His, and him who is
holy, and will cause him to come near to Him; even him whom He has chosen, He
will cause to come near to Him. Do this, take fire-pans, Korah and all his
company, and put fire in them, and put incense in them before YHVH tomorrow.
And it shall be the man whom YHVH chooses, he shall be holy. This is too
much ["rav", again] for you, sons of Levi!” (16:5-7 literal
translation, italics added). "This is too much for you" - "rav
la'chem" - is the expression employed by the rebels. Moshe was not unaware
of their every word, and answered them ‘tit for tat.’ As he continues, he says,
"Is it a small ("m'at" - opposite of "rav")
thing to you that the Elohim of Israel has separated you from the congregation
of Israel
The sad story continues… Again, notice the wording, "And Moses sent
to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab. And they said, 'we will not come
up. Is it a small thing that you have brought
us up out of a land that flows with milk and honey, to kill us in the
wilderness, but must you also seize dominion over us?'" (16:12, 13 italics
added). In their defiance, Da’tan and Aviram are determined to not "come
up" ("na'aleh"), while this is followed by their accusation,
"is it a small thing…" – ham'at" - echoing Moshe's words
in verse 9, "is it a small thing to you that the
Elohim of Israel…?" Their excuse for "not going up"
(“lo na’alea”) is that it was Moshe who "brought them up"
("he'e'li'tanu", of the root for “going up") from "a land
flowing with milk and honey," and has not brought them into "a
land flowing with milk and honey" as he had promised (v. 13, 14; see Ex.
3:8). In this way, these two are
responsible for twisting YHVH's promises and substituting truth for a lie by portraying
the land of their slavery and bondage as a dreamland of the past, while their
supposed grim present holds no promises for the future. They choose to make
their point by not only repeating and twisting Moshe’s own words, but also by
employing the verb for “going/bringing up” (root a.l.h) in a way that imbues
their statement with thick sarcasm. They maintain that the purpose for having
been "brought up" to the desert was in order to "cause them to
die," and so that Moshe could "dominate them with dominion"
– tis’ta'rer hista'rer." "Sar" is the root of
"dominion," while it also constitutes another word for "prince,"
from whence the term "Prince of Peace" ("Sar Shalom") is
derived, as well as the names Sarah and Yisrael. They seal their harangue by accusing Moshe of
not having given them "inheritance in fields and vineyards," adding,
"Will you put out the eyes of these men? We will not come up
["lo na'aleh", again]" (16:14, italics added). Their ultimate
end - of "descending/going down alive into Sheol" (v. 30) -
highlights with an eerie light their repeated refusal to “go up."
Moshe's next comment, "I have not taken one donkey from them,
neither have I hurt one of them" (16: 15) is reminiscent of Shmu'el's soliloquy in
Shmu’el Alef (1st Samuel) 12:3: "Whose ox have I taken? Or
whose donkey have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I
oppressed?" The accusations hurled
against Moshe are in stark contrast to his description in last week's Parashat
B'ha'alotcha. Miriam and Aha'ron's slandering against their brother was met
there by the words: "Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all the
men on the face of the earth" (Num. 12:3). In light of this statement, the
present malicious words against him seem even more unjust and deplorable.
Now Moshe is angry - "(va)yichar le-Moshe"! (16:15). In
last week’s Parashat B’ha’a’lotcha we encountered the same term for anger,
which was appended to the nose (ref. 11:1), and thus it was the “burning of/in
the nose.” Moshe's anger here is followed by the injunction to the band of
rebels to “light up” incense on their fire pans and to let YHVH judge
them and the situation. YHVH commands Moshe and Aha'ron to separate themselves
from this "eda" (congregation, assembly), so that the latter may be
"consumed" or "devoured" as by fire.
Finally, after Korach, Da’tan and Aviram, and their entire company is swallowed
up, "a fire came forth from YHVH and consumed the two
hundred and fifty men who offered incense" (16:35, literal translation,
italics added).
In 16:9 we read that the Elohim of Yisrael had separated Korach and his
band in order to "bring you near Himself to do the service of the
tabernacle." "Separated" there was "hivdil,"
being of the root b.d.l (bet, dalet, lamed), "to divide, separate, set
apart, exclude, and single out." Later
on, before punishment is meted out to this group, YHVH tells Moshe and Aha'ron
to "separate" themselves from “this congregation" (v. 21). There
too the root b.d.l is used ("hibadlu"). Thus, when those who have
been called and separated out by YHVH, according to His order and method of
selection, oppose His ways they become separated and set apart from the rest of
the community, but this time for reproof of the severest kind. Further, YHVH says to the congregation (of Yisrael):
"Turn away from the tents of these wicked men" (v. 26). "Turn
away" is "suru," of the root "sur"
(samech, vav, resh), whereas in verse 15 Moshe asks YHVH to “not turn"
to these men's offerings, using the root panoh (with "panim – face”
being its derivative). We have dealt with "p.n.h" a number of times,
and found that it indicates a "turning toward," in contrast to
"sur" which is a "turning away from." A "sorer" (again, of the root
“sur”) is a stubborn rebel (e.g. Deut. 21:18,20) – an apt description of these
250 and some individuals.
Interestingly, the bronze fire pans used by the sinners were to be
salvaged from the fire, and were to be reshaped and made into plates for
covering the altar, thus rendering these objects sanctified. This was to be a
visible sign and a warning to and for the Children of Yisrael, so that in the
future no one who was not of the seed of Aha'ron would attempt again to “come
near” and offer incense before YHVH, “so that
he may not be as Korah and as his company”
(16: 40).
Only one day goes by and the people begin to complain again, saying to
Moshe and Aha’ron: "You have brought death [“ha'mitem”]
on the people of YHVH" (v. 41, italics added), thus echoing the words of
Da’tan and Aviram to Moshe in 16:13 ("you have brought us up here… to
cause us to die - le'hamitenu"). In both cases the root is "ma'vet,"
that is, “death” (m.v.t - mem, vav, tav). Once again the cloud covers
the Tent of Meeting and the glory of YHVH appears (ref. 16: 42), much like the
description in verse 19, where the same thing took place in front of Korach and
company. This time YHVH admonishes Moshe (and Aha'ron) to stand back, as He is
about to “consume” the congregation, using the very same verb which we
encountered above (in 16:21). Moshe and Aha'ron fall on their faces, as they
did previously (see V. 22), and what starts out as a plague is halted by Aha'ron's
action of kindling the incense on fire pans, with fire obtained from the
altar. He then runs through the camp,
holding on to the fire pans to "make an atonement… for wrath has gone out
from YHVH" (v. 46), bringing the plague to an end (standing “between the dead and the living,” v. 48). The "wrath"
described here is termed "ketzef", k.tz.f. (kof, tzadi, fey),
which is also found in verse 22, when Moshe and Aah'ron display their concern
for the entire congregation of Yisrael upon the mutiny of Korach and his band,
saying: "Shall one man sin and will You be angry [“tiktzof”] with
all the congregation?" (Italics added). Thus, the entire congregation of Yisrael,
far from learning the lesson displayed before them the previous day, re-enacts
the mutinous scenario.
Following the major affront dealt to the
office of the priesthood and the roles of the Levites, the rest of the Parasha
is devoted to reconfirming their uniqueness, by the blossoming of Aha'ron's rod,
which is the ultimate evidence, witness, and testimony of YHVH's choice. It was
for this reason that another title is being accorded here to the Tent of
Meeting. Ohel Ha’edut, that is, Tent of the Testimony/Witness replaces
its usual title of Ohel Mo’ed (17:7). A
female witness happens to be “eda,” being the same as the word for “band or
congregation” employed so often in our Parasha. This new term may be hinting at
the (poor) ‘testimony’ of the assembly “eda,” as compared to YHVH’s true
witness, represented by the Tent of the Testimony (Ohel Ha’edut).
Aha’ron’s dead rod "had budded and had brought forth buds, and had
bloomed blossoms, and had yielded almonds" (17:8). This is a display in
front of the entire nation of the miracle of life, as it sprouts out of death,
death that has been so characteristic of these last episodes. As we have
already noted (in Parashat Trumah, Ex. 25:31-40 regarding the Menorah), almond
is "sha'ked," which is of the root sh.k.d (shin, kof. dalet)
meaning to “watch and to be diligent." The famous passage in Yirmiyahu
(Jeremiah) 1:11, 12, teaches us of YHVH's watchful determination to perform His
word. Here too, after a line of incidents and insurrections, complaining and
disciplinary measures, YHVH is pointing to His irreversible will (marked by
resurrection power) in carrying out His word and accomplishing it, despite and
in face of all opposition.
Another hint as to the power of resurrection is found, of all places, in
the most dreadful description, right before the earth opened up and swallowed
the rebels. Thus, we read in the Hebrew text, “And if YHVH creation will create
[translated ‘will do a new thing’] and the earth will open up its mouth and
will swallow… etc” (16:30). How is it that an act of “creation” is appended to
this most morbid scene of death and annihilation? Since “creation” always speaks of life, could
this be alluding to a new creation, springing forth from the “lowest parts of
the earth” to which Yeshua descended, in accordance with Ephesians 4:9? (See
also 1Peter 3:19.)
