HaRav Dov Begon is the head of Machon Meir
The Causes of Korach’s Controversy
It says, “Korach took” (Numbers 16:1). Rashi explains, “He betook himself to one side with the view of separating himself from the community so that he might raise a protest regarding the priesthood.” This controversy was so severe that our Father Jacob begged for mercy that his name should not be mentioned in the context of the argument, as it says, “Let my name not unite with their meeting” (Genesis 49:5).
What caused the controversy were Korach’s envy, lust and craving for honor. Korach was envious over the appointment of Elitzafan ben Uziel (Rashi, Numbers 16:1).
Our sages, in setting out to delve into the reason for Korach’s envy, introduce Korach’s wife who in her great foolishness compelled Korach to contend with Moses:
The Talmud says (Sanhedrin 110a), “‘The wisdom of women builds her house’ (Proverbs 14:1): This refers to the wife of Ohn ben Pelet.” Ohn ben Pelet’s wife saved her husband from the controversy of Korach, and through her wisdom and insight she distanced the agitators from her home and persuaded her husband that no benefit would spring forth from the controversy.
By contrast, regarding Korach’s wife, the Talmud (Ibid.) quotes from the same verse: “The foolish woman destroys it with her hands.” Korach’s wife, an envious woman who pursued honor and wealth, destroyed her home by propelling it into the controversy.
As is characteristic of contentious people, Korach’s arguments against the leadership of Moses, that “all the people in the community are holy, and G-d is with them. Why are you setting yourselves above G-d’s congregation?” (Numbers 16:3), are half-truths. It is true that all of Israel are holy, but Korach does not mention that within Israel there are different levels. There are Kohanim, Levites and Israelites. Whoever blurs the gradations within the aggregate brings about anarchy and total confusion, and acts against the order decreed by G-d. The result is unavoidable. That person’s argument will not prevail, and he and his allies will be punished severely. Today especially, we must be avoid the flames of controversy, which begin with foolish words of envy and pursuit of honor and wealth.
It is the way of a fire that it begins with a small flame and then spreads until it becomes a great conflagration. Precisely in our own generation, one in which materialism and pursuit of honor and wealth have lifted their heads, we must be seventy times as careful to avoid the flames of controversy. We must increase love and faith; respect for our fellow man, humility, and the extent to which we make do with little. After all, what person is truly wealthy? The one who is happy with his lot.
“The wise shall inherit honor.”
Korach and his assembly who were driven wild by their craving for glory, argue with Moses and Aaron saying, “You have gone too far! All the people in the community are holy, and G-d is with them. Why are you setting yourselves above Hashem’s congregation?” (Numbers 16:3). Seemingly the claim that the entire Jewish People are holy is correct, yet this claim need not nullify the fact that there are different spiritual levels within the Jewish People, and every Jew, in accordance with his level and his role, must be honored. All the more so that Moses and Aaron, the nation’s leaders, deserved to be honored. We have to show honor to Torah scholars, parents and leaders, as Rav Kook wrote:
“What is chiefly responsible for the proper functioning of society is society’s treating with honor those who deserve it: from showing honor to Torah scholars comes love of the Torah and of wisdom, good traits and the fear of G-d. From honoring parents comes good education with blessed results that show themselves in the young when they grow up. From honoring kings comes a true improvement in the life of the society and the nation” (see Chavash Pe’er, Ch. 1).
Quite the contrary, when we show our Torah scholars, parents and leaders no honor, anarchy is created in society and destruction in the family.
Korach and his assembly, through their pursuit of honor, worked to destroy the honor that the nation should appropriately have been showing its great leaders. Through them was fulfilled our sages’ words, “Jealousy, lust and honor remove a person from the world” (Avot 4:21).
Today, we greatly need to restore the value of honor to our society and culture, to honor our Torah scholars, teachers and educators, to honor our parents and to honor our leaders (despite our differences of opinion on political matters, etc.). And how can this be achieved? By our return to our tradition and to our holy Torah, which views honoring and loving our fellow man as a great mitzvah which has to be fulfilled like any other, with great love and reverence. And through our honoring our fellow man, may we be privileged to see the glory of G-d, who fills the universe with His glory.
