The Bottles Stand As Empty Now, As They Were Filled Before (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Ship of Fools"

A Canadian acquaintance of mine used to be a huge fan of President Trump. He had a “Make America Great” hat and everything.  When I asked why he was such a fan, his answer was similar to approximately 40% of Americans, “because he says what’s on everyone’s mind but no one has the nerve to say.”  We met for coffee this week and I asked him if he thought the Canadian Prime Minister “had a special place in hell” because he called the President out on the ridiculous misrepresentations of tariffs and trade with the United States. I asked him if he was still a fan of the U.S. President who recently threatened the Prime Minister and Canada by saying that if the Prime Minister continues doing what he is doing the Canadian people will suffer. I asked my friend if he thought that the North Korean leader was a smart, great guy, whom the President is looking forward to having to the White House. He sheepishly smiled and explained that he honestly did not think that it was possible for a President to screw up the U.S / Canadian relationship. I reminded him that the relationship is stronger than a Donald Trump “tweet” or two. However, it is troubling to think of all the serious issues that need to be dealt with, and this President  creates a problem, spreads emptiness, antipathy and mistrust because he can, because it provides a sense of empowerment.

This week we read from Parsha Korach.  Korach was a relative of Moshe's. They both came from the tribe of Levi. Korach questioned Moshe's authority eventually leading a rebellion. Korach did question Moshe’s authority in a private meeting between individuals. Rather, Korach gathered 250 supporters, and then publicly challenged Moshe. Moshe tried to keep peace within the community, but to no avail. A divine test is administered, and Korach and his supporters fail. The earth swallows them up. However God is angry and a plague falls upon the people. They are communally punished for Korach's actions, their passive support, and their failure to bond together against Korach. Yet the people are still not convinced that Moshe and Aharon should remain in charge, only that Korach was unworthy. So a second divine test is administered this time with 12 rods stuck in the ground and almond branches resulting in Aaron’s staff, thus symbolizing that God has chosen Aharon to be the Kohen Gadol.  The Parsha concludes with God speaking to Aharon, and re-iterating his obligations in terms of the Mishkan, the Altar, and the Tent of the Meeting.

The Torah portion begins in rather innocuously, much like many rebellions. VaYikach Korach ben Yitzhar Ben Kahat ben Levi v’ Datan V’Aviram B’nai Eliav V’On ben Pelet Bnai Reuven – Korach son of Itzhar son of Kohath son of Levi took Datan and Aviram.  Korach “took” these men? Where did he “take” them? Rashi, the 11^th- century French commentator, offers an explanation based upon the Midrash Tanchuma (a fifth century compilation of rabbinic commentary). Rashi points out that VaYiKach he took - suggests that there should be a direct object. Since there is no direct object, Lakach Et Atzmo LTzad Echod – he [Korach] took himself off to one side or separated himself from the rest of the Leviim. By definition, a rebellion is a means of separating oneself from authority or accepted norms. The name Korach coming from the three lettered root of Kuf (K) – Resh (R) and Chet (Ch) means to make something empty or bald. KoRaCh’s rebellion against Moshe was not an attempt to create a better more efficient form of governance. Instead, KoRaCh’s rebellion was an attempt to elevate his own stature. He gathers leaders from other tribe, tribes that were geographically near him that heard his complaints. He didn’t have the support of other Leviim.  Korach was the first great “disruptor”, challenging Moshe’s authority and the institutions that he helped to establish in order to keep B’nai Yisroel safe from all those threatening societies.  

As my friend and I finished up our coffee; I told him to read the Tuesday June 12^th NY Times column by David Brooks, a politically conservative observant Jew.  Just last week, we commemorated D-Day, and the generation that created the post war institutions that saved the world and saved democracy. Over the past year, Brooks explains, we have watched the President, as well as leaders from Russia, Turkey, Poland and all the nationalist movements weaken these Post-War institutions that has kept much of the world safe, lawful and democratic.  Brooks points out that these highly nationalistic despotic oriented leaders are very different than those that saved the world from Hitler’s Germany. They are intent on fanning mistrust, spreading an emptiness of their world view in which there is no greater good than one’s own self- aggrandizement. Who knew that they were all taking a page from Korach?

Peace,

Rav Yitz

 

We Will Leave This Place An Empty Stone (John Barlow & Bob Weir - "Throwing Stones")

With school coming to an end, and a wife and three children packing up and getting ready for camp, the house had been in a state of chaos; clothes, boxes, duffle bags and sheets were all over the floor. It had become difficult to walk. I could barely get into bed since so much of my wife’s things had accumulated upon our bed.  Then, amid clothes, garbage, bags, and more clothes, something odd began to happen.   Clothes, towels, sheets, shoes and toiletries started to be packed into duffle bags. Full bags which had briefly blocked access in the hallway were brought down stairs. Duffle bags were loaded into the bag of the minivan. My wife and 17 year old daughter drove off ( I will bring our 16 year old daughter and 13 year old son to camp on Tuesday). Amazingly enough, I could see the floor again, I had access to my bed again, and I no duffle bag blocked my access to a room, or a stairway.  The house was starting to empty out. Needless to say when I return from dropping off the remaining two children, the house will be as empty as ever.  It will be quiet as ever and as peaceful as ever. For a little while, that emptiness, that quiet, will be much appreciated and cherished.

This Shabbat, we read from Parshat Korach.  Korach was a relative of Moshe's. They both came from the tribe of Levi. Korach questioned Moshe's authority. He did not do this during a private meeting between individuals. Rather, Korach gathered 250 supporters, and then publicly challenged Moshe. Moshe tried to keep peace within the community, but to no avail. A divine test is administered, and Korach and his supporters fail. The earth swallows them up. However God is angry and a plague falls upon the people. They are communally punished for Korach's actions, their passive support, and their failure to bond together against Korach.  Yet the people are still not convinced that Moshe and Aharon should remain in charge, only that Korach was unworthy. So a second divine test is administered this time with 12 rods stuck in the ground and almond branches resulting in Aaron’s staff, thus symbolizing that God has chosen Aharon to be the Kohen Gadol.  The Parshah concludes with God speaking to Moshe and enumerating Aaron’s priestly responsibilities, all of the entitlements and all the sacrifices that come with the position.

Just exactly who is Korach, did his rebellion begin spontaneously or was it a long time in the making? The Torah begins the Parshah, teaching us Korach’s genealogy.  His great grandfather is Levi, the third son of Yaakov.  This means that he is a cousin to Moshe and Aharon, both of whom were also the great grandson’s of Levi. Without know much more about Korach, we can already guess his motivation behind the rebellion.  The entire power structure, Torah knowledge, and Priestly knowledge, was controlled by the two brothers, Moshe and Aharon.  The other Leviim, we know, had been given certain special tasks focused upon the maintenance of the Mishkan.  Certainly within the culture of the Mishkan, these jobs, and these Levite families were a big deal. However, outside the Levi  tribe, outside the culture of the Mishkan, not too many members from the tribe of Benjamin, Asher, Naftali, Dan or even Judah cared too deeply about the responsibilities of the various Levite families. Their only concern was Aharon, since they brought their offerings to him; and Moshe, since he was the ultimate decisor of Jewish law. Ibn Ezra, the late 11^th  early 12 century Spanish commentator explains that the rebellion was hardly spontaneous.  He had been thinking about this since the inauguration of the Mishkan (Tabernacle), when Aharon and his sons were designated to replace the other  first born.  Korach took two leaders from the Tribe of Reuben, Jacob’s biological first born son, but overlooked in terms of spiritual inheritance.  The name Korach, means “Baldness, bald spot, or emptiness”.  Korach wanted to be the legitimate heir to Levi. He wanted to  fill the void of leadership when the Mishkan was being built and a person (and ultimately a family) had to be the head of the Mishkan.  However, Korach also spread emptiness to the rest of the community. For Korach to gain power, he separates himself from the community- Vayikach Korach (16:1). He creates an empty space in order to justify his filling it.

Yes, my house will be empty for a few weeks. It will be quiet, it will be peaceful. As soon as the cleaning late comes, it will finally be clean. It will even stay clean for several weeks. I will even relish the quiet and the emptiness. Those empty places, will remain empty until my wife and children return from their summer camp experience. Then, once again those empty spaces will be refilled. Korach didn’t want emptiness for the sake of emptiness. He wanted emptiness in order that he could be the one to fill it. He looked at emptiness as an opportunity to satisfy his own sense of ego.  We all go through moments of experiencing emptiness.  We can leave those spaces empty and in so doing, make them sacred. We can fill that emptiness with sacred activity such as learning and study of Torah. We can even fill those empty spaces with self aggrandizing activities.  Certainly some choices and motivations behind chosen activities will ultimately become more meaningful and beneficial than others.

Peace,

Rav Yitz