S.A.L.T. - Tuesday

          Yesterday we discussed the question posed by the Midrash as to how an otherwise intelligent, well-respected man such as Korach could have acted so foolishly and initiated a hopeless campaign to challenge the leadership of Moshe and Aharon.  Today we will discuss the Midrash's response, as cited by Rashi in his commentary to Parashat Korach (16:7):

"He saw a great dynasty emerging from him – Shemuel, who was equal to Moshe and Aharon.  He said: On his account I will be spared… Is it possible that all this greatness will ultimately emerge from me, and I shall remain silent… But he did not see properly, for his sons performed teshuva."

Korach prophetically saw the prophet Shemuel and his descendants emerge from his progeny, and thus concluded that he deserves a more prominent stature.  So convinced he was by this argument that he literally bet his life on it, agreeing to bring the ketoret along with his fellow contestants to the high priesthood, knowing that only the true kohen gadol would survive.

         The question arises, how does this thought process ascribed to Korach answer the Midrash's original question?  Does Korach's placement of trust in this argument not reflect total foolishness? Is this the logic of a wise man, to think that because a great leader will be born from him fifteen generations later (!!) he must be more qualified for the role of kohen gadol than Aharon?

         One might answer that Chazal here seek to convey precisely this message, that even the wisest of men act irrational and foolish when overcome by greed and envy.  Perhaps the Midrash intends to emphasize specifically the silliness of Korach's argument, which shows us just how illogical someone with Korach's intelligence can act in pursuit of power and prestige.

         We may, however, consider a different explanation, by carefully comparing the current situation with that faced by Korach's illustrious descendant, Shemuel, whose merit led Korach to presume the right to power.  Shemuel enters onto the stage of Biblical history following the tempestuous period of the shoftim (judges), a historical period best described by the final verse of the book which tells its story, Sefer Shoftim: "In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did as he pleased."  This period was characterized by a state of near-anarchy, an absolute lack of leadership and central authority.  The opening chapters of Sefer Shemuel tell of the rapid deterioration of the only remaining authoritative body in the nation – the priesthood, the humiliating corruption of the younger kohanim and the unwillingness or inability of the kohen gadol, Eli, to rectify the situation.  Finally, the marauding Pelishtim ransack and destroy the Mishkan, stealing the ark and killing Eli's sons; he, too, dies upon hearing the news. 

         It is shortly thereafter that Shemuel becomes a powerful and influential leader, the first in decades, who restores law, order and stability – as well as the aron – to Benei Yisrael.  What more, it is he who establishes (albeit with considerable hesitation) the nation's monarchy, anointing the first two kings of Israel (Shaul and David). Shemuel thus represents the creation of new leadership, the stabilization of an unstable nation and the transformation of sheer chaos into peace and tranquillity.

         Korach, as portrayed by the Midrash, perhaps saw himself as the "Shemuel" of his generation. Prophetically foreseeing his visionary descendant, Korach may have felt that he must serve that same function in the current generation.  The last two parshiyot, Beha'alotekha and Shelach, describe the gradual emergence of quasi-chaos among Benei Yisrael.  From the law and order reflected by the details of Benei Yisrael's travel formation and protocol in the first ten chapters of Sefer Bamidbar, the nation steadily declines henceforth into an abyss of disarray. One crisis unfolds after another, culminating with the debacle of the scouts, which resulted in God's decree that the current generation would all perish in the wilderness.  We can hardly imagine the shock and disappointment felt by the nation.  Using the model of his future descendant, Korach decides that the time has come for him to step up and bring a sense of order to the chaos, to bring the people back together and restore national stability.

         Of course, Korach made a terrible mistake; the two situations are hardly comparable. Shemuel became leader in a time when the nation thirsted for leadership; Korach attempted to become leader at a time when the nation was led by the most competent leaders imaginable.  Benei Yisrael could never have had as stable a leadership as it did under Moshe, who was appointed directly by God, whom they witnessed serve as God's mediator at Mount Sinai, and who received his instructions – including the command to name his brother kohen gadol - directly from heaven. Shemuel brought leadership to a flock without a shepherd; Korach sought to overthrow the most devoted and qualified shepherd in the flock's history.

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