KORACH 5770
In this week’s reading, the misery of a generation being banned by God for entering the Land of Israel turns to rebellion. And in a society where people are weakened by crisis, we know that they are vulnerable to manipulation. I was recently in Poland taking a group of young adults, and have learnt a great deal about the complicated recent Polish history, riddled with such manipulation at the hands of the Nazi regime in the war and the Soviets post war.
Ethics of the Fathers actually attempts to explain the problem with Korach. We read in Chapter 5, Mishna 20:
“Any argument that is for the sake of heaven will endure, but any argument that is not for the sake of heaven will not endure. Which argument is for the sake of heaven – that of Hillel and Shammai. Which argument is not for the sake of heaven – that of Korach and his community.”
We note firstly that there is less interest in the topic of the date than the intention of it being for the sake of heaven. We also know that Hillel and Shammai argued and believed the other one wrong. Tolerance is not about agreeing with the other; it is surely about respecting the right of disagreement of the other within reasonable boundaries.
But we secondly note that Korach is not arguing with anyone. There is no other that thinks differently. And I see this a lot in life – people when they argue a point, argue as if no other opinion can be right or valid. When we argue and discuss the challenge is to allow room for the other, unlike the way of Korach.
Ethics of the Fathers actually attempts to explain the problem with Korach. We read in Chapter 5, Mishna 20:
“Any argument that is for the sake of heaven will endure, but any argument that is not for the sake of heaven will not endure. Which argument is for the sake of heaven – that of Hillel and Shammai. Which argument is not for the sake of heaven – that of Korach and his community.”
We note firstly that there is less interest in the topic of the date than the intention of it being for the sake of heaven. We also know that Hillel and Shammai argued and believed the other one wrong. Tolerance is not about agreeing with the other; it is surely about respecting the right of disagreement of the other within reasonable boundaries.
But we secondly note that Korach is not arguing with anyone. There is no other that thinks differently. And I see this a lot in life – people when they argue a point, argue as if no other opinion can be right or valid. When we argue and discuss the challenge is to allow room for the other, unlike the way of Korach.
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