Difference between revisions of "Korach's Rebellion/2"
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<category>Against Aharon, Moshe and the Tribe of Levi | <category>Against Aharon, Moshe and the Tribe of Levi | ||
<p>The rebellion was multi-faceted, with groups complaining about both spiritual and political status.  Some protested the priestly class, others challenged the choice of the Levites, while yet others had issue with Moshe.</p> | <p>The rebellion was multi-faceted, with groups complaining about both spiritual and political status.  Some protested the priestly class, others challenged the choice of the Levites, while yet others had issue with Moshe.</p> | ||
− | <mekorot><multilink><a href="IbnEzraBemidbar16" data-aht="source">Ibn Ezra</a><a href="IbnEzraBemidbar16" data-aht="source">Bemidbar 16</a><a href="IbnEzraBemidbar17-617-18" data-aht="source">Bemidbar 17:6, 17-18</a><a href="R. Avraham ibn Ezra" data-aht="parshan">About R. Avraham ibn Ezra</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="ChizkuniBemidbar16" data-aht="source">Chizkuni</a><a href="ChizkuniBemidbar16" data-aht="source">Bemidbar 16</a><a href="ChizkuniBemidbar17" data-aht="source">Bemidbar 17</a><a href="R. Chizkiyah b. Manoach (Chizkuni)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Chizkiyah b. Manoach</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RambanBemidbar16" data-aht="source">Ramban</a><a href="RambanBemidbar16" data-aht="source">Bemidbar 16</a><a href="RambanBemidbar17-62025" data-aht="source">Bemidbar 17:6, 20, 25</a><a href="R. Moshe b. Nachman (Ramban, Nachmanides)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Moshe b. Nachman</a></multilink> #1, <multilink><a href="AbarbanelBemidbar16" data-aht="source">Abarbanel</a><a href="AbarbanelBemidbar16" data-aht="source">Bemidbar 16</a><a href="AbarbanelBemidbar17" data-aht="source">Bemidbar 17</a><a href="R. Yitzchak Abarbanel" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="NetzivBemidbar16" data-aht="source">Netziv,</a><a href="NetzivBemidbar16" data-aht="source">Bemidbar 16</a><a href="NetzivBemidbar17" data-aht="source">Bemidbar 17</a><a href="R. Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin (Netziv)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin</a></multilink> Hoil Moshe</mekorot> | + | <mekorot><multilink><a href="IbnEzraBemidbar16" data-aht="source">Ibn Ezra</a><a href="IbnEzraBemidbar16" data-aht="source">Bemidbar 16</a><a href="IbnEzraBemidbar17-617-18" data-aht="source">Bemidbar 17:6, 17-18</a><a href="R. Avraham ibn Ezra" data-aht="parshan">About R. Avraham ibn Ezra</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="ChizkuniBemidbar16" data-aht="source">Chizkuni</a><a href="ChizkuniBemidbar16" data-aht="source">Bemidbar 16</a><a href="ChizkuniBemidbar17" data-aht="source">Bemidbar 17</a><a href="R. Chizkiyah b. Manoach (Chizkuni)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Chizkiyah b. Manoach</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RambanBemidbar16" data-aht="source">Ramban</a><a href="RambanBemidbar16" data-aht="source">Bemidbar 16</a><a href="RambanBemidbar17-62025" data-aht="source">Bemidbar 17:6, 20, 25</a><a href="R. Moshe b. Nachman (Ramban, Nachmanides)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Moshe b. Nachman</a></multilink> #1, <multilink><a href="AbarbanelBemidbar16" data-aht="source">Abarbanel</a><a href="AbarbanelBemidbar16" data-aht="source">Bemidbar 16</a><a href="AbarbanelBemidbar17" data-aht="source">Bemidbar 17</a><a href="R. Yitzchak Abarbanel" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="NetzivBemidbar16" data-aht="source">Netziv,</a><a href="NetzivBemidbar16" data-aht="source">Bemidbar 16</a><a href="NetzivBemidbar17" data-aht="source">Bemidbar 17</a><a href="R. Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin (Netziv)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin</a></multilink> <multilink><a href="HoilMosheBemidbar16" data-aht="source">Hoil Moshe</a><a href="HoilMosheBemidbar16" data-aht="source">Bemidbar 16</a><a href="R. Moshe Yitzchak Ashkenazi (Hoil Moshe)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Moshe Yitzchak Ashkenazi</a></multilink></mekorot> |
<point><b>Grievances</b> – Though all these sources agree that the rebels were composed of many groups with distinct interests, they disagree regarding the specifics of who was upset about what:<br/> | <point><b>Grievances</b> – Though all these sources agree that the rebels were composed of many groups with distinct interests, they disagree regarding the specifics of who was upset about what:<br/> | ||
<ul> | <ul> |
Version as of 12:04, 27 June 2019
Korach's Rebellion
Exegetical Approaches
Against Aharon
The whole rebellion revolved around one main issue, the choice of Aharon as priest.
- Levites – R. Chananel maintains that the 250 people were all from the tribe of Levi.7 They, like Korach, were not satisfied with "serving the priests" and aspired to be priests themselves.
- Reubenites – According to Rashi, the men were mainly from the tribe of Reuven. Rashi suggests that their joining the rebellion was a technical result of their living close to and being swayed by Korach, but it is possible that the tribe as a whole felt that they deserved priestly status due to their ancestor's being the firstborn to Yaakov (see R"Y Bekhor Shor above).
- All of Israel – Alternatively, it is possible that this group was comprised of people from all the tribes. This position might maintain that before the sin of the Calf and the building of the Tabernacle, every individual Israelite had been allowed to sacrifice on private altars, and the people were hoping to return to this status quo.8
According to this approach, Datan and Aviram are not really bothered by Moshe's leadership as a whole, only by (what they perceive as) his nepotism in choosing his brother. Their words "כִּי תִשְׂתָּרֵר עָלֵינוּ גַּם הִשְׂתָּרֵר" are an accusation that Moshe is abusing his power for self-interest.11
- Moshe might have been hoping to weaken the coalition, trying to influence individual members to change course. Thus, after (unsuccessfully) trying to convince the Levites that they had no good cause for rebelling, he turned to sway Datan and Aviram, but they refused to come before him.
- According to R"Y Bekhor Shor, though Datan and Aviram agreed with Korach's challenging of Aharon, they opposed the proposed incense test.13 Moshe, thus, called them to personally invite them to join the larger assembly in the contest. The brothers refused, claiming that they did not need a test to prove who was in the right.
- The directives regarding guarding the Mishkan and not coming close might be repeated here since the rebellion proved that previous warnings had not been sufficient.
- Perhaps, Hashem first introduces the law that the priests (and Levites) are not to inherit here, to highlight to the rebelling nation, that priesthood comes not only with privileges, but also with costs.
Against Aharon and Moshe
The rebellion had two focal points. Korach and his 250 followers objected to Aharon's priesthood, while Datan and Aviram challenged Moshe's leadership.
- Two complaints – The arguments of Korach and the 250 men and the complaints of Datan and Aviram are totally distinct, one focusing on the cultic realm and one on political issues.
- Two attitudes to Moshe – While Korach and the 250 princes recognize Moshe's authority and heed his words, Datan and Aviram do not.21
- Two locales – Physically, the two groups are located in different places. The fact that Moshe must send for Datan and Aviram (v. 12) implies that they were separate from the other rebels.22
- Two tests / punishments – The two groups are proven wrong and meet their deaths in different ways. While the 250 princes are burned by Divine fire, Datan and Aviram are swallowed by the earth.
Against Aharon, Moshe and the Tribe of Levi
The rebellion was multi-faceted, with groups complaining about both spiritual and political status. Some protested the priestly class, others challenged the choice of the Levites, while yet others had issue with Moshe.
- Challenging Aharon and the priesthood – Most of these sources assume that Korach was jealous of and desired Aharon's position. Ibn Ezra adds that the Levites as a whole might have resented having to serve the priests. According to Netziv and Hoil Moshe, in contrast, it was the lay Israelites who wished to be priests.31
- Protesting the selection of the Levites – Ibn Ezra, Ramban, Chizkuni and Abarbanel present this complaint as emanating mainly from the firstborns32 who had originally played a role in the cultic service33 but were then displaced by the Levites,34 while the Netziv and Hoil Moshe, in contrast, claim that the Israelites at large were bothered by the monopoly of the tribe.
- Challenging Moshe - According to Ramban and Hoil Moshe, Datan and Aviram challenged Moshe's overall leadership, blaming him for taking them to die in the Wilderness.35 According to Ibn Ezra and Abarbanel, in contrast, they36 were upset about their tribe losing its firstborn status to Yosef as regards inheritance, and to Yehuda as regards leadership.37
- Firstborns – Ibn Ezra, Ramban, Chizkuni and Abarbanel assume that the 250 men were composed mainly of firstborns who protested the selection of the Levites and their being ousted from cultic service.
- Noble Israelites – Hoil Moshe, in contrast, assume that the 250 men were noblemen from throughout Israel, who questioned the monopoly on sacrificial service held by both the priests and tribe of Levi as a whole. They wished to return to the state which existed before the Sin of the Golden Calf, when all could partake in the service.42 Netziv even presents them as holy men, with noble and sincere, though misguided, motives.43
- Ibn Ezra posits that the brothers had offered a sacrifice at some point prior to our story and Moshe prays that it not be accepted by Hashem in light of their actions.
- Hoil Moshe, in contrast, suggests a "תיקון סופרים", that the phrase be read as if written, "לא אפן אל מנחתם". Moshe's words are not a prayer that the rebels' sacrifices not be accepted, but a claim of Moshe's own innocence, parallel to his following statement, "לֹא חֲמוֹר אֶחָד מֵהֶם נָשָׂאתִי".
- Selection of Priests and Levites – According to Ibn Ezra and Abarbanel the nation was not convinced by the incense test, blaming Moshe for telling the nation to bring a fatal foreign fire (or otherwise causing the people's deaths). As such, a new test was needed to prove the worthiness of both Aharon and the Levites.
- Selection of the tribe of Levi – Alternatively, Hoil Moshe suggests that the incense test sufficed to convince the nation of Aharon's worthiness, as he alone survived, proving that he was the only one worthy of bringing incense. However, the people still had doubts regarding the selection of the tribe of Levi as a whole.55 Since the bringing of incense was a rite reserved for priests, it shed no light on who was worthy of Levitical service and a new test was needed.