Qorah: Human Rights for Heavens Sake

By Rabbi Yehiel Grenimann on June 26, 2008 - כ"ג סיון תשס"ח

The dramatic story of the rebellion against Moses and Aaron in the desert that appears in this week’s Torah reading became a significant symbol in the teachings of the rabbinic sages. The saying from Pirkei Avot (Chpt. 5, 17) is well known:

A controversy for Heaven’s sake will have lasting value, but a controversy not for Heaven’s sake will not endure.

What is an example of a controversy not for Heaven’s sake?

The rebellion of Korah and his associates.

Korah represents a kind of leader for whom his own personal benefit is a primary goal, and not the actual content of his claims and arguments, such as;

“All the people are holy…why should you lord it over them/..”etc.

(Numbers, 16,3)

and not the good of the people despite these words.

The strong feeling of disgust sensed by all those following Israeli politics lately is evoked by the impression that our current leaders are often like Korah and his crew and not like Moses, our teacher,, that not justice and righteousness is their concern nor the well-being of the nation but rather the pleasures and advantages accruing to them from the positions they hold.

Just so in my dealings in the territories I come across demagogical and cynical statements by representatives of various groups and institutions that claim that they are concerned with the public good, when in fact they are mainly concerned with particular and narrow interests.

The following statement (quoted by Nadav Shragai last Friday in HaAretz) is an example:

“The leadership of the Yitzhar committee stated that the damage done to Palestinian fields and homes in their outburst after police demolished an illegal caravan at Yitzhar was; “a display of good citizenship intended to help the police enforce the laws of planning and building in the area on the Palestinians well”"

The Hassidic commentary, Noam Elimelch suggests a way of judging which is which when faced with demagoguery. How much hatred is entailed within the camp making the statement.

Rabbis for Human Rights recommends that you read these articles in Qorah

Qorah: Human Rights for Heavens Sake - June 26th, 2008
Desecrating Their Graves- Desecrating Our Souls - July 8th, 2007
Qorah: Clarity in arguments in defense of Human Rights - June 23rd, 2006

Categories: Qorah
Tags: Bo, Features, human rights, palestinians, rest, righteousness, settlers