Fighting for the Sake of Heaven

The success of the Jewish nation depends on our ability to share mutual respect for one another, even in moments of dispute.

Parshat Korach sheds light on the historical issue of discord that persists within the Jewish community, a challenge that continues to plague us today. The wisdom of our Sages emphasizes that internal conflicts have been the underlying cause of our exile, fueling animosity and contributing to the rise of antisemitic acts and attitudes in the world. To bring an end to this prolonged exile, it is imperative to address and ease the tensions and disagreements within the Jewish community. However, finding a solution is not as straightforward as simply advocating for kindness and acceptance amongst ourselves. To understand the delicate equilibrium between the individual and the nation, as well as the distinction between constructive and destructive conflicts, a closer examination of this Parsha is necessary.

The Parsha begins with the phrase "Vayikach Korach" which translates to "And Korach took."

וַיִּקַּ֣ח קֹ֔רַח בֶּן־יִצְהָ֥ר בֶּן־קְהָ֖ת בֶּן־לֵוִ֑י וְדָתָ֨ן וַאֲבִירָ֜ם בְּנֵ֧י אֱלִיאָ֛ב וְא֥וֹן בֶּן־פֶּ֖לֶת בְּנֵ֥י רְאוּבֵֽן׃

Now Korah, son of Izhar son of Kohath son of Levi, took himself, along with Dathan and Abiram sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth—descendants of Reuben [Numbers 16:1]

This verse raises several questions: What exactly did Korach take? Rashi quotes the Targum Onkelos translation, which interprets "vayikach" as "vaitpeleg," meaning "he separated."

לָקַח אֶת עַצְמוֹ לְצַד אֶחָד לִהְיוֹת נֶחֱלָק מִתּוֹךְ הָעֵדָה לְעוֹרֵר עַל הַכְּהֻנָּה, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁתִּרְגֵם אֻנְקְלוֹס "וְאִתְפְּלֵג" — נֶחֱלַק מִשְּׁאָר הָעֵדָה לְהַחֲזִיק בְּמַחֲלֹקֶת

He took himself on one side with the view of separating himself from the community so that he might raise a protest regarding the priesthood to which Moses had appointed his brother. This is what Onkelos means when he renders it by ואתפלג — “he separated himself” from the rest of the community in order to maintain dissension. [Rashi, Numbers 16:1]

Many commentators wonder why Onkelos uses this unusual translation instead of the more common translation of "and Korach took."

Another question arises from the Gemarah's teaching in Mesechet Kiddushin, which states that the word "vayikach" specifically refers to taking someone as a spouse, like a code word for marriage. The question then arises: Why does our parsha's story begin with the word for marriage, of all things?

To gain insight into our parsha, we can look to the famous Mishnah in Pirkei Avot which distinguishes between two types of disputes or "machloket" in Jewish history.

אֵיזוֹ הִיא מַחֲלֹקֶת שֶׁהִיא לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, זוֹ מַחֲלֹקֶת הִלֵּל וְשַׁמַּאי. וְשֶׁאֵינָהּ לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, זוֹ מַחֲלֹקֶת קֹרַח וְכָל עֲדָתוֹ

Which is the controversy that is for the sake of Heaven? Such was the controversy between Hillel and Shammai. And which is the controversy that is not for the sake of Heaven? Such was the controversy of Korach and all his congregation. [Avot, 5:17]

This Mishna raises a question: How can we discern whether a disagreement is genuinely driven by noble intentions, like that of Hillel and Shammai, or one that is not for the sake of Heaven, like that of Korach? The fact is, in the majority of disputes, all individuals engaged in an argument assert their moral superiority.

The answer may be found in Moshe's words when he expresses his disgust with Korach for not seeking peace. The words he uses are:

רַב־לָכֶ֖ם בְּנֵ֥י לֵוִֽי

You, sons of Levi, have plenty [Numbers, 16:7]

In other words, Moshe is telling them that nothing is ever enough for them. I believe this interpretation of the word "rav" is based on the disagreement between Yaakov and Esav during their final meeting, back in Genesis. Yaakov offered Esav a generous gift of many herds of animals, probably equivalent to millions of dollars today. Esav initially declined, using the same keyword “yesh li rav” or “I have plenty,” but Yaakov understood Esav's reply to mean that he had enough but always wanted more. Yaakov then countered by saying, “yesh li kol” “I have everything," which the kabbalistic works interpret as referring to his beloved son Joseph, who was special to Jacob. Embracing the notion of having "everything" entails recognizing the value and significance of each individual in your life, and appreciating every aspect of your existence, both material and spiritual, as something extraordinary.

Korach, on the other hand, in his protest against the societal structure in the camp, sought to eliminate any individuality in favor of prioritizing the group. When he declared, "V'chol ha'am kulam kedoshim" meaning "The entire nation is holy," what he truly meant was that no one is holy because, in his worldview, making the entire group identical mattered more than l leaving room for the individual.

As we have explained before, the central theme of the Book of Bamidbar revolves around striking this delicate balance between the needs of the individual and the needs of the collective group. In Parshat Korach, with Moshe’s response to Korach, we find an approach that emphasizes that while group identity is important, it should not overpower or completely disregard the fulfillment of individual needs.

This brings us to the core concept of engaging in arguments for the sake of heaven. The Gemarah tells us that Hillel and Shamai, despite their disagreements, always maintained a foundation of mutual regard and respect for one another, and the greater context of Torah that they were both a part of.

לֹא נִמְנְעוּ בֵּית שַׁמַּאי מִלִּישָּׂא נָשִׁים מִבֵּית הִלֵּל, וְלֹא בֵּית הִלֵּל מִבֵּית שַׁמַּאי. לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁחִיבָּה וְרֵיעוּת נוֹהֲגִים זֶה בָּזֶה, לְקַיֵּים מַה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״הָאֱמֶת וְהַשָּׁלוֹם אֱהָבוּ״

Beit Shammai did not refrain from marrying women from Beit Hillel, nor did Beit Hillel refrain from marrying women from Beit Shammai. This serves to teach you that they practiced affection and camaraderie between them, to fulfill that which is stated: “Love truth and peace” [Yevamot, 14b]

However, when conflicts arise that attempt to stifle individuality and hinder the expression of diverse opinions, it becomes clear that such arguments are not “for the sake of heaven.” God desires that group dynamic fosters individual growth rather than suppressing it for the sake of pure homogeneity.

This might be why we begin the parsha with the keyword for Marriage. Tosefos in Mesechet Kiddushin 2b highlights that the act of Kiddushin signifies that someone is uniquely special to you. By valuing and respecting a partner's individuality within the context of marriage, one is more likely to establish harmony and understanding. Conversely, if one disregards their spouse's individual feelings and thoughts in an attempt to make a single homogenous unit, akin to Korach's approach, the relationship is much more likely to be plagued by hostility and conflict. Because even while relating to others we must maintain individuality.

Thus, from the outset, Onkelos makes it clear to us that Korach's intention was not to "take" in the sense of “setting aside” to make someone feel special as in marriage, but rather to promote conflict and separation, by disregarding diversity and individuality within the whole.

The point of marriage is not to create a quick commonality by tearing down all boundaries; on the contrary, a good marriage is one in which each partner appoints the other to be the guardian of his solitude, and thus they show each other the greatest possible trust.

Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters To A Young Poet

Parshat Korach imparts a lesson about how we, the Jewish people, can end our exile. We must find a way to engage in debates and express our own opinions while simultaneously acknowledging that, regardless of our disagreements, each and every one of us deserves genuine respect and love for who we are and our individual perspectives. It is only through respecting the individual that we can build a strong, enduring, and successful Jewish nation.