June 7-8,
2013 / 30 Sivan 5773
Torah:
Numbers 16:1 - 18:32
Maftir:
Numbers 28:9 - 28:15 | Shabbat Rosh Chodesh
Haftarah:
Isaiah 66:1 - 66:24 | Shabbat Rosh Chodesh
“Choosing
Holiness”
Dear Friends,
There is the old story of the rabbi who mediates an
argument by listening carefully to both sides.
When the presentations conclude, the rabbi says to one, “You are right.” To the other, he says, “You are right.” Someone listening to the conversation asks, “Rabbi,
how can both be right?” To which the
rabbi answered, “And you are right, too!”
In this week’s Torah portion, a rebellion breaks
out against Moses and Aharon led by Korach and his followers. Korach opposes Moses’ primary leadership role
citing that all the children of Israel are holy and therefore, do not need a
strong central leader. Korach makes a
good point, yet his rebellion fails, leaving a legacy of commentary and
learning opportunities.
I like philosopher Martin Buber’s take on the
incident. Buber explains, “Both Moses
and Korach desired the people to be … the holy people. But for Moses this was the goal.
In order to reach it, generation after generation had to choose again
and again… between the way of God and the wrong paths of their own hearts;
between life and death.… For Korach, the
people… were already holy… so why should
there be further need for choice? Their
dispute was between two approaches to faith and life (Moses: The Revelation and
the Covenant).
While both make good arguments, they can’t both be
right. Judaism follows Moses’ lead,
asking each one of us to continually study, grow and commit ourselves to the
path of law, justice and fairness. As we
mature, each Jew is challenged to see law, rules and regulations not as
limiters to our path towards holiness, but as facilitators. Judaism has kept its strength over the
millennia because it demands of us to choose.
Furthermore, it requires that we teach our children to choose well - in
favor of law, order, structure. Judaism
is founded on the fundamental principle that the true pathway to peace and
holiness is through the creation of community, civilization and society.
L’Shalom,
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