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Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Bamidbar
- Korach
In Parshat Shlach, the majority of the greatest spiritual leaders in the nation (the M’raglim) conclude that the time was not right to enter Israel. Only Kalev & Yehoshua – who were of lesser stature than several others around them – took a minority view & recommended Aliya. And Hashem approved of their "anti-Establishment" position.
Yet here in our Sedra, Korach also goes against the "Establishment" when he takes on cousins Moshe & Ahron. He, too, stands up to the leadership of the nation, to men greater than he, arguing that radical changes in the system must be made & a new direction followed. And opposed to the M’raglim dissenters, he’s swallowed up by the Earth, condemned to eternal damnation!
So how do we decide when to "go against the grain," & when to respect the existing status quo? This is not just some theoretical issue; it involves real choices in the real world. The subjects of these Parshiyot – Israel & Jewish leadership - are as crucial today as they were then.
Do we follow the dictates & personal example of leading Rabbinic figures who do not lead us to Israel – bodily or Halachically – or do we reject them & go our own way, even if that way is a minority position? How do we determine who is a Moshe, & who is a M’ragel?
Might I be so bold as to suggest that there are times when we must follow our own spiritual compass. When we must "ask a shayla" of our own conscience & spirit, & have the courage to follow the answer our soul tells us is right. Yes, we must have authentic Rabbinic backing to lean on, but even if our choice is a minority view, we may follow it, if our neshama tells us that it is the proper path.
Is that not what Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi did when he went against tradition & wrote down the Mishna, the Oral Law? Or what Rav Yochanan ben Zakai did when he disobeyed orders from the ruling authorities & met with the Romans to plead for "Yavne & its Sages?"
Ultimately, of course, we must be prepared to be held accountable for our decisions. We know that it is Hashem who will judge us & ultimately rule if we acted correctly, l’shem Shamayim, or were just "rebels without a cause." Jewish leadership requires a combination of conscience & courage, with hard choices & substantial risk. But it also determines who is a Korach & who is a Kalev.
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Complaints about Contractor’s Work – part II
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: Twin Foundations
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
D'varim Judaism’s Social Vision
Re’eh
Giving is more than an act of generosity—it is an essential part of human dignity that belongs to everyone, rich and poor alike. The ultimate goal of help is to empower others to stand on their own.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 9 - "Seeing is Believing" (parag. 21-30)
These paragraphs elaborate on the theme that seeing and knowing is better than any attempt to prove logically, and begins explaining the difference between Israel and gentiles.
Ein Aya Various Universal Stages of the Geula Process
Rav Kook examines the various stages of redemption, explaining how (in addition to the obvious oft-mentioned stages of ingathering the exiles, reviving the Hebrew language, army, state etc.) the messianic dream of world prosperity, the State of Israel and world unity can and are realistically and logically gradually coming true.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
How do we know that the "claim" of mass revelation to 2,000,000 witnesses at Mt. Sinai is really true? This important class answers all of the questions skeptics ask about this claim of the Kuzari.
Ein Aya Armies Still Necessary for Balance & the War Against Wars
Rav Kook explains why the world was originally divided into the various seemingly contradicting ideologies and cultures, in order to develop each one respectively. Swords or armies symbolize how each respective ideology defends themselves, as well as deters their opposing ideologies and cultures. On the other hand, the messianic era will be one of peace, and Rav Kook explains the transition to that stage, which mankind is already undergoing.
