Parshat Korach - Tough Love
by Rabbi Lobel

Numbers; Chapter 16, Verse 1) “And Korach, son of Yizhar, son of Kehas, son of Levi, separated himself.” Korach was about to challenge Moses' leadership. As Rashi explains, Korach was jealous that Elizaphan, son of Uzziel, was appointed by Moses as prince of the family of Kehas, one of the three families of Levi responsible for maintaining the Tabernacle.

Kehas had four children, Amram, Yizhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. Moses, the leader of Israel, and Aaron, the High Priest, were the sons of Amram. By the rules of succession, Yizhar's oldest son, Korach, was next in line. Instead, upon G-d’s command, Moses appointed Elizaphan, son of Uzziel, the youngest son of Kehas. Korach, jealous that he’d been passed over, challenged Moses’ credibility as G-d’s representative.

“Moses heard and fell on his face.” (Numbers 16:4) Rashi, based on Medrash Tanchuma (4), explains that this was Israel's fourth insubordinate act. First was the Golden Calf, then the complaints (Numbers 11), and then the spies. Korach’s rebellion was the fourth episode and Moses became weakened and had little strength to pray on Israel's behalf.

Rashi compares this to a parable – On three occasions, the king’s son acted shamefully. Each time, the King's friend successfully interceded with the king on the son’s behalf. However, after the fourth occurrence, the son’s friend lost faith the king would be appeased yet again.

In the parable, G-d is King, Israel is the son, and Moses is the King's friend. Yet, it’s not a perfect parable because, in this instance, Moses wasn’t only the friend, he was also the victim, the one being directly challenged and attacked by Korach.

Or maybe it is a perfect parable. Even while being attacked, Moses’ sole concern was the children of Israel, the “King’s son”. Moses never acted to defend his honor or sought to punish those who offended him. Like the friend in the parable, he pleaded with the king on the son’s behalf, never his own.

As leader of the Jewish people and G-d’s emissary, Moses had many justifications for defending the honor of his “office”. Yet he never did. His concern was only and always for the welfare of his people – the mark of a true leader.