A rebel seeks to overthrow the leader. He gathers 250 people and foments an uprising. A struggle ensues between the current leader and the newly formed militia and God is called on to decide the outcome of the battle. God opens the earth, and the earth swallows the rebel and the 250 people who sided with him.
There are many questions in this week’s Torah portion. Why did Korach (the rebel) revolt against Moses (the leader)? Korach was a Levite, which was the tribe with a special role in the Israelite community. The Levites set up and transported the Tabernacle in the desert and later served the priests in the holy Temple in Jerusalem. Korach resented that Moses was closer to God than he was, even though Korach was higher in the hierarchy than the majority of Israelites. Korach, speaking to Moses, exclaims, “You have gone too far!” Korach comes to Moses in anger, and he does not come alone. He approaches Moses with 250 men. Korach could have come to Moses to discuss, debate, or even complain about whatever grievances Korach truly had. But instead, he formed an aggressive mob. He did not want to hash out the issues. Korach was hostile. This episode is a lesson in what not to do when one has a conflict with someone in a community.
In America today, we also do not know how to have healthy conflicts. Political violence is rampant and many personal relationships are fraught. We are a nation with strife that is not getting resolved. Unfortunately, this is mirrored within our Jewish community. We have authentic differences about the direction of America and its current leadership, and we have painful disputes about Israel – often within our own families. We tend to see the ‘other side’ as morally inferior, or even dangerous. The left thinks that Israel has lost its moral compass, and that Israel may collapse because it’s losing its identity as a ‘light among the nations’. The right believes that the left are naive and if they were in power, Israel would be destroyed by its many enemies. The stakes are seen as existential.
At J Street we pride ourselves in having rich discussions about Israel. Perhaps because we have people to the right and to the left of us within the Jewish community, we are able to see the full spectrum of beliefs. We can be a bridge between sides. We talk about the conflict with the Palestinians. We debate the war with Iran and Lebanon. We do not avoid the complexities and pain. We do this by listening and understanding each other’s viewpoints – especially when they differ from our own. We do this within the J Street community, because we are not a monolith, and we do this with Jews who are not aligned with us politically. Recently I led several workshops with psychologist Dr. Richard Stern about how to listen to other Jews’ beliefs around Israel. We practiced deep listening without trying to change people’s minds. We sought to understand rather than convince. We sought empathy rather than enmity. We pursued connection and relationship through our disagreements.
These conflicts are damaging our community. But thankfully Judaism gives us endless examples of how to have debates in a healthy way. In a few weeks we will read about the daughters of Zelophehad. The five daughters oppose the law that only sons can inherit land. Since their father does not have sons, his land would be lost to his only children. So what do they do? The daughters go to Moses and share their complaint. They do not go in anger. They do not go with a mob. They express what is on their hearts. And Moses listens. He consults God, and God changes the law. So as we read this parsha, let us be inspired to truly listen and come together through our profound differences. Let us repair the fractures within the Jewish community through sincere dialogue. Let us reach out to those with whom we disagree – before these conflicts swallow us whole.
Rabbi Beth Janus is the immediate past president of the Board of Rabbis of Greater Philadelphia. She is involved with J Street nationally and locally. She works at Lafayette Redeemer, teaches and conducts life cycle ceremonies in the Philadelphia community.