Chukat
Numbers 19:1 - 22:1
Précis: The parasha begins with a discussion of the Red Heifer, used for ritual purification after one comes into contact with a dead body. The story then shifts to the death of Miriam, and the mourning for her by the entire people in the wilderness of Zin. With her death, the well of water disappears, and Moses strikes a rock to provide water to the People. Soon thereafter, Aaron also dies, and the Israelites engage in warfare with the Canaanites in a series of battles which conclude the parasha.
Numbers 20:1-2 “The Israelites arrived in a body at the wilderness of Zin on the first new moon, and the people stayed at Kadesh. Miriam died there and was buried. The community was without water, and they joined against Moses and Aaron.”
Here we have the juxtaposition of two events: Miriam’s death and the people demanding assistance from Moses and Aaron. We can observe, from the perspective of Moses and Aaron, an early example of what today we call the “life balance” issue. Moses and Aaron can’t mourn for their sister – the People need water.
Some would say that the increasingly complex work environment, coupled with pressures to perform for companies or organizations which are ever more “bottom-line” driven, make our lives more difficult and certainly more stressful. Things which we assumed would make our lives “easier” have, in fact, increased the reach of work into the dwindling amount of “free time” or “family time” we actually have (cell phones, email, etc. etc.) We are pressured to respond to the demands of work on a 24/7 basis. Our current economic uncertainty has only added to this sense of pressure.
For a Jewish professional, the convergence between work place demands and a private life is one of the most difficult aspects of the career choice we make. There is an inevitable conflict between personal needs and communal responsibility. Moses and Aaron were denied the time to grieve over their sister’s death; the People demanded that their needs be immediately addressed. While such a stark contrast may not happen often in our own lives, nevertheless we are constantly faced with choices. Do we sacrifice a child’s recital to attend a board meeting? Do we miss the family dinner because we can “get some stuff done” at the office when “nobody is around.” Is our vacation with a spouse interrupted by emails and text messages from work? Does the ringing of the phone get in the way of our own study or prayer?
A Jewish professional must learn to take care of his or her personal needs, be they individual or familial, if the professional is going to be able to support the community. Hillel wisely stated, “If I am not for myself, who is for me?”
Friday, June 18, 2010
Friday, June 11, 2010
The Spiritual Dimension of Power
Korach
Numbers 16:1 - 18:32
Précis: Korach foments a rebellion, claiming that Moses and Aaron have taken too much power upon themselves. Dathan and Abiram also attack Moses’ leadership, claiming that Moses has brought them from a land of milk and honey (Egypt!) only to let them die in the wilderness. A test of fire offerings is arranged, and Korach and his followers are destroyed as the earth opens and swallows them. The People continue to complain, God threatens to destroy them once again, but Moses and Aaron intercede, ending a plague which had slain 14,000 people. A final test – that of staffs – is performed, and when Aaron’s staff miraculously blossoms on the following morning, it is clear that his status as High Priest is secure. The duties of the Priests and Levites are then discussed.
Numbers 16:1-3 “Now Korach…with Datan and Abiram…took themselves up against Moses and against Aaron and said, ‘You take too much upon yourselves, seeing that all in the congregation are holy….’”
JTS Chancellor Ismar Schorsch, writing in his weekly d’var Torah (7/2/05), focused on an important part of Moses’ character: “his refusal to exploit his position and power for personal gain.” Korach and his followers protest Moses’ authority using “democratic rhetoric” – they imply that they are merely seeking equality and that only they want to "share" power. We look at their actions and see demagogues. Moses, on the other hand, is ever humble. He understands that power corrupts, and that it can corrupt religious leaders.
Taking another perspective with a focus on Korach, Rabbi Jonathan E. Blake [Reform Voices of Torah (6/23/08)] suggests that Korach's fatal flaw was “his allegiance to the material over the spiritual. Korach got caught up in the material trappings of power, when the actual job called for acute sensitivity to the spiritual dimension of leadership.”
This comment reflects the traditional, highly negative perspective of the Sages towards Korach: they felt that he was venal and materialistic. One midrash suggests that Korach was very wealthy, having served as Pharoah’s comptroller, who had held the keys to the treasure house. Judaism seems to have a healthy disrespect for extreme wealth. This is not to say that Judaism devalues wealth: the mitzvah of tzedakah presupposes that money is available for good purposes. But our tradition, contrary to the portrayal of Korach, maintains a spiritual dimension to human existence. Without cultivating the spiritual side of life, we become like Korach: obsessed with things, blind to spiritual matters, and unfit for leadership among the Jewish People.
Numbers 16:1 - 18:32
Précis: Korach foments a rebellion, claiming that Moses and Aaron have taken too much power upon themselves. Dathan and Abiram also attack Moses’ leadership, claiming that Moses has brought them from a land of milk and honey (Egypt!) only to let them die in the wilderness. A test of fire offerings is arranged, and Korach and his followers are destroyed as the earth opens and swallows them. The People continue to complain, God threatens to destroy them once again, but Moses and Aaron intercede, ending a plague which had slain 14,000 people. A final test – that of staffs – is performed, and when Aaron’s staff miraculously blossoms on the following morning, it is clear that his status as High Priest is secure. The duties of the Priests and Levites are then discussed.
Numbers 16:1-3 “Now Korach…with Datan and Abiram…took themselves up against Moses and against Aaron and said, ‘You take too much upon yourselves, seeing that all in the congregation are holy….’”
JTS Chancellor Ismar Schorsch, writing in his weekly d’var Torah (7/2/05), focused on an important part of Moses’ character: “his refusal to exploit his position and power for personal gain.” Korach and his followers protest Moses’ authority using “democratic rhetoric” – they imply that they are merely seeking equality and that only they want to "share" power. We look at their actions and see demagogues. Moses, on the other hand, is ever humble. He understands that power corrupts, and that it can corrupt religious leaders.
Taking another perspective with a focus on Korach, Rabbi Jonathan E. Blake [Reform Voices of Torah (6/23/08)] suggests that Korach's fatal flaw was “his allegiance to the material over the spiritual. Korach got caught up in the material trappings of power, when the actual job called for acute sensitivity to the spiritual dimension of leadership.”
This comment reflects the traditional, highly negative perspective of the Sages towards Korach: they felt that he was venal and materialistic. One midrash suggests that Korach was very wealthy, having served as Pharoah’s comptroller, who had held the keys to the treasure house. Judaism seems to have a healthy disrespect for extreme wealth. This is not to say that Judaism devalues wealth: the mitzvah of tzedakah presupposes that money is available for good purposes. But our tradition, contrary to the portrayal of Korach, maintains a spiritual dimension to human existence. Without cultivating the spiritual side of life, we become like Korach: obsessed with things, blind to spiritual matters, and unfit for leadership among the Jewish People.
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