Parshat Korach raises the question of what is a legitimate rebellion. After all, rebellion is something that has long been important to Jews and to Americans.
Abraham rebelled against the regnant idolatry of his community and his father, the idol seller, and went forth to become the first Jew. The Israelites rebelled against slavery in Egypt. As Americans, we would not be here without the rebellion of 1776, whose 250th anniversary we are celebrating this summer.
So what about Korach? Was he like these famous rebels of the past whom we admire?
The parsha begins with two simple words –וַיִּקַּח קֹרַח - “Korach takes” – one translation says that he “betook himself” along with Dathan, Abiram, and On as well as 250 community leaders to challenge Moshe.
There is a variety of explanations of what it is that he took, but I believe that “Korach took” can be seen in the sense of “getting taken” as if by a con man. He took the rebels along for his cause, a cause they soon realized was about him, not the greater good.
Korach attracts his followers by asking the schoolboy question: Who are you to tell me what to do? Government theorists have a fancier name for it, namely the question of legitimacy.
G-d, who, in addition to being the Ultimate, is also the ultimate government theorist, addresses this problem in the Torah by providing the whole story in order to demonstrate his legitimacy, or his right to rule.
Instead of beginning with a list of laws, G-d begins much more starkly, in the first chapter of Genesis: “In the beginning, G-d created the heavens and the earth.”
Who did it? G-d.
When did he do it? In the beginning.
What was there beforehand? Nothing.
Then in Exodus, he reminds us that he took us out of slavery. In this way, G-d teaches us that he is the responsible party, that he created the world, took us out of slavery, and has the right to rule as he sees fit.
We see something similar in our American system, and we must recall that the founders were savvy government theorists themselves, and they also knew their Bible. Therefore, the Constitution does not begin by saying there are three branches, or what powers are inherent in the executive branch. In contrast, the Constitution begins with a preamble, saying that this government is being formed by “We the People…”
Our founders recognized what G-d did in the Bible: if you’re going to tell somebody what to do, you’re going to need to explain what gives you the right to do so.
Korach fails to do this. He is just griping, with no legitimacy behind him and advocating for no greater cause. On this 250th anniversary of our great nation, we should avoid the endless gripes of Korach, and make sure to celebrate this special anniversary, and appreciate our ability to live freely as both Jews and Americans, in this the greatest country in the history of the world.
Dr. Tevi Troy, a best-selling author, historian, and a former United States Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services.
