“Every argument which is for the sake of will ultimately endure, but every argument which is not for the sake of heaven will not endure.
And what is an argument which is for the sake of heaven? This is the ‘argument’ of the students of Shammai and the students of Hillel.
And what is an argument which is not for the sake of heaven? This is the argument of Korach and his congregation” (Pirkei Avot 5:20)
The Mishnah above, often discussed in the context of Parshat Korach, does not tell us what characterizes or determines when an argument for the sake of heaven. Instead, our Rabbis provide examples of each and leave it to us to determine wherein lays the difference between Hillel & Shammai and Korach.
In understanding the story of Korach that we read about this Shabbat, hopefully we can better appreciate the deeper meaning of this Mishnah and the lesson it teaches. At first glance, the words of Korach do not seem to be all that problematic:
You take too much upon yourselves, for the entire congregation are all holy, and the Lord is in their midst (16:3).
As we have learned from previous parshiot, all of Klal Yisrael is, in fact, holy and Hashem does dwell among all of the people—so why should there be some “more holy” in position than others?
Moreover, we read just a few weeks ago in Parshat Behaalotcha that Aharon was rewarded with the eternal task of lighting the Menorah, because he had been envious of the other tribal leaders for their having been able to bring gifts during the dedication ceremony of the Mishkan. What is the difference between Aharon wanting to have more of a role in the service of Hashem and Korach’s seeming desire to have a higher role in the service of Hashem?
The difference between Aharon and Korach may be subtle, but this difference is what qualified Aharon to be the Kohen Gadol (the very position that Korach was challenging), and Korach to be notoriously remembered as a rebel. Whereas Aharon wanted to be able to give to Hashem as the other tribal leaders did, Korach wanted to take away the role of the Kohen Gadol in being able to serve Hashem on a higher level.
Rav Binny Friedman points out that the very first words we read about Korach are vayichach Korach, and Korach took (16:1). This is not merely stating what Korach did, but also who he was—he was a taker. Korach’s challenge was not a means to raise himself spiritually in his service to Hashem, but it was instead driven by his desire and greed for honor and glory.
Chazal point out that Korach’s complaint was markedly different from all other challenges of that generation, in that Korach was not complaining about something that was lacking (i.e. water or meat), or about concern (i.e. Golden Calf and Sin of the Spies). In this case, Korach was simply challenging authority in hopes to bring Moshe and Aharon down, rather than to accomplish any greater goal.
Perhaps, this is at least one level of understanding why the Mishnah defines Korach’s argument as not for the sake of Heaven—Korach’s arguments were not to raise himself up towards Hashem on His heavenly throne, but instead to diminish the power of others, to lower the status of those around him.
So often when we feel discontent with our lot in life, our status either in the physical or spiritual realm of our lives, and perhaps by instinct we are more inclined to try to bring others down to our level than we are to try to work our way up to theirs. As always, the Torah speaks to human nature: In describing the ground swallowing up Korach and his followers as a consequence of their actions, the Torah tells us that this method of trying to bring others down will only bring us down further. As the parsha continues, we learn the alternative, right way to raise ourselves in the way that Korach was unable, or not willing to do.
While Korach’s claim that all of the Jewish people are inherently holy is not wrong, what Korach failed to recognize is that everyone is on their own level of kedusha—and this is based on how hard we work to get closer to Hashem. It is true that we are all part of the am segula, that Hashem loves each one of us equally and unconditionally, but this does not take away from our obligation to always work towards better ourselves and our relationship with Hashem.
We find this lesson embedded in the symbolism of the different episodes in the parsha. In order to prove to the nation that Aharon was in fact chosen by Hashem to be the Kohen Gadol, all of the tribal leaders were instructed to bring a staff to leave overnight in the courtyard. The following morning when the people find that only the staff of Aharon flowered and generated almonds, they understood that Hashem had chosen him for this role.
Rav Frand notes that many commentaries ask why the staff contained both the bud that preceded the fruit, as well as the fruit itself (naturally, the bud disappears once the fruit bears itself on the tree)?
Rav Moshe Feinstein suggests that the symbolism of the bud along with the fruit highlights the importance of preparation—the fruit cannot blossom without proper preparation; in other words, closeness to Hashem cannot be experienced without our efforts.
In Judaism, we are not judged only for the outcome of our actions, but we are judged also on our efforts and our intentions/motivations. Korach’s words were not inherently wrong, but his intentions were. Korach wanted to prove that everyone is holy as a means to excuse himself from not having to work on developing himself or his relationship with Hashem. This is reflected also in the Midrashic account of Korach challenging Moshe as to why he must put a blue string an already blue pair of tzizit, or place a mezuza in a home filled with Torah – Korach wanted to exempt himself from giving a little more of himself - from going the extra step, in terms of his relationship with Hashem.
And so we learn from Korach’s mistake, that even after we have achieved a certain level of closeness with Hashem—we must still be working to get higher and higher, closer and closer. This is the precise fundamental of Judaism that Korach was challenging—if we are all holy, he wondered why do we have to keep working on ourselves and our relationships with Hashem?
[If we could just imagine if we took that approach with any of our relationships, it would become immediately clear to us why that is a very ominous attitude to have and detrimental approach to take in our relationship with our loved ones.]
Every argument we have, every internal debate or choice we have to make can be le’shem shamaim, for the sake of Heaven—and it should be. With every decision we make we are able to reach higher, to grow. Sometimes to gain in the spiritual world, is to lose in the physical world whether through time or effort – this is what Aharon understood, but Korach did not–to serve Hashem and to raise himself up is to be willing to give. When we are givers, and not takers in any of our relationships, certainly with Hashem, then we rejoice in others abilities to serve Hashem and try to emulate their ways—rather than try to prevent them from doing so.
May we always recognize our place as part of Hashem's beloved, holy nation - and let this awareness not, G-d forbid, prevent us from bettering ourselves constantly, but inspire us and move us to keep growing and growing, higher and higher! SHABBAT SHALOM, Taly
