Sedra of the week: Korach
By Rabbi Joseph Dweck 
“Which arguments are for the sake of Heaven? Those of Hillel and Shamai. Which arguments are not for the sake of Heaven? Those of Korah and his company.” (Pirkei Avot, 5:17)
Moses and Aaron are faced with a coup that threatens to dissolve the cohesiveness of the fledgling nation of Israel.
Korah, a close cousin of Moses and Aaron, accuses the two brothers of monopolising the power and of limiting the priestly status (kehuna) to their own family. Our sages see the conflict of Korah and company as the paradigm of destructive dispute. But not all arguments are destructive.
Some conflicts are an essential part of learning and can be forever valuable. How does one detect which conflicts are productive and which are damaging?
One feature of wholesome arguments is that they serve to advance our understanding and knowledge. Opportunities are presented for each side to further refine, strengthen and defend its position in response to refuted points.
Argument then becomes essential to wisdom, understanding and the development of ideas. The dialectics of Hillel and Shamai are recognised by the sages to be of this class. With Hillel and Shamai, it was not a question of who was right, but rather, what elements of the issue must be clarified? How does the other person’s argument conflict my own position? And what defence – if any – must I employ to uphold my idea?
None of the differences in their discussions were personal. (Yebamot, 14b). In these instances, where the goal is not to triumph but rather to discover and elucidate realities, argument happens with respect. T
he opponents often develop a love for one another, recognising that their arguments provide each other’s ideas with strength and validity. Why then did Korah’s argument cause such strife? His words seemed so simple and innocent: “All of the community is sanctified and God is within them”. But Moses heard Korah claiming that the detail was unimportant and the individual meaningless. Instead of seeing the beauty in all of the different aspects of Israel, Korah sought only to assert his opinion no matter the outcome.
We have all known such arguments and, unfortunately, similar people. The people who are involved in Korah-type conflicts will never truly listen to the opinion or vision of the other side.
They will yell and scream – or better – refuse to discuss at all. Is there genuine interest in understanding the opinion of the opponent?
Is there maintenance of respect for the dialectic and those involved? Is there a joy in uniqueness? If there is, it is a dispute that is the life-blood of learning and discovery. If there isn’t, it is nothing but arrogance disguised in noble debate.
• Joseph Dweck is senior rabbi of the Spanish and Portuguese Jews’ Congregation
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
