This week's Miller's Musings is sponsored:
לעילוי נשמת חיים בן פרטונה
and should be for a רפואה שלמה for
יהודה זאב בן ברכה אלכסנדרה גילה
דבס''
MILLER’S MUSINGS
קרחפרשת
*Follow the Leader*
Korach has gone down in ignominy for all generations as the man who stood against Moshe Rabbeinu but lost in the most poignant, yet devastating manner. Korach’s introduction is rather curious in that it appears to begin a sentence without quite completing it. The Posuk reads “And Korach took...and Doson and Avirom…and On ben Peles…” without ever clarifying what it was that Korach took. How are we to understand this rather enigmatic verse?
One of the most tragic elements of Korach’s demise was that he was in fact a great person himself, albeit woefully misplaced in his convictions. He was amongst the leaders of his tribe and was therefore by definition a man of wisdom and distinction. And yet his fall from grace was both dramatic and complete. How could he have come to such a nadir to end up as he did? In Rav Dessler’s essay on lovingkindness, he explains that there are in essence two types of individuals; the giver and the taker. Most people are composed of both aspects to varying degrees, each vying for control and perpetually in battle with each other. The statement “and Korach took” right at the outset of Korach’s diatribe against Moshe was perhaps not really about Korach taking anything, but rather an indictment of his true motivation behind all that was to follow. Contrary to his claims, he was not on a mission to bring about equality, rather he was looking to take honour, take from Moshe and Aharon their rightful place over the nation and take all that he felt he deserved. Moshe was ultimately vindicated and Korach shown to be driven only by greed, but right from the onset we are told that Korach’s machinations were only for himself and therefore doomed to fail.
What does it take to be a great leader? Korach thought he knew, but was severely mistaken. More specifically, does one’s moral character affect one’s ability to lead and can one be a good leader if one is ethically bankrupt? In the secular world it would seem that these two things are not mutually exclusive. There have been those in the past who have certainly led morally questionable lives, yet are considered to have steered their country with mastery and success. Even today questions are asked about certain heads of state and their moral compasses, but it is unclear if this impinges on their capabilities in their role. With regard to leadership within a Torah framework, however, it is clear that correct values and virtuous actions are an absolute imperative. Korach was clearly a ‘taker’ and thereby lacked the requisite traits for this responsibility. Moshe had neither the oratory skills nor the ambition to govern, yet was chosen because he possessed immense humility and cared for all. We are told little of Aharon’s credentials, aside from his pursuit of peace, but he was selected to preside over the holiest place on earth. An authority figure must first be someone we would aspire to emulate. Without this you may be in charge but you are certainly not a leader.
* May this Shabbos inspire us all to be people worthy of leadership*
לעילוי נשמת לאה בת אברהם
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