Korach: The Right Way to Prove Others Wrong

By Mordy Blau

When a leader has a mission, it is not enough to merely show why the alternatives are wrong. One must show that their own approach is the correct one and we need to look no further than our parsha, Parshat Korach, to see this message.

Korach and his followers complained that it was unfair that only Aharon could enter into the Kodesh HaKodashim and that if anyone else tried to enter they would die. They claimed that all of Am Yisrael was holy (Bamidbar 16:3), so why should Aharon get special treatment? As a response to Korach’s complaint it was decided that Aharon and Korach, along with Korach’s followers, would each bring a special offering and Hashem would accept the one who was correct. The big day came and Hashem very clearly chose Aharon as a heavenly fire consumed his Korban, while the ground underneath Korach and his followers opened and swallowed them up.

In the end it was no competition; Hashem showed that Korach was not a worthy leader. Since the results were so clear, what happened immediately afterwards in the Parsha is very puzzling. Following Korach’s rebellion, Hashem instructed Moshe to set up a second contest. Each shevet had to bring a staff and place it in the Ohel Moed, including Aharon on the behalf of shevet Levi. The staffs would then be left overnight and whomever’s staff would blossom would be the Shevet chosen by Hashem to lead the nation. The following morning Moshe went to the tent and discovered that a bud had sprouted and almonds had ripened on the staff of Levi. This was a clear sign that Aharon was the true chosen one and that he was justified in being the Kohen Gadol.

What was the point of the second test? Didn’t the first trial with Korach powerfully prove that Aharon was properly chosen? Let’s put this question in abeyance and delve into Yeshayahu’s first prophecy in order to gain more insight on the matter.

Yeshayahu was one of the Neviim who was especially known for his extremely high level of prophecy. Chazal go as far to compare him to the great Moshe Rabbeinu in terms of clarity of their Nevuot (Yerushalmi Sanhedrin 10:2). In the beginning of Sefer Yeshayahu, we see Yeshayahu rebuking Bnei Yisrael to do Teshuva. He tells Bnei Yisrael that their Korbanot and prayers are worthless because their hands are filled with blood (Yeshayahu 1:15). Yeshayahu then goes on to tell Bnei Yisrael that they need to purify themselves and cease doing evil, and start doing good and seek justice (Yeshayahu 1:16-17). The Malbim highlights this passage and says that it is not enough to stop sinning; one must also perform good deeds. The only way people can perfect themselves is through positive action. This idea portrayed by the Malbim can possibly answer our question as well.

Using the same approach as the Malbim, my father, Rabbi Binyamin Blau, suggests that just as Yeshayahu rebuked Bnei Yisrael by not only telling them that what they were doing was wrong, but also that they had to do what was right, so too Hashem not only had to prove that Korach was the wrong leader, but also that Aharon was the right one. A second contest was absolutely necessary to bring out the positive qualities that Aharon possessed. When the flowers blossomed, it was a heavenly sign that Aharon was worthy to be the leader in his own right and not just in contrast to Korach. Whenever a leader tries to convey a vision, he must show why the other side is wrong but more importantly why he is right.

Why would someone ever try to prove their message by proving the opposing views wrong and not showing why they are right? I would still have so many other messages that might be right and have no opinion on yours. We clearly see from the story of Korach and Isaiah that discrediting alone is not true success. In order to be a great leader one must actively push their message in a positive way. Only then can you make sure that your message is truly heard.