Parashat Korach - Question Authority

I originally wrote this Drash (Torah study) in 2006. As I needed to use it for an online study group as well as a congregational presentation, I edited it for clarity and to bring it up to current standards.

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Parashat Korach (Korah/bald)

Torah: Num. 16:1-18:32
Haftarah: I Sam. 11:14-12:22
Brit Chadasha: Rom. 13:1-7 (Lederer)
Acts 5:1-11 (Feinberg)

Question Authority

This parasha is primarily about leadership and how people are to relate to their leaders. Moses and Aaron were chosen emissaries of G-d to lead His people Israel. Korach and some of those in his circle took exception to this. They confronted Moses and Aaron and questioned their leadership. Their argument was that Israel was G-d’s chosen people, and they were all holy – Moses and Aaron were the same as everyone; no holier than anyone else. Korach and his followers expected an explanation, but that is not what they got.

Num. 16:28 Then Moses said, "This is how you will know that the L-RD has sent me to do all these things and that it was not my idea: 29 If these men die a natural death and experience only what usually happens to men, then the L-RD has not sent me. 30 But if the L-RD brings about something totally new, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them, with everything that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the grave, then you will know that these men have treated the L-RD with contempt."

16:31 As soon as he finished saying all this, the ground under them split apart 32 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, with their households and all Korah's men and all their possessions. (NIV)

Korach and his men questioned the leadership G-d placed above them, and they got gulped. They never did get an explanation of why Moses and Aaron were their leaders, but simply proof that they were their leaders. The reason did not matter. G-d placed Moses and Aaron in a leadership position. That should have been explanation enough.

The Torah portion continues in chapter 17 with yet another physical sign of Aaron’s leadership. Various men in the camp put their staffs in a specified area, and Aaron’s started to bud – that was the sign that G-d said would show who the leader was. Again, there was no talk of why Aaron’s staff started blooming when those belonging to others didn’t – only that this was to be the sign.

Chapter 18 talks about the specific duties of Priests and Levites. 18:25-29 talks about tithing – this is the verse where we get the figure of 10 percent and are commanded to give this offering towards the maintenance of the temple, and in modern days to our congregation or fellowship.

The Haftarah portion ties in closely with the Torah portion. Samuel is reminding people of how G-d appointed Moses and Aaron to lead. He reminds them of the consequences of disobedience.

I Sam.12:14 If you fear the L-RD and serve and obey him and do not rebel against his commands, and if both you and the king who reigns over you follow the L-RD your God--good! 15 But if you do not obey the L-RD, and if you rebel against his commands, his hand will be against you, as it was against your fathers. (NIV)

Samuel links obeying G-d with obeying the king. And the king, as the leader, of course also has to submit to G-d.

In the Lederer selection for the Brit Chadasha, the Apostle Paul also talks about leadership. According to Paul, the governing authorities are placed in their positions by G-d, and as a result, the people must do what is expected of them as responsible citizens. He compares rebellion against authority with rebellion against G-d.

Rom. 13:7 Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. (NIV)

Back in biblical days, Moses and Aaron were leaders appointed by G-d. They knew it; the people knew it. When we think of authority in a modern context, it can be applied to government officials. Government leaders are not appointed by G-d. They are elected by people. People who are not perfect. As a result, sometimes the government officials make decisions that we have trouble accepting as believers. It is at this point that we start to question authority.

I’ve been involved in my local activist movement for a number of years, and I can tell you that people who question authority are often branded as radicals, as rebels, but rebelling against authority – depending on how you define “rebellion” does not necessarily have to mean rebelling against G-d.

To speak up for what one believes in a peaceful, productive manner is not rebellion. It is as much a part of being a responsible citizen as paying taxes. Trying to influence the direction of public policy is not rebellion. It is an expression. It is not going to crumble the order of things to question authority. If leadership has merit, it can stand the test of inquiry. Moses and Aaron sure did.

In fact, I would be willing to go so far as to say that we have an obligation to speak up if we find something going on in society that goes against our consciences as believers. If we define “rebellion” as failing to tow the party line without question, we have a serious problem when that authority is acting in a way contrary to G-d, with potentially dangerous consequences. Using Paul’s writings as the basis for what constitutes rebelling against G-d through rebelling against the authorities, the people of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising were rebels. The righteous Gentiles who hid Jews during the Holocaust were rebels. And Praise the L-rd they were!

And now let’s look at how submitting to leadership related to the life of Yeshua. Yeshua submitted to G-d’s authority before worldly authority. He did many things that irked both the religious and political leaders of His day. He challenged the rabbis when they took him to task for His actions, and when the governing authority asked him to cool it, He wouldn’t. The result? We all know how this story ends (or, begins, because He will come again).

In our congregations of fellowship, we are to respect our leaders. Otherwise, the Body cannot function as a whole if the people are in rebellion against the leadership. This does not mean there will never be friction – in fact, some friction can be a positive thing. Leadership needs accountability as much as anyone else in a congregation. But it has to be dealt with in a positive and productive manner. The Matthew 18 principles of how to approach conflict resolution definitely apply. Also, because G-d’s word is Eternal, we still have an obligation to tithe, as outlined in Numbers 18:25-29, because this is how the work of the L-rd is supported.

As a side note, G-d has different roles for each of us. For some of us, it is leadership. It doesn’t necessarily mean those chosen to lead are better, or more holy, but that this is a given role for a purpose or season. Not everyone is gifted or intended to be a leader. Accepting our gifts and roles is important. Korach and his cohorts did not understand this.

It all comes down, as it usually does, to obedience towards G-d. G-d appointed Moses and Aaron as leaders, and when that was questioned, G-d got angry and there were consequences. G-d has many things He wishes us to follow – whether we do or not is our choice, and the results of our actions come about depending upon our choice to follow His word.

Parashat Bamidbar

Parashat Bamidbar (In the Wilderness)
May 23, 2009/29 Iyar 5769

Torah: Num. 1:1-4:20
Haftarah: Hosea 2:1-22
Brit Chadashah: 1 Cor. 12:12-20 (Lederer)
Romans 9:22-33 (Feinberg)

While Moses was leading the Israelites through the wilderness after the Exodus from Egypt, the L-rd asked him to take a census. He gave instructions on how it was to be carried out:

Numbers 1:1 The LORD spoke to Moses in the Tent of Meeting in the Desert of Sinai on the first day of the second month of the second year after the Israelites came out of Egypt. He said: 2 "Take a census of the whole Israelite community by their clans and families, listing every man by name, one by one. 3 You and Aaron are to number by their divisions all the men in Israel twenty years old or more who are able to serve in the army. 4 One man from each tribe, each the head of his family, is to help you. (NIV)

Needless to say, this was a very big job. But it had to be done, because every Israelite was important to God. These were God’s people, and He appointed Moses to be in charge of them during their time on earth. The Torah portion progresses with an extensive list of names of the tribes, and then concludes with specific instructions to Aaron and his sons on how to care for the Tabernacle.

The prophetic portion is from Hosea. Hosea was commanded by God to marry a harlot, despite her corrupt and atrocious behavior. Through his love, Hosea was able to redeem her.

Hosea 2:19 I will betroth you to me forever;
I will betroth you in righteousness and justice,
in love and compassion.

20 I will betroth you in faithfulness,
and you will acknowledge the LORD. (NIV)

Hosea’s love for his wife reflects God’s love for His people, for even when our actions and thoughts and lives are against His standards, He still loves us and wants to draw us closer to Him.

In one of the suggested Brit Chadasha portions, the Apostle Paul lists how different parts of the body make up the whole being of a person. Each part of the body, in turn, works together so that the entire body functions as it should. This is a metaphor for how all of us as believers make up the body of Messiah. Paul’s main point comes in this verse:

1 Cor. 12:13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. (NIV)

When we accept Messiah Yeshua, we automatically are counted in God’s census. It’s not just open to Israelites anymore, but to everyone. As well, each one of us has gifts and abilities that G-d gave us and that we need to use in order for the Body of Messiah to work properly. Have you made sure that you are counted?

Parashat Lech Lecha

Parashat Lech Lecha (go forth, yourself!)
November 8, 2008/10 Cheshvan 5769

Genesis 12:1 - 17:27
Isaiah 40:27 - 41:16
Romans 4:1 – 25

This week’s Torah portion is about keeping promises. Promises are a two-way street for believers. When we are faithful to G-d, He is faithful to us.

However, even when we know we have to trust in the L-rd and be faithful to Him, sometimes our faith is tested. And sometimes, even when we have a message that we know is coming from the L-rd Himself, we decide to take matters into our own hands and do what we think is best, instead of what He wants us to do. We may be willfully disobedient out of fear, impatience, pride, or simple foolishness. Abraham, one of the Patriarchs of our faith, embodied several of these character flaws. In the end, however, the L-rd proved faithful and Abraham stood strong in his obedience.

In this week’s parasha, when he was still known as Abram, he and his wife (still known as Sarai) were following some directives from G-d. Abram was sent on a holy and very important mission.

The Lord had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." (Gen 12:1-3 NIV)

When Abram gets to Egypt, however, he does something very dumb – he passes off his wife Sarai as his sister to the Pharaoh. As a result, Sarai gets taken into Pharaoh’s palace, and the L-rd ends up inflicting serious diseases upon him. When Pharaoh discovers why he was being punished, he casts out Abram and Sarai.

Afterwards, Abram becomes wealthy in the Negev in livestock and currency, then travels through several other locations--Bethel, Sodom, and Hebron. Now, Abram thinks he has a problem – he has acquired so much land and material wealth that he is concerned that he has no one to inherit it all. He and Sarai have no children. So, he turns to the L-rd and the L-rd tells him not to worry because he will have a son. Apparently, however, trusting G-d to keep His word is not enough for Abram. So, when Sarai offers her maidservant Hagar to Abram, he takes her and she becomes pregnant. Soon, Sarai begins to resent her and treat her badly, so Hagar flees. The L-rd promises Hagar that the child she will bear will have many descendants. The son is Ishmael, and indeed, he has many descendants – the Arab kingdom.

Finally, we come to the generational covenant G-d makes with Abram in chapter 17.

"As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram ; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you.” (Gen 17:4-6 NIV)

G-d tells Abraham once again that he will have a son with Sarah, a son who will be called Isaac. The L-rd also establishes circumcision as the mark of the covenant, so both Abraham and Ishmael are circumcised. The fact that Abraham was willing to undergo this painful physical alteration at the age of 99, and put all the men in his household through it as well, demonstrates Abraham’s faithfulness. It also demonstrates the transformation that comes when we choose to follow G-d – Abraham was transformed physically and by his name.

G-d has the power to change lives, when we let Him in. The prophetic portion describes the kinds of things those who choose to believe can expect to experience.

Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (Isa 40:28-31 NIV)

The Brit Chadasha portion continues to describe how G-d’s promises will be fulfilled to the faithful, pointing back to the Torah portion and the birth of Isaac.

Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be." Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead-since he was about a hundred years old-and that Sarah's womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. (Rom 4:18-21 NIV)

Let’s remember to keep our promises to G-d by being faithful to Him. Our blessing will be His faithfulness to us.

Parashat Masei

Parashat Masei (Journeys)
August 2, 2008/1 Av 5768

Torah: Num. 33:1-36:13
Haftarah: Jer. 2:4-28
Brit Chadasha: James 4:1-12

In this, the final Torah portion of the book of Numbers, Moses is commanded by G-d to record all of the journeys the Israelites took when they came out of Egypt. Chapter 33 lists these journeys, stage by stage. It ends with the Israelites camping along the Jordan, and getting ready to cross into Canaan. G-d has some specific instructions for Moses to tell the people:

Numbers 33:51 "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: `When you cross the Jordan into Canaan, 52 drive out all the inhabitants of the land before you. Destroy all their carved images and their cast idols, and demolish all their high places. 53 Take possession of the land and settle in it, for I have given you the land to possess. 54 Distribute the land by lot, according to your clans. To a larger group give a larger inheritance, and to a smaller group a smaller one. Whatever falls to them by lot will be theirs. Distribute it according to your ancestral tribes.

33:55 " `But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land, those you allow to remain will become barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides. They will give you trouble in the land where you will live. 56 And then I will do to you what I plan to do to them.' " (NIV)

G-d wants to make sure that His people are not corrupted by the idolatry which they will find in this new land.

Chapter 34 discusses the boundaries of Canaan, which in effect describes the borders of Biblical Israel. Chapter 35 talks about the Cities of Refuge, where those who accidentally kill someone can flee and be protected from being killed themselves in retribution. The portion ends with Chapter 36, discussing the inheritance of Zelophehad’s daughters, who were instructed to marry cousins on their father’s side of the family in order to make sure their inheritance remained within their clan and tribe.

The prophetic portion in Jeremiah talks about the people of Israel turning away from G-d and falling into idolatry. G-d is asking them how they can do such a thing after all He has done for them:

Jeremiah 2:5 This is what the L-RD says:
"What fault did your fathers find in Me,
that they strayed so far from Me?
They followed worthless idols
and became worthless themselves.

2:6 They did not ask, `Where is the L-RD,
who brought us up out of Egypt
and led us through the barren wilderness,
through a land of deserts and rifts,
a land of drought and darkness,
a land where no one travels and no one lives?'

2:7 I brought you into a fertile land
to eat its fruit and rich produce.
But you came and defiled my land
and made my inheritance detestable. (NIV)

The idea of turning away from G-d is again emphasized in the Brit Chadasha reading. The people are at once chastised for turning away from G-d and being double-minded, and told that turning back to G-d will protect them.

James 4:7 Submit yourselves, then, to G-d. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to G-d and He will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the L-rd, and He will lift you up. (NIV)


How this Torah portion has a practical application to our lives is quite simple, but complicated at the same time: the journeys that we take are affected by the choices that we make.

We are constantly faced with situations in which we have a number of paths that we can choose, and that choice ultimately affects the next journey, with the next set of choices, and so on. Because G-d gave us free will, we’re not little pawns on a spiritual chessboard. That’s part of faith: bathing our lives and decisions in prayer and G-d’s word, making the specific decision, and then dealing with the consequences.

When we keep focused on G-d, sometimes there are no “right” and “wrong” decisions – G-d works with us in whatever circumstances He finds us in. It is when we start to veer away from judging our actions and decisions against G-d’s standards in the Bible and not taking the time to pray over things, that things can start to get dicey. For example, being habitually angry, lying, cheating, stealing – these are all things that G-d warns us about. When we are living outside of G-d’s design, we’re sinning, and there are clear consequences for that – separation from G-d. The Israelites who fell into idolatry did not just do that by accident – they chose to, willfully. On the other hand, Zelophehad’s daughters married according to G-d’s wishes, and as a result their inheritance of land remained in their tribe.

“Oh, but I could not help myself.” “It was the other person’s fault” and other such excuses people make for their ungodly behaviour are common – but self-deceptive. Somewhere along the way, the person had to make a choice that led to the negative situation. This also doesn’t mean that the results of every choice we make, even when prayed over and held up to G-d’s word, will necessarily be wonderful. We find ourselves faced with tough situations at times, and sometimes none of the available options are palatable. But it is better to face the tough times with G-d than without Him.

The New Covenant portion states that that “anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of G-d” (James 4:4, NIV). What does this mean? Again, it has to do with choices. Either we put G-d first in our lives, or something else becomes our G-d. I know people who are so into sports, or music, or movies, or some other kind of hobby, that it is practically all they talk about, think about, and do. For them, that object of their attention is their god. We don’t necessarily have to give up the things we enjoy or the possessions we have – but our focus needs to be primarily on G-d.

There are also people who are quick to make everything spiritual. Of course, G-d cares about everything that we do; He knows the number of hairs upon our heads. But if you are praying about what breakfast cereal to eat, or which colour socks to wear, you might be taking things too far. These things are temporary and external and of no lasting significance.

Finally, even when we willfully sin, there is always room for repentance. We’re human, we make mistakes, and not one among us is perfect. There are going to be times when we do something we shouldn’t do. And G-d’s attitude towards that is: fine. Do what you are going to do. And when you realize the error of your ways, and decide to turn back towards Me, I’ll be there for you. But He is never going to force us to make the “right” choices, whatever those may be, which is why how serious someone is about G-d is reflected in their lifestyle. It is all about choices.


Chazak! Chazak! V’nit’chazek!

Parashat Matot

Parashat Matot (Tribes)
July 26, 2008/23 Tammuz 5768

Numbers 30:1-32:42
Jeremiah 1:1-2:3
Acts 9:1-22

Parashat Matot demonstrates the transforming power of G-d that works both as we follow His word and as we allow the Ruach Ha’Kodesh (Holy Spirit) to enter our lives and guide our actions.

Numbers 30 described vows, particularly their importance and how they relate to the relationships between husband and wife, and fathers with young daughters still at home.

Numbers 30:1 Moses said to the heads of the tribes of Israel: “This is what the L-RD commands: 2 When a man makes a vow to the L-RD or takes an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word but must do everything he said. (NIV)

In Numbers 31, the nation of Israel is triumphant against the Midianites, and the spoils of the conquest are divided. Numbers 32 described what happens to the Transjordan tribes – these were two tribes, Reuben and Gad, with large herds and flocks who request to have their portion of the Land of Israel to be east of the Jordan River. Moshe objects to this at first.

Numbers 32:14 “And here you are, a brood of sinners, standing in the place of your fathers and making the L-RD even more angry with Israel 15 If you turn away from following him, he will again leave all this people in the desert, and you will be the cause of their destruction.” (NIV)

The tribes, however, plead their case and receive permission after stating that they will be advance troops in case of an attack. These lands become part of the Biblical boundaries of Israel.

In the Haftarah portion, coming from the Book of Jeremiah, the L-rd calls Jeremiah, and through this call we can see the L-rd’s call on our own lives.

Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
6 “Ah, Sovereign L-RD,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am only a child.”
7 But the L-RD said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a child.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you.
8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the L-RD. (NIV)


This is not the only example in Scripture where someone is called by G-d to do something, only for that person to have doubts. Sometimes as believers, we know in our hearts that G-d is with us, but we’re still afraid to act even if we are sure He is guiding our actions. Verses like these in Jeremiah should give us comfort and confidence that when He is with us, we need to let go and trust.

The Brit Chadasha portion is from Acts. Saul, a Jewish persecutor of believers in Yeshua becomes Paul, someone who is moved to preach the Gospel.

Acts 9:21 All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn't he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn't he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?”
22 Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Yeshua is the Messiah. (NIV)

The transformation of Saul to Paul demonstrates how people can change though G-d’s redeeming power. We all have our “before and after” stories as believers. Paul has one of the most dramatic stories of coming to faith in the entire Bible, and one to which many Jewish believers can relate. Some of us come from backgrounds where we were quite suspicious and hostile toward believers in Yeshua, especially Jewish believers, who were seen to be traitors to their heritage. Then when Yeshua comes into our lives, our perspective totally changes. Non-Jewish believers also have their own stories of how answering the call of Yeshua on their lives has changed them.

A believing life involves faithfulness – just like the adherence to vows required in Numbers. It involves obedience – just like listening to and acting upon the call of G-d in our lives. And it involves transformation – just like Paul experienced. Blessed be He who calls us and transforms our lives!