Despair and Mediation: Moses Between Rebellion and Divine Wrath

Truths - Jewish Wisdom for Today

In this episode of "Truths: Jewish Wisdom for Today," Rabbi Dr. Levi Brackman discusses the Torah portion of Korach, focusing on the rebellion led by Korach against Moses and Aaron. Korach's challenge was based on the idea that all Israelites are holy and should be allowed to serve as priests, not just Aaron and his descendants.
Levi highlights three instances when God wanted to destroy the Israelites:
1. **The Spies' Report (last week's Torah portion, Shelach)**: The spies gave a negative report about the land of Israel, causing the Israelites to wish to return to Egypt. In despair, Moses fell on his face, pleading with God not to destroy the people, arguing it would damage God's reputation among other nations.
2. **Korach's Rebellion**: Korach and his followers' challenge led to God threatening to annihilate the Israelites again. Moses, in despair, fell on his face and argued with God that punishing everyone for the sins of a few was unjust. God relented, but many of Korach's followers were still punished.
3. **Aftermath of Korach's Rebellion**: The people blamed Moses and Aaron for the deaths caused by the rebellion, prompting God to consider wiping out the entire nation. This time, Moses, understanding the futility of further arguments, instructed Aaron to take immediate action with incense to stop the ensuing plague.
Levi explores Moses' responses to these crises, noting that Moses' falling on his face symbolizes despair rather than prayer. He reflects on Moses' role as a mediator between the irrational behavior of the Israelites and an overreactive God. Moses' arguments often centered on appealing to God's sense of justice and reputation. However, when reasoning failed, Moses resorted to direct action to mitigate God's wrath.
Levi concludes by emphasizing the complexity of these narratives and the challenges Moses faced in navigating between the expectations of the people and the reactions of God. He encourages listeners to draw their own conclusions from these thought-provoking episodes in the Torah.

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Levi Brackman is a rabbi, Ph.D. in psychology, best-selling author of Jewish Wisdom for Business Success, and founder of Invown, a platform for real estate fundraising and investing.