Why Good Struggles To Defeat Evil

Because villains often see themselves as righteous.

DEVAR TORAH - KORACH

Who is His, and who is holy?

This week we read in the Torah the story of Korach and his rebellion. As the parsha (portion or chapter) opens, things are not going great for the Israelites.  They are in turmoil. Last week we read about the sin of the spies and how their lack of faith led to the entire first generation of Israelites—those who HaShem led out of  of bondage from Egypt, and who experienced the revelation at Sinai— to be condemned to die in the wilderness, never reaching the Promised Land. 

This week’s Parsha shows the aftermath of this shattered collective vision. The loss of the goal, of the promised destination towards which they've all been striving opens up the possibility of figures like Korach to incite rebellion.

We're all familiar with the story of the Korach, a cousin of Moshe, a Levite, a guardian of the Ark of the Covenant. Korach was a very wealthy man.  He was a wise man. He was a person who should count his many blessings and be content. Yet, driven by jealousy at not being chosen as a High Priest and believing himself to be as holy as Aaron and Moshe, he leads a rebellion. 

The cautionary tale lies in the divine challenge Moshe sets before Korach and his followers. Moshe instructs Korach and his band to bring their fire pans to the Tent of Meeting the next day, at which point HaShem will judge who “…shall be the holy one.” [16:7]. Dennis Prager comments that it is surprising that Korach accepts the challenge without hesitation. The next morning, he and his followers all show up, (with the notable exception of Dathan and Abiram), fire pans in hand, showing no doubt that he might lose. This illustrates a critical point: many who do wrong believe they are righteous. Or to out it another way, bad people very often think they are good. This self-righteousness can be destructive, as other people also come to see the bad guys as the good guys. The implications of which are manifold.

Korach seduces 250 other prominent Israelites, members of the tribe of Reuben, to join him with an argument rooted in demagoguery.  He claims that God is with all the people, that the whole congregation is holy, and reproaches Moses and Aaron for putting themselves above the other tribes. He asserts their divinity in the process of leading a rebellion that goes against everything Hashem has given to the Israelites.

Rabbi Jacob Milgrom observes the profound effect Korach’s rebellion has on Moshe. “His enemies charged him with dictatorial ambitions, with the assumption of total power by arrogating all political authority to himself…If one compares Moshe [before and after Korach] a profound character change is discernible.  Moses had been adjudged the humblest of men because of he was impervious to the taunts of his opponents (12:3) This time, however, not only does he ask God to destroy Dathan and Abiram, but he even specifies the means of the destruction. How different is this Moses from the Moses of the plagues, who never initiated either by act or word, but as God’s obedient servant.” It follows then, perhaps not surprisingly, that Next week we read the story of Moshe striking the rock, a loss of faith in its own right, the punishment for which is Moshe never reaches the Promised Land either.

Even after Korach is killed in dramatic fashion, (the earth opens up and swallows him and his followers), the rebellion against Moshe and Aaron does not end.  As Rabbi Joseph Telushkin writes, “The following morning, “the whole Israelite community” rails against Moses and Aaron, shouting, “You have brought death upon the Lord’s people” (17:6). Moses, presumably astounded at the widespread support for the rebellion says nothing.

Death of Korah, Dathan and Abiram, Gustave Doré, 1865.

Despite their lack of loyalty, Moshe remains steadfast.  As Telushkin comments, “When HaShem threatens to ‘annihilate them in an instant.’ Moshe urges Aaron to make an offering on their behalf. God accepts the offering but, as noted, sends a plague to punish 14,700 of Korah’s remaining supporters.”

This story exemplifies why good struggles to defeat evil: because villains often see themselves as righteous. History is filled with leaders who committed terrible acts, convinced they were right. Such leaders exploit fragmented societies, spreading rebellion and radicalism.

As we approach elections in America and around the world, with shifting balances of power and emerging leaders, it is crucial to remember to place our faith not in individuals but in HaShem. Cultivating our divine spirit guards against those who, under false pretenses, could lead entire communities astray. Instead, remember the words we pray every Shabbat as the Torah is removed from the Ark, “I am the servant of the Holy One, blessed be He…I do not at any time put my trust in man…but only in God of heaven who it the true God. Whose Torah is truth, whose prophets are true, and who performs numerous deeds of goodness and truth.”