[Avodah] Re "Shabbat Forshpeis" [Toras Aish for Korach 5783 / Volume XXX Number 35]

[Michael Poppers]

In this week's TA, RAW (cc:ed) compares and contrasts the events of Korach
*va'adaso* and of *chet ha'eigel*.  He notes that in the earlier event,
Aharon was "the peacemaker who attempts to bring calm, measured relief to
an explosive situation" -- e.g. by declaring "Chag laH' machar", he was "hoping
that by the morrow, the people will change their ways"; and he contrasts
Aharon's efforts w/ those of MRAH -- "Moses, on the other hand, is far more
aggressive. Without a prior command from God, he shatters the tablets in
reaction to the golden calf (Exodus 32:19)." -- and continues, "In the
Korach episode, Moses acts similarly, announcing the rebels will die an
unnatural death. And so it was: the earth opened up and swallowed Korach
and his cohorts (Numbers 16:28–33)."  WADR, RAW omits MRAH first attempting
to allow the later-event *eidah* time to reconsider -- see the Midrash
Rabba (summarized by RaShY) on "Boqer..."
<https://mg.alhatorah.org/Full/Bemidbar/16.5#e0n6> -- and Aharon acting
<https://mg.alhatorah.org/Full/Shemot/32.4#e0n6> in a less-than-ideal
manner at the earlier event to the extent that MRAH would say "ki heiveisa
alav." <https://mg.alhatorah.org/Full/Shemot/32.21#e0n6>  These omissions,
I believe, vitiate RAW's subsequent summary, "What emerges from these two
episodes are two different ways to deal with communal crisis. Aaron’s
approach is one of quiet diplomacy. Moses’s style is bold, strident,
pointed, and even militant."  To me, one conclusion from both MRAH and
Aharon & from both events is that one should not respond in kind to
strident *machloqes* -- seemingly, it's better to delay/calm the situation
down -- but should be prepared to vigorously act *l'sheim Shamayim* after
that initial delay.

A gut'n Shabbes/Shabbas Shalom!
and all the best from
*Michael Poppers* * Elizabeth, NJ, USA
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.aishdas.org/pipermail/avodah-aishdas.org/attachments/20230623/dfa605eb/attachment-0002.htm>