The Right Way to Revolt

Parashat Korach

June 27, 2025

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to affect their Safety and Happiness.”

Those Founding Fathers had some chutzpah. Nearly 250 years ago next week, they declared to the King of England that a government exists to protect the rights of its citizens, that a government derives its powers from the consent of the governed, and, most radically, that the people have the right to overthrow a government if it doesn’t do its job properly. It is remarkable that this band of rebels dared to make such a declaration, and more remarkable that they won a war against the mighty British military in order to make that declaration a reality. That is some powerful chutzpah. A little help from France didn’t hurt either.

This week’s Torah portion, Korach, is an interesting counterpoint to the story of our nation’s birth. Korach is the antithesis of the Founding Fathers, and his story ends very differently than our American fight for independence. The comparison of these two stories highlights important truths about successful leadership and healthy communities.

Korach is a member of the tribe of Levi and a cousin of Moses and Aaron. He gathers a group of fellow malcontents to challenge Moses and Aaron’s authority, saying, “You have gone too far! For all the community are holy, all of them, and ‘ה is in their midst. Why then do you raise yourselves above ‘ה’s congregation?” (16:3). At first, it sounds like Korach has a point. The community is holy – a kingdom of priests and a holy nation, as God calls Israel back in Exodus. And the Eternal is in their midst – God has been leading the people through the wilderness, miraculously providing water and food all along the way. On the surface, Korach sounds like one of the Founding Fathers, asserting that all men are created equal. Why should everyone just accept that Moses and Aaron are worthy of being the leaders of the community? As the story unfolds, though, Korach is shown to be not a champion of equality, but a dangerous demagogue.  

The problem is that Korach isn’t just asking some innocent questions about how Aaron and Moses were chosen to be leaders of the Israelites. He’s not challenging their authority because he thinks they’ve done a poor job or even because he thinks he could do better. He is simply hungry for power, and envious that they have more than he does. That’s why he says, “Rav lachem!” which is often translated as “you’ve gone too far!” but really means “You have a lot!” or “You have too much!” Korach isn’t interested in the well-being of the community; he is motivated entirely by self-interest. We know this even before he opens his mouth. The story begins, “Vayikach Korach – Korach...took and rose up against Moses.” Korach took – took what? There’s no object in the sentence. The commentators offer their ideas. “Korach took men with him” says one medieval scholar, referring to the band of followers Korach assembles.  “Korach took himself,” says another; in other words, Korach separated himself and his followers from the community. One midrash suggests that Korach “took” the people in with gentle words, manipulating them into following him. And one more midrash suggests that “Korach took nothing. His heart took him,” (BR 16:18) meaning that his lust for power overtook him and caused him to rise up against Moses and Aaron. Whichever interpretation you like best, it is clear that Korach is, at his core, a taker rather than a giver. His version of leadership sows division and conflict as a method for his own personal gain rather than in pursuit of the common good. That is why Korach is doomed to fail in his rebellion. In a dramatic showdown between Korach and Moses, God causes the earth to open up and swallow Korach and his followers. The message is clear: a rebellion is only worthy of success if it is a revolt against tyranny, not an attempt to become the tyrant. The community requires leaders who are humble enough to put the public good above their own private desires.

And that is one of the reasons, I think, the leaders of the American Revolution succeeded. Though the Founding Fathers certainly had their disputes, and certainly had their egos, they really were united in a greater purpose and a shared vision for America. At the signing of the Constitution in 1787, Benjamin Franklin said:

I confess that I do not entirely approve of this Constitution at present, but Sir, I am not sure I shall never approve it: For having lived long, I have experienced many Instances of being oblig’d…to change Opinions even on important Subjects, which I once thought right, but found to be otherwise…. In these Sentiments, Sir, I agree to this Constitution, with all its Faults…. For when you assemble a Number of Men to have the Advantage of their joint Wisdom, you inevitably assemble with those Men all their Prejudices, their Passions, their Errors of Opinion, their local Interests, and their selfish Views. From such an Assembly can a perfect Production be expected? It therefore astonishes me, Sir, to find this System approaching so near to Perfection as it does; and I think it will astonish our Enemies, who are waiting with Confidence to hear that our Councils are confounded, like those of the Builders of Babel, and that our States are on the Point of Separation, only to meet hereafter for the Purpose of cutting one another’s Throats. Thus I consent, Sir, to this Constitution because I expect no better, and because I am not sure that it is not the best….On the whole, Sir, I cannot help expressing a Wish, that every Member of the Convention, who may still have Objections to it, would with me on this Occasion doubt a little of his own Infallibility, and to make manifest our Unanimity, put his Name to this Instrument.”

Benjamin Franklin urges his fellow founders to show some humility, to set aside their personal feelings, and to accept the Constitution, even the parts they didn’t get their way on. The result was the creation of a constitution and a country that have held up pretty well for the last 250 years.

The earth is (probably) not going to open up and swallow all the despots and demagogues of the world. It’s up to us to keep alive the Founding Fathers and Mothers’ vision and to choose leaders who will protect it. May we all keep striving for that more perfect union, that more perfect world.