{"id":47486,"date":"2019-01-14T12:12:49","date_gmt":"2019-01-14T10:12:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?p=47486"},"modified":"2022-08-07T10:54:24","modified_gmt":"2022-08-07T07:54:24","slug":"korah-and-his-company","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/korah-and-his-company\/","title":{"rendered":"Korach And His Company"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Illustration for Chapter 16:<\/p>\n

Following the episode of the spies, in this chapter Moses faces yet another challenge to his leadership. Korach and his Levite followers formed a coalition with other dissatisfied groups, Dathan, Aviram, and On from the tribe of Reuven and \u201ctwo hundred and fifty Israelites, chieftains of the community chosen in the assembly, men of repute\u201d (16:2). <\/span><\/p>\n

Each group had its own grievance. Korach resented Moses for selecting Aaron and his sons for the priesthood rather than his family. The Reuvenites were angry because their tribe was deprived of the status and privileges of the firstborn. The chieftains of the community were bitter because God appointed Moses as the sole leader of the Israelites, as they were certain that they, too, were capable of leadership: \u201cWhy then \u00a0do you raise yourselves?\u201d (16:3).<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen Moses heard this, he fell on his face\u201d (16:4). He approached each of the rebelling factions to try to resolve the various disputes. When all his attempts failed, God took a hand, and told Moses and Aaron: \u201cStand back from the community that I may annihilate them in an instant\u201d (16:21). Moses and Aaron pleaded with God: \u201cWhen one man sins, will You be wrathful with the whole community?\u201d (Num. 16:22). God then said: \u201cSpeak to the community and say: Withdraw from about the abodes of Korah, Dathan, and Aviram\u201d (Num. 16:24). <\/span><\/p>\n

How did God punish the rebels, and what can we learn from that about their sin?<\/span><\/p>\n

The painting conflates all the rebels into one large and complex scene. Moses, standing to the right holding his rod, is figured against dark burgundy-colored hills that seem to reflect his stormy emotions. The artist depicts the elders of Israel aligned behind Moses, using a blue arrow-like design to suggest their cohesiveness. On the far left we see the round-topped tents of Korah, Dathan, and Aviram. <\/span><\/p>\n

As they were protesting God\u2019s choice of Moses as their political and spiritual leader because they wanted to enjoy the earthly benefits that they imagined would come with leadership, their punishment was to be of the Earth, which would open up and swallow them. Moses had barely finished speaking when the ground under them burst asunder: \u201cThey went down alive into Sheol with all that belonged to them; the Earth closed over them\u201d (16:32\u201333).<\/span><\/p>\n

The picture shows Korach and his followers and the rebellious group from the tribe of Reuven falling helplessly into the chasm and the Israelite chieftains who aspired to reach Heaven by becoming self-appointed priests as being engulfed by a fire that came from Heaven. Along the right side of the chasm we see yellow flames devouring very small sketched figures with incense pans in their hands. <\/span><\/p>\n

The conflation of the brightly burning fire coming from the top and the dark pit full of falling figures on the bottom joins Heaven and Earth together in punishment for the sin of rebelling against God\u2019s religious, spiritual, and political designs for the people of Israel.<\/span><\/p>\n

Artwork by: Avner Moriah, by courtesy of the artist<\/p>\n

Text by: Dr. Shulamit Laderman, who holds a\u00a0<\/span>PhD in Art History and has published extensively on Jewish and Christian influences on biblical interpretive illustration.<\/p>\n

For the entire weekly portion series, please visit: <\/span>https:\/\/avnermoriahprints.com\/collections\/parasha<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","image":{"ID":47487,"id":47487,"title":"Num16-Korah","filename":"Num16-Korah.jpg","filesize":0,"url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Num16-Korah.jpg","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/korah-and-his-company\/num16-korah\/","alt":"","author":"7","description":"","caption":"","name":"num16-korah","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":47486,"date":"2019-01-14 10:12:23","modified":"2019-01-14 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