Korah and His Fall: Observations on Holiness
Argues that Korah's revolt differed in kind from Israel's other wilderness complaints because it assailed the prophetic authority of Moses rather than physical hardship, and that its governing error was treating holiness as a benefaction automatically conferred on every Israelite instead of a level each individual must reach through study, discipline and self-mastery.
Litke separates Korah’s rebellion from the murmurings over food and water: it grew out of ambition and ideology, and by denying any need for an intermediary between God and Israel it struck at the foundation on which the Torah’s authority rests. Holiness, he argues, belongs to the nation collectively by virtue of its election, but individuals must earn it, which is why Leviticus commands Israel to become holy rather than pronouncing the task complete. The punishment answers the offense measure for measure, as the mouth opened in heresy is met by an earth that opens and swallows.
Joel Litke holds an MA from the University of Toronto and is an ordained rabbi who served congregations in Michigan and California before moving to Israel. He has written for a variety of Jewish magazines and journals.
Cite this article
Joel Litke. "Korah and His Fall: Observations on Holiness." Jewish Bible Quarterly 36, no. 2 (April – June 2008): 119–120.
Joel Litke. "Korah and His Fall: Observations on Holiness." Jewish Bible Quarterly, vol. 36, no. 2, 2008, pp. 119–120.