In our fifth grade classroom, I recall a sign in the back of our classroom \u201cSuccess is Measured by Effort.\u201d Encouraging, inspirational, and insightful, but as adults we know that its message is only partially true.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this week\u2019s parsha, a valiant effort<\/strong> of Moshe is easily disregarded due to his lack of success<\/strong>. With an exciting storyline in the parsha- the rebellion and demise of Korach and his followers- it is only natural to overlook Moshe\u2019s failed attempt to deescalate the situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bamidbar 16:12, following the initial confrontation with Korach:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05b4\u05bc\u05e9\u05b0\u05c1\u05dc\u05b7\u05a3\u05d7 \u05de\u05b9\u05e9\u05b6\u05c1\u0594\u05d4 \u05dc\u05b4\u05e7\u05b0\u05e8\u05b9\u059b\u05d0 \u05dc\u05b0\u05d3\u05b8\u05ea\u05b8\u05a5\u05df \u05d5\u05b0\u05dc\u05b7\u05d0\u05b2\u05d1\u05b4\u05d9\u05e8\u05b8\u0596\u05dd \u05d1\u05b0\u05bc\u05e0\u05b5\u05a3\u05d9 \u05d0\u05b1\u05dc\u05b4\u05d9\u05d0\u05b8\u0591\u05d1 \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05b9\u05bc\u05d0\u05de\u05b0\u05e8\u0596\u05d5\u05bc \u05dc\u05b9\u05a5\u05d0 \u05e0\u05b7\u05e2\u05b2\u05dc\u05b6\u05bd\u05d4\u05c3<\/p>\n\n\n\n Moses sent for Dassan and Aviram, sons of Eliav; but they said, \u201cWe will not come!<\/p>\n\n\n\n And in the same perek, Bamidbar 16:25<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05b8\u05bc\u05a3\u05e7\u05b8\u05dd \u05de\u05b9\u05e9\u05b6\u05c1\u0594\u05d4 \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05b5\u05bc\u0596\u05dc\u05b6\u05da\u05b0 \u05d0\u05b6\u05dc\u05be\u05d3\u05b8\u05bc\u05ea\u05b8\u05a3\u05df \u05d5\u05b7\u05d0\u05b2\u05d1\u05b4\u05d9\u05e8\u05b8\u0591\u05dd \u05c3<\/p>\n\n\n\n Moses rose and went to Dassan and Aviram, the elders of Israel following him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Gemara in Sanhedrin 110a quotes this pasuk (Rashi on our parsha quotes this 16:12, but Sanhedrin 110a quotes 16:25) to teach us ein machzikin bmachlokes<\/em>\u2013 we should not strengthen machlokes. We learn this important principle of diffusing machlokes from Moshe reaching out to Dassan and Aviram.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When involved in a machlokes, an argument, a fight, it can be extremely difficult to take that first step. At times we feel that initiating the conversation is akin to admitting defeat and demonstrates a sign of weakness. But for the sake of shalom, Moshe approaches Dassan and Aviram to pacify them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The very next line in the gemara further demonstrate Judaism\u2019s disdain for discord: whoever is machzik bmachlokes violates a prohibition- \u201clo tihyeh k\u2019Korach vcha\u2019adato\u201d- we are told later in the parsha after Korach\u2019s demise that we should not be like Korach and his assembly. The commentaries disagree as to whether or this phrase serves as a formal biblical prohibition, a part of the 613, but the gemara clearly takes Moshe\u2019s act seriously. We learn from Moshe that ein machzikin bmachlokes, and to do the opposite may even be a prohibition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I recently experienced a conversation about, while I would not label \u201cmachlokes\u201d in the Korach sense, a minor disagreement, and the conversation hit a standstill. I made all my points, I listened, and neither side would budge. This story is pretty generic and I am sure you can relate. What happens when a third person is present? Say he understands both positions, and then tells me later that I was right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How do I feel about that endorsement? It feels great. I know I can win this argument. It may even fuel me to hold strong to my stance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Look at the context of Moshe\u2019s conversation with Dassan and Aviram, the source of ein machzikin b\u2019machlokes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The previous pasuk Bamidbar 16:23-24<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05b0\u05d3\u05b7\u05d1\u05b5\u05bc\u05a5\u05e8 \u05d4\u2019 \u05d0\u05b6\u05dc\u05be\u05de\u05b9\u05e9\u05b6\u05c1\u05a5\u05d4 \u05dc\u05b5\u05bc\u05d0\u05de\u05b9\u05bd\u05e8\u05c3<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hashem spoke to Moses, saying,<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u05d3\u05b7\u05bc\u05d1\u05b5\u05bc\u05a5\u05e8 \u05d0\u05b6\u05dc\u05be\u05d4\u05b8\u05e2\u05b5\u05d3\u05b8\u0596\u05d4 \u05dc\u05b5\u05d0\u05de\u05b9\u0591\u05e8 \u05d4\u05b5\u05bd\u05e2\u05b8\u05dc\u05d5\u05bc\u0599 \u05de\u05b4\u05e1\u05b8\u05bc\u05d1\u05b4\u0594\u05d9\u05d1 \u05dc\u05b0\u05de\u05b4\u05e9\u05b0\u05c1\u05db\u05b7\u05bc\u05df\u05be\u05e7\u05b9\u0596\u05e8\u05b7\u05d7 \u05d3\u05b8\u05bc\u05ea\u05b8\u05a5\u05df \u05d5\u05b7\u05d0\u05b2\u05d1\u05b4\u05d9\u05e8\u05b8\u05bd\u05dd\u05c3<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSpeak to the community and say: Withdraw from about the abodes of Korah, Dassan, and Aviram.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n I feel great when my mortal buddy backs my position, but Hashem Himself supports Moshe, and his position will soon be publicly verified. He is speaking to an all-knowing G-d, the One who chose Moshe and Aharon over Korach and his gang. One cannot have a stronger side in a debate or more confidence in his position than this: G-d Himself confirms Moshe\u2019s stance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yet before he even obeys G-d\u2019s command to inform the nation to withdraw from these sinners<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05b8\u05bc\u05a3\u05e7\u05b8\u05dd \u05de\u05b9\u05e9\u05b6\u05c1\u0594\u05d4 \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05b5\u05bc\u0596\u05dc\u05b6\u05da\u05b0 \u05d0\u05b6\u05dc\u05be\u05d3\u05b8\u05bc\u05ea\u05b8\u05a3\u05df \u05d5\u05b7\u05d0\u05b2\u05d1\u05b4\u05d9\u05e8\u05b8\u0591\u05dd \u05c3<\/p>\n\n\n\n Moses rose and went to Dassan and Aviram, the elders of Israel following him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Moshe attempts another step towards peace. Approaching Dassan and Aviram.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mikan<\/em>, from here, says the gemara, sheain machzikin bmachlokes<\/em>, that we should not strengthen machlokes. He holds all the cards, he knows his opponent will be wiped off the face of the Earth, yet he makes the embarrassing open armed step to speak to Dassan and Aviram who refuse to speak to him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As I considered this idea during the week, I found it impossible to not think about the meeting of Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un. That situation has its own complexities; meeting with a Dictator of a country that may have nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons carries great risk. We may not know for a decade whether this first step postponed the threat of a Nuclear War or will be remembered as a moment the United States showed honor to a cruel dictator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But the back and forth discussion in the media made me appreciate<\/p>\n\n\n\n how thankful I am that none of my friends have nuclear weapons! <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n When we argue with our parents, children, spouses, friends, coworkers, the stakes are relatively trivial. What do we have to lose by taking the first step towards resolving an issue?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sitting back and waiting for the other side to take the first step may seem passive, but the gemara labels this machzikn bmachlokes, strengthening machlokes. When we find the strength to take that step, to pick up the phone, to initiate the conversation, we do our part to emulate Moshe\u2019s actions in our parsha. Like Moshe, we may not always succeed, but I am sure Hashem, like my fifth grade teacher, considers not only our success, our efforts towards pursuing shalom.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In our fifth grade classroom, I recall a sign in the back of our classroom \u201cSuccess is Measured by Effort.\u201d Encouraging, inspirational, and insightful, but as adults we know that its message is only partially true. In this week\u2019s parsha, a valiant effort of Moshe is easily disregarded due to his lack of success. With an exciting storyline […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"saved_in_kubio":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[55,10,39],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/remoteshul.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/355"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/remoteshul.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/remoteshul.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/remoteshul.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/remoteshul.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=355"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/remoteshul.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/355\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":356,"href":"https:\/\/remoteshul.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/355\/revisions\/356"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/remoteshul.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=355"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/remoteshul.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=355"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/remoteshul.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=355"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}