Rabbi's Corner

Message from the Rabbi

"They combined (וַיִּֽקָּהֲל֞וּ) against Moses and Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! For all the community are holy, all of them, and יהוה is in their midst. Why then do you raise yourselves above יהוה’s congregation?” (Numbers 16:3)

The Hebrew word for "community" is the same as "they combined." In Hebrew the קָּהֲל֞, kahal means community or congregation. Often a synagogue is referred to as a Kahal Kadosh, a holy community. You may have even seen the letters ק"ק.  

The context of this statement is the rebellion of Korach against Moses’ leadership.  Korach “amassed" the people against Moses. The word for coming together is morally neutral.  People come together in protest and in solidarity.  People rally for good and for bad. On rare occasions there “are good people on both sides.” (Certainly not in Charlottesville.) This Shabbat we will be discussing the role of challenging authority.  When is it necessary and when it is simply self serving?  

Please join me for this 15 minute conversation entitled "Challenging Authority in the Abrahamic Religions" at around 11:00 am.