Numbers - Cycle One - 1601-1832 - Korach

In Korach we are presented with a beginning, a middle and an end, a dramatic question. Like all stories, Korach can expand outwards and/or inwards, leaving the plot behind. A man rebelling against authority (Levite vs. priest) becomes man vs. God, tribe vs. tribe, nation vs. nation, world vs. world. Going inward we get man vs. himself, anger vs. love, jealousy vs. love, body vs. spirit, sefirot vs. sefirot, malchut vs. keter.

Back to plot, let’s begin with the backstory. We’ve already received the ten commandments, an exhaustive list of decrees (Leviticus), detailed descriptions of sacrifices, the tabernacle and more, not to forget the organization of prayer, the camp and the Israelites into 12 tribes. The details are so specific you almost feel like you’re in kindergarten. God has taken on a big job. He also has decided to appear in a cloud, a symbol of a lack of clarity, to show where the Israelites should wander, a sign of internal confusion. Lack of sight does tend to bring about confusion. Confusion does tend to protect but also frustrates. In Korach, we see what happens when confusion goes too far. We also see what God will compromise to recreate balance.

So, how will God defend Himself from Korach’s rebellion, the lack of faith? Enter Korach, a Levite. The priests don’t have the right to be so cool and spiritual, he says. Moses is horrified. Clearly, Korach is rebelling big time, against God. Nevertheless, during the incense offering, Moses begs God not to destroy the entire community.

Next, God causes the earth to open up and swallow the rebel leaders live. Korach, Dathan and Aviram are relegated to the dark innards for eternity. Moses is validated. You would think faith is returned. When the people get scared though, God kills them with fire. It’s interesting that (in the lines) Moses does not respond to the killing despite his earlier pleas. My opinion is that he, like God, sees that fear infers a lack of faith. And no doubt, if the purpose of Torah is divine consciousness (and it is) we’re not going to get there if we are all controlled by fear.

Now that Moses has “killed” God’s people, the Israelites complain even more. God strikes 14,700 with a plague. Wait. This is no small number. This is serious business. So, let’s look inward. With this plague, what we are doing is expelling from within our hearts, our foundation, any doubt that blocks the flow. With doubt gone (a doubt with the weight of more than 14,000) we have the ability to see. And what we see is the fertility of divine emanation, of keter, of light that gives birth to light, the fruit of consciousness. We see the ability of green to grow from the inanimate, from just a staff, spirit blossoming from the mundane, the earthly. It is not our staff. It belongs to the priests. But sight is the great gift.

In the resolution, as a preventive measure, God further defines the duties of the Levites and the priests (thereby creating a wholeness of each) so that they all have greater clarity, strength and identity. Now, conflict can become connection. In other words, by strengthening and knowing ourselves we can connect more than ever. Next, God decrees that a gift of the Levites (a tithe) be presented to the priests; clearly to solidify their worldly strength for balance and safety.

Let’s move again to the sefirot, often seen as colors or glass through which light flows. The tithe mentioned can be seen as malchut (the sovereignty of the Levites) rising to keter (the space of the priests). Therefore with this tithe, the energy of this world starts infusing itself into the divine. Now, keter can no longer be cut off, challenged. But I think God is compromising Himself so much that His light changes in vibration. Isn’t the blossoming staff already a gift of visual faith, protection enough, the beauty of which makes it eternal? The tithe, also a gift, causes keter to become an object of alchemy rather than the glass or the color through which alchemy is performed. Therefore, there is a price. The priests have to become a little less priestly (perhaps a foreshadowing of their loss of status?) keter, a little less divine.

I like to think God does more than is written. Perhaps there now exists another emanation, one finer than keter to fulfill that ancient purpose, that purity, the very knowledge of which must remain secret to prevent its reflection in rebellion. I really don’t know. One thing I do know. It might seem in the lines that God compromises the Israelites. Once the story expands though, God is only compromising Himself. May we always be aware that this is an act of love, one great enough to validate and create emanations beyond anything we can imagine, magical, real, fertile and glorious.