Pemikiran Yahudi 2 Samuel 1:27: Akeidat Yitzchak

(6) since no order had come to separate the whole nation. This is why they asked G'd why He would be angry at the whole nation on account of the sin of one man. In fact, G'ds instruction had meant "stop arguing with these people and stand aside." G'd thereupon responded to the plea of Moses and Aaron, and ordered everyone to stand aside from Korach's group. This time only Moses was addressed by G'd. This indicates that their previous understanding that unless the whole people separated themselves they would all share in the doom, had been correct. (7) The principle of collective responsibility is based on the fact that every individual is part of a whole, and inseparable from it. When, however, a part takes steps to separate itself from the whole, then he can be dealt with on his merits. (not share the fate of the whole necessarily) The object of Moses' prayer was to reverse the process of collective responsibility. He said that Korach was the one who had separated himself from the whole by virtue of his challenge. He had therefore become ish echad, a single dissenter. Why should the whole nation be considered as his fellow traveller then? G'ds reply was that just as Korach had demonstrably opted out, so the people would have to demonstrate that they did not make common cause with Korach. The practice of Jewish Courts of law to banish unrepentant sinners, has as its purpose to show that the community does not feel at one with that individual, and thereby wards off collective punishment which might otherwise befall it as a result of the sinner's actions. When Datan and Aviram had left centre stage, Moses followed by the elders, and disregarding the insult that had been flung at him, followed them to warn them of what would befall them. However, far from heeding the fact that the people had already moved away from their immediate vicinity, Datan and Aviram continued with renewed sarcastic outbusrts. Moses had to announce the nature of the impending punishment, since both his stature as a prophet and the priesthood had come under attack. Aaron's priesthood would be proved when, as heretofore, only his incense would be accepted. Moses' prophetic stature would be vindicated when his prophecy concerning the amazing manner in which Korach and Co. would die, would come true. The fact that an entirely new method of death would occur, would prove hashgachah peratit. (8) The fact that Korach's punishment was not only just, but fitted the crime, was impressed upon the people. He had endeavoured to undermine the fundamentals of Judaism, "to remove the floor," have the bottom drop out from beneath the spiritual underpinnings of his people. In retribution, "the bottom" fell out beneath them instead. When the Talmud in Baba Batra 74, tells that the spot where Korach went under reverted to primeval tohu, and that Koarch and Co. can be heard at the site proclaiming that both Moses and his Torah are true, the message is that we should appreciate the real target of his complaint. By having had to eat his words, this was demonstrated beyond doubt. (9) The memory of the end of the rebellion is kept alive by these censers, the final destiny of which is to partake in the very service that had been assailed by their former owners. Because Aaron had not been with the two hundred and fifty men when they offered their incense, it was their pans that would demonstrate that only priests could offer incense without penalty. The reason that those pans were used though they had belonged to the rebels, is that they had served to separate truth from falsehood. The same reason that had motivated David to keep the sword of the idol worshipping Goliath, applied here also. (Samuel I chapter 21) Achimelech had stored that sword in the temple, as a memento of the defeat of the blasphemer. When David bemoans the death of Saul, (Samuel II 1,27) he does not only bewail the loss of Saul the warrior, but also the loss of his weapons, the instruments of his victory. Although the weapons of an enemy, since they assisted the enemy could be presumed to be objects of disdain and hatred, the fact is that nothing is as beloved as the weapon once owned by a defeated enemy, which now reminds the victor of his triumph. Similarly, the flattened metal of the incense pans now assumed a greater degree of sanctity since their function had now proved the sanctity of Torah values as revealed by Moses. "They were offered before the Lord and became sanctified." (17,3) This means that they had become holy through the death of the rebels.