05 - Korach CBE

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Korach 5778 — Rabbi Michael Rothbaum Page 4 Killmonger is right, in that his country of origin should be helping those in the African diaspora. Like it says in Talmud (in reference to Jews), kol Yisrael areivim zeh lazeh. “All Jews are responsible, one to another.” 2 Korach too is right. All of Israel is holy. That message is as important today as it ever was, especially given the infighting that we see in too much of the Jewish community. Imagine if Killmonger had spoken directly to T’Challa to plead for his people? Imagine if Korach and his band had shared with Moses their concerns? Imagine if, instead of public blaming and shaming, they had approached Moses respectfully — and privately. Imagine what they could have achieved together. For those of us who live in community and care about community, who serve on boards or who care about people who serve, there’s a powerful cautionary tale here. You can have a good point, and still make it in a bad way. As a rabbi, it’s a lesson I’ve learned the hard way. Making yourself an extremist doesn’t make you more right. And martyrdom doesn’t make holiness. Wow, but sometimes it sure feels that way. In the moment, it’s more gratifying to rage, to draw lines in the sand and howl into the night. What’s harder is to sit with people we know, and be curious about our complicated selves. What’s harder is to lean into the harsh edges of our differences. What’s harder is to stay in community — even when it’s not the exact community of our dreams. But maybe it’s time to take the advice of the Minnesoter rebbe, Nobel-prize winner Bob Dylan: 2 Talmud, Shevuot 39a
Korach 5778 — Rabbi Michael Rothbaum Page 5 “I'll let you be in my dreams if I can be in yours.” Yes, all of this is harder. But it’s more loving. And more holy. And, from my experience, usually more effective. It’s a great blessing to continue growing this community with all of you. May we learn the hard-earned lessons of Killmonger and Korach — refusing to let our differences alienate us from each other. May we instead open our space, and our hearts, to the power and potential of our people, arguing together and listening together and loving each other together. And building a truly holy community. Together.
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05 - Korach CBE

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