by Rav Azriel Ariel, Rabbi of Ateret in the Binyamin Region and heads the "Brotherhood" Department for Jewish Social Policy at the Torah and State Center, yeshiva.org.il, translated by Hillel Fendel.
This week's Torah portion (in Israel) is Korach (Bamidbar 16-18), which always leads to thoughts of social division and controversy. Let us discuss the roots of his ancient dispute and why it is poisonous to a society.
In today's sharp societal debate
regarding proposed reforms to Israel's judicial system, one of the most charged
issues is that of "equality." One side views equality as a supreme
value that must be accorded a place of honor in Israel's unwritten Constitution
that the Supreme Court is attempting to create. The other group views equality
as a threat to Israel's identity as the State of the Jewish People, which by
definition must actualize Jewish values.
This dispute forces us to clarify what the Torah has to say about the concept
of equality, even if the word itself does not appear there.
The ancient
world was hierarchical, predicated on the idea that some people were born to be
kings, some to be subjects, and others to be slaves. This perception perfectly
paralleled their world of idol worship, in which a supreme god ruled and
tyrannized the lower gods. The Torah of Israel created a revolution: no more
plurality of gods, but one single God Who created all human beings in His
image. All human beings were born from one couple, and everyone shares a basic
common denominator: everyone was created equal.
The Sages
expressed this in Tractate Sanhedrin (37a), which states that one reason man (Adam)
was created single was "for the sake of peace, so that no one may say to another,
'My father is greater than yours.'" Jewish ethics therefore demands
certain basic universal duties that apply to every human being: "You
shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "There shall be
one law and one judgment for you" - not only for the citizen, but also
"for the stranger who dwells among you."
Yes, the Torah
grants great importance to "equality" before the law, to the extent
that even a King is subject equally to Torah laws. Men and women are equal in
terms of their essential Halakhic obligations; the lands in Eretz Yisrael were
distributed equally proportionately to the Tribes, the manna portions were
allocated equally; and the half-shekel obligation was equal: one half-shekel
for each.
Why then do we
see that today's religious public shies away, to put it mildly, from the
progressive concept of "equality"?
The first
problem is that equality is defined as an independent moral value. Indeed, all
human beings are created in the image of God – but how does this logically lead
to the conclusion that they must be equal in everything? The Torah and the teachings
of the Sages do not define equality as a value, but rather as a "standard
of justice." That is, the essence of the law is its universality, and if
it discriminates without cause between people, it is unjust - and an unjust law
is not binding (Sh. Ar., Choshen Mishpat 369,6).
This does not
mean that private resources that a person acquired through his own initiative
and efforts must be distributed to others so that all end up with the same
amount (although he must give some to the poor). Equality, therefore, is an important
measure of justice, but it is not the sole parameter. Turning equality into an
independent moral value mars other aspects of justice, and as such is injustice,
or worse.
The Totality of it
The second flaw in today's concept of equality is its totality. It appears to be given priority over every other value it confronts. Thus, the IDF is being gradually ordered to allow girls into every army combat unit, whilst trampling not only the values of modesty and the boundaries between the genders – but also that of "victory." Thus in a series of Supreme Court rulings, Jewish and Zionist values are being displaced to make way for civil equality.
The Torah does not take that direction. Yes, "man is beloved
because he was created in G-d's image" (Avot 3,14), but "Israel is
My first-born son" (4,22). Israel itself is divided into Cohanim,
Levites, and Israelites; men and women have different Halakhic obligations; the
lots of the Land were divided equally, but in the end, various calculations had
to be made, resulting in inequality (see Bava Batra 117a). Equality is clearly
important, but its value relative to others is far from absolute.
How Did This Happen?
How did equality become such a primary value in contemporary moral
thinking? In the past, society was perceived as an organic body. Just as the
human body is composed of organs, tissues, and cells, so human society is
composed of nations, tribes, communities, and families. In an organic system,
there is no equality. Each of the components has its own characteristics, its
own needs, and its own roles. But it also has reciprocity, even if not
symmetrical. A Jewish marriage is not based on equality, but rather on
reciprocity; each partner has different duties and rights. The family thus
functions as one body.
So too the nation: Different roles and privileges are allocated to
Cohanim, Levites, and Israelites, as well as to Torah scholars and people of
action (the tribes of Yissachar and Zevulun, respectively). The foundation upon
which social morality is based in such a structure is the value of brotherhood.
This explains why in most of the Torah's social commandments, "your
brother," "your fellow," and "your neighbor" appear in
various inflections. And thus cries out the last of the prophets: "Have
we not all one father? Has not one God created us?" (Malachi 2,10).
The modern
world dismantled society into isolated individuals, each fighting for his own
rights and collapsing the value of brotherhood. Each person derived his sense
of worth from his own achievements and status, leading of course to constant
competition and friction. The absolute importance of "equality" was then
introduced. But since full equality cannot be realized in any society, we must acknowledge
that this new system simply does not work. Focusing on equality generates an
endless discourse of envy.
However,
in the organic perception presented by the Torah of Israel, we derive our sense
of worth from two concepts: belonging and meaning. This leads to a deep
commitment of every person toward his fellow, as well as joy in the happiness
of others - and certainly in that of the community - when they succeed. The
individualistic, equality approach deepens competition, while the organic
approach deepens cooperation between them.
And
thus taught our saintly Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda Kook: "G-d's created world is
full of distinctions, and one must not ignore this or blur them. However,
differentiation is not separation; division leads to wars, while distinctions
lead to cooperation and harmony."
This was the critical mistake made by Korach. He understood correctly that "the entire congregation is holy" (16,3), but he abandoned the organic conception of the nation, in which "each person according to his camp" (1,52); each individual serves the community in a different role, with mutual respect and appreciation. Korach adapted the individualistic approach, and thus led the rebellion against Moshe and Aharon. And because he left the discourse of brotherhood and adopted instead that of jealousy, he was swallowed up in the earth and became an eternal symbol of divisiveness.
