Parshat Korach

What exactly was wrong

in what Korach and his
motley band of fellow
agitators said? We know
that Korach was a
demagogue, not a
democrat. He wanted
power for himself, not
for the people. We know
also that the protestors
were disingenuous.
Each had their own
reasons to feel resentful
toward Moses or Aaron
or fate. Set these
considerations aside for
a moment and ask: was
what they said, true or
false?

They were surely right
to say, All the
community are holy.
That, after all, is what
God asked the people to
be: a kingdom of priests
and a holy nation,
meaning, a kingdom all
of whose members are
(in some sense) priests,
and a nation all of
whose citizens are holy.

They were equally right
to say, God is with
them. That was the
point of the making of
the Tabernacle: have
them make Me
sanctuary for me, and I
will dwell among
them (Ex. 25: 8). Exodus
ends with the words: So the
cloud of the Lord was over
the tabernacle by day, and
fire was in the cloud by night,
in the sight of all the
Israelites during all their
travels (Ex. 40: 38). The
Divine presence was visibly
with the people wherever
they went.

What was wrong was their
last remark: Why then do
you set yourselves above
Gods congregation? This
was not a small mistake. It
was a fundamental one.
Moses represents the birth of
a new kind of leadership.
That is what Korach and his
followers did not understand.
Many of us do not understand
it still.

The most famous buildings in
the ancient world were the
Mesopotamian ziggurats and
Egyptian pyramids. These
were more than just
buildings. They were
statements in stone of a
hierarchical social order. They
were wide at the base and
narrow at the top. At the top
was the king or pharaoh at
the point, so it was believed,
where heaven and earth met.
Beneath was a series of
elites, and beneath them the
laboring masses. This was
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks on Parshat Korach
believed to be not just one
way of organizing a
society but the only way.
The very universe was
organized on this
principle, as was the rest
of life. The sun ruled the
heavens. The lion ruled
the animal kingdom. The
king ruled the nation. That
is how it was in nature.
That is how it must be.
Some are born to rule,
others to be ruled.

Judaism is a protest
against this kind of
hierarchy. Every human
being, not just the king, is
in the image and likeness
of God. Therefore no one
is entitled to rule over any
other without their assent.
There is still a need for
leadership, because
without a conductor an
orchestra would lapse into
discord. Without a captain
a team might have
brilliant players and yet
not be a team. Without
generals an army would
be a mob. Without
government, a nation
would lapse into anarchy.
In those days there was
no king in Israel. Everyone
did what was right in their
own eyes
(Judges 17:6, 21:25).

Shabbat Times

Hashkama 8:00 am
Parsha Shiur 8:30 am
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in memory of his father
Amin Ebrahimian, z"l
and her father
Faizullah Aminoff
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In a social order in which everyone has equal dignity in
the eyes of heaven, a leader does not stand above the
people. He serves the people, and he serves God. The
great symbol of biblical Israel, the menorah, is an
inverted pyramid or ziggurat, broad at the top, narrow at
the base. The greatest leader is therefore the most
humble. Moses was a very humble man, more humble
than anyone else on the face of the earth (Num. 12:3).

The name to this is servant leadership, and its origin is
in the Torah. The highest accolade given to Moses is that
he was the servant of the Lord (Deut. 34:5). Moses is
given this title eighteen times in Tanakh as a whole.
Only one other leader merits the same description:
Joshua, who is described this way twice. No less
fascinating is the fact that only one person in the Torah
is commanded to be humble, namely the king: When he
takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for
himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of
the Levitical priests. It is to be with him, and he is to
read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to
revere the Lord his God and follow carefully all the words
of this law and these decrees and not consider himself
better than his fellow Israelites (Deut. 17: 18-20)

This is how Maimonides describes the proper conduct of
a king: Just as the Torah has granted the him great
honor and obligated everyone to revere him, so too it
has commanded him to be lowly and empty at heart, as
it says: My heart is a void within me (Psalm 109:22).
Nor should he treat Israel with overbearing haughtiness,
as it says, he should not consider himself better than his
fellows (Deut. 17:20).

He should be gracious and merciful to the small and the
great, involving himself in their good and welfare. He
should protect the honor of even the humblest of people.
When he speaks to the people as a community, he
should speak gently, as in Listen my brothers and my
people (King Davids words in I Chronicles 28:2).
Similarly, I Kings 12:7 states, If today you will be a
servant to these people

He should always conduct himself with great humility.
There is none greater than Moses, our teacher. Yet, he
said: What are we? Your complaints are not against
26 Old Mill Road, Great Neck, NY 11023 (516) 487-6100 Shabbat Announcements Parshat Korach 5774
us (Exodus 16:8). He should bear the nations
difficulties, burdens, complaints and anger as a nurse
carries an infant.

The same applies to all positions of leadership.
Maimonides lists among those who have no share in
the world to come, someone who imposes a rule of
fear on the community, not for the sake of Heaven.
Such a person rules over a community by force, so
that people are greatly afraid and terrified of him,
doing so for his own glory and personal interests.
Maimonides adds to this last phrase: like heathen
kings. The polemical intent is clear. It is not that no
one behaves this way. It is that this is not a Jewish
way to behave.

When Rabban Gamliel acted in what his colleagues
saw as a high-handed manner, he was deposed as
Nasi, head of the community, until he acknowledged
his fault and apologized. Rabban Gamliel learned the
lesson. He later said to two people who declined his
offer to accept positions of leadership: Do you think I
am giving you a position of honor [serarah]? I am
giving you the chance to serve [avdut]. As Martin
Luther King once said Everybody can be great
because anybody can serve.
C. S. Lewis rightly defined humility not as thinking less
of yourself but as thinking of yourself less. The great
leaders respect others. They honor them, lift them,
inspire them to reach heights they might never have
done otherwise. They are motivated by ideals, not by
personal ambition. They do not succumb to the
arrogance of power. Sometimes the worst mistakes we
make are when we project our feelings onto others.
Korach was an ambitious man, so he saw Moses and
Aaron as two people driven by ambition, setting
themselves above Gods congregation. He did not
understand that in Judaism to lead is to serve. Those
who serve do not lift themselves high. They lift other
people high.
Great Neck Synagogue
Shabbat Activities Program
26 Old Mill Road, Great Neck , NY 11023
Dale Polakoff, Rabbi
Ian Lichter, Assistant Rabbi
Dr. Ephraim Wolf ,zl, Rabbi Emeritus
Zeev Kron, Cantor
Eleazer Schulman, zl, Cantor Emeritus
Rabbi Sholom Jensen, Youth Director
Zehava & Dr. Michael Atlas, Youth Directors
Mark Twersky, Executive Director
Rabbi Avraham Bronstein, Program Director
Dr. Hal Chadow, President
Harold Domnitch, Chairman of the Board
Dena Block, Yoetzet Halacha 516-320-9818
GNS Yoetzet Halacha Dena Block welcomes your
questions about mikvah, observance of taharat
hamishpacha (halacha relating to married life) and
women's health, as it connects to Jewish law.
Reach out to her at:
Phone: (516) 320-9818Email: gnsyoetzet@gmail.com
All conversations/emails are strictly confidential
GREAT NECK SYNAGOGUE
GRADUATION &
CONGREGATIONAL KIDDUSH
SATURDAY, JUNE 28, 2014

CELEBRATE ALL OF YOUR
SMACHOT WITH US

BIRTHS
BAR & BAT MITZVAH
GRADUATIONS
WEDDINGS
ANNIVERSARIES
BIRTHDAYS
OR
COMMEMORATE A LOVED
ONES YAHRZEIT

TO PARTICIPATE PLEASE CALL
THE SYNAGOGUE OFFICE
OR SEND YOUR
INFORMATION TO
MTWERSKY@GNS.ORG

COST IS $100 PER FAMILY
DEADLINE TUESDAY,JUNE 17 DEADLINE TUESDAY,JUNE 17 DEADLINE TUESDAY,JUNE 17 DEADLINE TUESDAY,JUNE 17
DONT BE LEFT OUT! DONT BE LEFT OUT! DONT BE LEFT OUT! DONT BE LEFT OUT!
ANNOUNCEMENTS





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Saturday, 23 Sivan
Moshe Apelbaum for Shai Apelbaum
Erein Justin for Moshe Tweg
Alan Prawer for Genia Prawer
Sunday, 24 Sivan
William B. Helmreich for Mark Helmreich
Monday, 25 Sivan
Jack Lipsky for David Lipsky
Tuesday, 26 Sivan
Barry Maher for Javaher-Maher Afarin
Wednesday, 27 Sivan
Moosa Ebrahimian for Amin Ebrahimian
Mindy Leventhal for Charlotte Scheinnkman
Mahin Mardkha for Amin Ebrahimian
Mali Meisel for Annie Maultasch
Gerald Traub for Mollie Traub
Thursday 28 Sivan
Herschel Flax for Joshua Pasvolsky
Mary F Flax for Joshua Pasvolsky
Joseph Gill for Esther Gill
Richard Lillien for Sol Engelhard
Bernjamin Lunzer for Shoshana Lunzer
Friday, 29 Sivan
Myles Mittleman for Phillip Mittleman
WITHIN OUR FAMILY
MENS CLUB
SUN., JUNE 29 THE FOURTH ANNUAL FISHING TRIP
Sold Out!
SUN., JULY 20. 10:15 am: Join us on a bus trip to the
JEWISH MUSEUM on Fifth Ave, where we will tour the
Permanent Exhibit (recently updated) with a docent and view
the two special exhibits, The Art of Mel Bochner and Other
Primary Structures. The cost will be $50 per person, [$45
for paid-up Men's Club members-Limit 2 per member] which
includes the bus, entrance fees and docent fee. 10% discount
for lunch at the Museum cafe. Family and friends are
welcome. Please respond early. Call Hilly Milun 504-0320
or Mark Friedman 384-5491

Mazal Tov to Debbie & Alan Kestenbaum on the upcoming
marriage of their daughter Arielle to David Tradburks son of
Rabbi Rubin & Joyce Tradburks of Jerusalem.
Mazal Tov also to grandparents Anita & Hal Beretz.
Mazal Tov to Sandra & Mark Gold on the upcoming wedding
of their daughter Brittany to Yonatan Kamel.
Mazal Tov to Zoe Barth on passing the New York State CPA
exam. Mazal Tov to parents Dassie & Eddy Barth.


COMMUNITY NEWS
REFUAH SHLEIMA IN OUR COMMUNITY
In an effort to allow the community to reach out to our
members who have had any medical issues that have precluded
their coming to GNS, we will include a corner in the Shabbat
Announcements for any names to be distributed to the congre-
gation. Of course, those who wish to keep any news confidential
can continue to do so, without being included. Please inform
us of anyone who should be included in this section of the
announcements. This section in our newsletter is to let people
know that we are thinking of them even if they cannot be in
Shul at this time and to encourage people to call, email or visit
when appropriate. Names for a mishabayrach should continue to
be given in Shul at time of davening and will not be listed in this
section.

COMMUNITY NEWS
JUNE CHESED COLLECTION
We are collecting gently used shoes, eyeglasses,
sunglasses and cell phones. Please drop it off at Steve
Blumners house, 88 Old Pond Road (by the garage) or
Jonny Ambalos house, 11 William Penn (by the garage).
Any questions, you can contact Steve Blumner at
516-639-8941 or Jonny Ambalo at 347-971-8178.
NSHA'S 11th ANNUAL GOLF, TENNIS, MAHJONG
& SPA CLASSIC
Please join us on Monday, July 14th at Fresh Meadows
Country Club for a wonderful day of golf with an all day BBQ,
ladies tennis followed by lunch, a spa/pool day, card games/
mahjong lessons, mens tennis and a sunset cocktail party,
with our million dollar Jet Blue Challenge followed by a lovely
buffet dinner, with prizes, raffles and auctions. Event Brochure
for Registration/Information will be mailed shortly. For addi-
tional information re: sponsorships/participation please email
Arnie Flatow at aflatow@nsha.org or call 487-8687 ext 133.

JUNE 21 LUNCHEON
Please join us for the Annual GNS Family Shabbat Luncheon,
commemorating the 10th Yahrzeit of Sharon Sokol Heisler, z"l
as the 2013-2014 Shabbat Dinner & Guest Speakers series
comes to a close. Our guest speaker will be Rabbi Yaakov
Dov Bleich, Chief Rabbi of Kiev and Ukraine, VP World Jewish
Congress. Reservation deadline is Tuesday, June 17. For
sponsorship opportunities please contact Rabbi Bronstein,
abronstein@gns.org. $35 each adult, $25 for Teens and $15
per child 12 and under with a $125 family max. RSVP to the
synagogue office.
ROSH HASHANAH SCOPE MAGAZINE
The deadline for all articles, photos, recipes, advertisements,
and sponsorships for the upcoming Rosh Hashanah issue of
SCOPE magazine is Mon., July 7th. Kindly email all
submissions to Diane Rein at drein@verizon.net.
SAVE THE DATE
June 17th 7pm. Book Signing at the The Dolphin Bookshop &
Caf 299 Main Street Port Washington, NY 11050. Tasting &
Author Event. Silk Road Vegetarian Vegan, Vegetarian and
Gluten Free Recipes for the Mindful Cook By Dahlia
Abraham-Klein.
GUEST RABBI
Rabbi Marvin Tokayer will be speaking in the Main Sanctuary
this Shabbat.
CAR DAMAGE
A car was vandalized on Shabbat June 7. If anyone has any
information please contact the shul office.