The Refusal
Korach 5783
V’ahavta - by Daniel and Josh Warshawsky - Enjoy this throwback video from Songleader Boot Camp 2015!
It truly is the greatest joy to get to return to one of my favorite places every summer: Camp Ramah in Wisconsin. We’ve been up here for a little over a week now, and highlights include swimming in the lake, late night singing in the cabins as campers are going to sleep (yishun), energetic and fun musical Tefillot, and Hava Naglidah, our epic weekly all camp song-session followed by an ice cream party every Monday night! Come join us next summer!
After the terrible incident with the spies last week, Parashat Korach finds the People of Israel in crisis. Korach, from the same Levite tribe as Moses, threatens to rebel, saying that Moses has too much power - why should he be in charge? He has some important followers including Datan and Aviram, two Israelite leaders from the tribe of Reuben. After the original protest incident, the Torah says,
וַיִּשְׁלַח מֹשֶׁה לִקְרֹא לְדָתָן וְלַאֲבִירָם בְּנֵי אֱלִיאָב וַיֹּאמְרוּ לֹא נַעֲלֶה׃
“Moses sent for Datan and Aviram, sons of Eliav, but they said, ‘we will not come!’ (Bamidbar 16:12)”
Moses didn’t bother to reach out to Datan and Aviram, to go over to them, to persuade them with words of appeasement and calming. Rather, he sat in his tent and sent messengers to have them come to him. Therefore the path twisted away from peace.
Reb Simcha Bunim of Peshischa notices this simple and strange verse and asks, what’s going on here?! He says, “Why was Moses unable to come up with a way to impose peace in the Israelite camp? Because Moses didn’t bother to reach out to Datan and Aviram, to go over to them, to persuade them with words of appeasement and calming. Rather, he sat in his tent and sent messengers to have them come to him. Therefore the path twisted away from peace.”
As a leader, we need to see when those we are leading need extra support. We need to approach them directly and privately in a way that makes them feel heard, held, and understood.
There is a serious leadership lesson here for all of us. You need to meet people where they are at. Datan and Aviram were hurt and insulted! They were upset and they needed to be listened to. Instead of going out to meet them and hear their concerns face to face, Moses sent messengers to bring them to him. How do you think that would make someone feel? As a leader, we need to see when those we are leading need extra support. We need to approach them directly and privately in a way that makes them feel heard, held, and understood.
My brother and I wrote this song, V’ahavta, in 2014 as the theme song for a USY International Convention. It’s about finding a way to love our friends and community members like ourselves, and understanding that the time is now to act with love! This Shabbat, how can you make sure you are taking the extra step to make those whom you care for feel heard and supported?
Shabbat Shalom,
Josh