June 29, 2025|ג' תמוז ה' אלפים תשפ"ה Facing Truth: Lessons from Korach and Modern Miracles By Rabbi Jonathan Muskat

What a week! Israel. Iran. Bombing the nuclear reactor! So many stunning achievements and successes, but we are Jews. So, we worry. You know that line: What’s a Jewish telegram? Start worrying. Details to follow. But that’s not our state of mind right now. We have every reason to be excited about what Israel accomplished in Iran. We’re optimistic – and do you know what a Jewish optimist is? Someone who thinks things can’t get worse… but isn’t totally sure.

Still, there is genuine reason for optimism. There is reason to believe that Iran’s nuclear program has been set back significantly. How significantly? Well, there’s a debate about this, but as Israeli journalist Amit Segal noted in an AIPAC-sponsored call this week, Israel and America crossed a red line. They did something Iran never expected – they bombed Iran’s nuclear sites. Now the question is: Will Iran invest hundreds of billions of dollars to rebuild these sites, knowing that Israel, whose intelligence penetrates every aspect of Iranian life, could partner with America and destroy them again? Does Iran truly believe it can build a bomb while hiding it from Israelis who seem to know their every move?

This optimism has even sparked discussions about a religious response to the bombing. Some recited Hallel on Sunday; others said the bracha of HaTov VeHaMeitiv. I even saw a video of leading rabbis recommending the recitation of full Hallel instead of half Hallel for Rosh Chodesh. This optimism has led many to believe that a stronger Israel could also pave the way for normalization with other Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia.

Yet, not everyone is optimistic. Some predict this will escalate into a regional war, arguing that Iran might abandon the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and officially accelerate its nuclear weapons program. Others question the legitimacy of Israeli or U.S. operations in Iranian airspace. At the same time, international pressure on Israel over its war against terror in Gaza - aimed at freeing hostages and dismantling Hamas - remains intense. Just yesterday, I read that two weeks ago, a Bosnian official refused to allow the Conference of European Rabbis, the European equivalent of the RCA, to hold a rabbinic meeting in Sarajevo. He claimed the conference was an attempt to “legitimize a genocidal creation and their shameful acts of crimes against humanity,” referring to Israel. Think about it. A rabbinical conference was forbidden to meet in a country because of Israel!

This criticism and at times hostility bring us to an age-old question: How do you respond to someone who refuses to acknowledge the truth when it’s staring them in the face? This dynamic is exactly what happened with Bnei Yisrael after Korach, Datan, Aviram, and the 250 men who offered the ketoret were killed.

You would expect that after Korach and his supporters were swallowed up in a clearly miraculous manner, Bnei Yisrael would accept Moshe and Aaron as God’s chosen leaders. But no. They turned to Moshe and Aaron and accused them: Atem hamitem et am Hashem – “You killed the nation of God!” Even when confronted with the truth, they made excuses and insisted they were right.

According to some mefarshim, their argument was nuanced. They conceded that Korach, Datan, and Aviram were agitators and deserved their punishment. But the 250 men? They weren’t rebels - they simply had a passionate desire to serve God through the avodah. The Netziv explains that Korach exploited this desire, binding them to his rebellion. These men felt victimized, believing they were being unfairly denied something they deserved. Therefore, the Bnei Yisrael argued why should these 250 men be punished for their spiritual aspirations? Some mefarshim explain that while Korach’s punishment was seen as divine, the deaths of the 250 men were attributed to Moshe and Aaron’s ill-conceived test. Why choose the ketoret as the test, knowing it was so dangerous? Why not something less fatal?

The people were enraged, and the Torah tells us vayehi b’hikahel ha’edah al Moshe v’al Aharon – the Torah describes their gathering as a mob, ready to confront Moshe and Aaron. In response, God protected His chosen leaders, striking the mob with a plague. Aaron, in an incredible act of selflessness, used the very ketoret that killed the 250 men to stop the plague, saving the same people who moments earlier had sought to harm him.

But even that wasn’t enough. It took the miraculous blossoming of Aaron’s staff to finally convince the people of Moshe and Aaron’s divine selection. Only after the deaths of Korach’s group, the 250 men, the plague, and the blossoming staff did the people relent. But their reaction was despair: Hen gavanu avadnu kulanu avadnu! - “We will perish, we are lost! All of us!” They couldn’t envision a way forward.

Here, God steps in once again, instructing Aaron: Ata u’vanecha… tisu et avon ha-mikdash – “You and your descendants will bear the responsibility for the mikdash.” With this directive, God empowers Aaron to guide the people, ensuring that they avoid the fatal mistake of approaching the mishkan improperly, which could lead to their death. Aaron is tasked with helping them find a balance between reverence and hope.

This narrative reflects how people can blind themselves to the truth, a phenomenon we still see today. In some circles, Hamas terrorism is framed as legitimate resistance, and Iran is viewed as a victim. Democratic New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani openly supports globalizing the intifada and the BDS movement. His success in the democratic primary has normalized these  positions and has dragged them into mainstream discourse.

Why this blindness? It’s a distorted application of kulam kedoshim – “We are all holy,” that Korach championed. It feeds into a narrative of victimhood and rebellion: “We are oppressed, so we must resist.” When such an overarching narrative takes hold, it often requires a series of miracles to break free from its grip.

How do we respond? First, reject this narrative outright. You cannot negotiate with Iran, or Hamas, for that matter, as you would with a Western ally. There will be consequences - sometimes painful ones - for those living under oppressive regimes, just like, unfortunately many members of the Bnei Yisrael died during and in the aftermath of Korach’s rebellion. At the same time, it is our responsibility to offer hope. We must be clear: while we will not tolerate regimes that chant “Death to Israel! Death to America!” we also believe a better path is possible.

We’ve seen this transformation before. Egypt embraced peace. Jordan followed. Then came the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan. Perhaps Saudi Arabia or even Syria will be next.

The past week was a moment of HaTov VeHaMeitiv. But it’s hard to shift an entrenched narrative. Change brings anxiety and resistance. Perhaps we cannot recite full Hallel at this moment despite our successes when our enemies still pose a significant threat and our hostages are still in dungeons in Gaza. Our task is to stay strong, pray, and extend hope to those who may yet join us. One by one, with God’s help, they will come.