The 12-Day War and Korah

Korah and the End Of War

This week’s Torah portion recounts how Korah the Levite and his supporters were punished for his arrogance. As we read: “…the ground beneath them split open. The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them…” (Numbers 16:31–32). Too, the United States sent B2 bombers to drop twelve bunker-busters on the Iranian nuclear facility in Fordow this past week. The underground facilities were swallowed by the crumbling earth and rendered inoperative or so we hope. Following these dramatic “swallow by earth” events, Korah and his followers disappeared and the 12-Day War between Israel and Iran concluded. We are breathing a little more easily at the moment.

Sadly, 28 Israelis were killed by Iranian missile strikes and around a thousand were injured during the war we’ve endured. In addition, we continued to suffer painful losses during the fighting in Gaza over the past two weeks. Neither have we forgotten the hostages still languishing in the hands of Hamas. All these troubles stem from arrogance mixed with religious and nationalist delusions on the part of Iran’s Ayatollah regime and the failed Palestinian leadership. For us, the people of Israel, these days of trial and tribulation have been extremely challenging.

Ignorance-Based Antisemitism

A non-Jewish friend here in the U.S. told me this week that he doesn’t trust either side of the conflict – not Iran nor Israel. “Both sides have hidden agendas,” he said, “And besides, it were the Israelis who attacked Iran.” Once again, emerges the wrongful moral equation favored by Israel haters: “Both sides are equally bad, so why even try to consider Israel’s existential plight?”

I reminded my friend that in Israel’s open society there are no significant hidden agendas. There is  rather one central and obvious agenda, which is survival in a malevolent and violent Middle East. “Note that the Iranians and their proxies publicly and unabashedly declare their religious mission to wipe out the “Zionist Entity” (Israel) off the face of the earth in the name of Islam and Allah” I added.

Also reminded him that Israel harbors no religious nor nationalistic ambitions beyond the borders of our tiny ancestral homeland. “No moral or otherwise equivalency exists between Iran and Israel,” I emphasized. On one side stand large malicious aggressors, on the other, sophisticated courageous defenders.

For deeper perspective I shared that Israel’s existential strategy since the founding of the modern state has been: “the best defense is preemptive offense”. We learn it from the Talmud (Berakhot 58a): “If someone endeavors to kill you, rise to kill him/her first.” “Wouldn’t you do the same if your life was under threat?” I asked.

Swallowed By Earth Or Better Times

He sincerely thanked me for the clarifications. I invited him to come visit Israel and see for himself, and he thanked me for that as well. Sadly, even the goodhearted and well-intentioned are not immune to the wave of ignorance-based antisemitism currently sweeping the Western world.

Korah challenged Moses and Aaron’s leadership using seemingly logical claims that concealed his hubris and deception. This led Korah to be swallowed by the earth. Holding on to our faith, to the purity of our intentions, as well as continuing to help one another in times of need will burry our enemies in the ground, and lead us and our friends to better times. May it be so.