Parshas Korach: Materialism?
Modern society places a strong emphasis on material goods. We judge one another all too often by the car we drive, the house we live in, or the clothes we wear. Some people cannot afford food, yet wear a Prada purse.
Many religions in the world repudiate materialism. Many religions are ascetic in nature and exalt those individuals who can give up the most materialism. Perhaps this is why Korach’s possessions are swallowed up when he sins? Perhaps Korach was too much of a materialist.
This cannot be the full explanation, however, because Judaism is not a religion that tells us to give up our material pleasures. Instead, we are meant to uplift them and raise that which is “base” and physical to a higher, spiritual level.
The answer to the question lies in what Korach and his followers choose to offer up to G-d: incense. Incense is an offering that is purely spiritual. Unlike meat or other food offerings, where ultimately much of the offering is eaten, incense leaves nothing behind. Korach and his followers were upset because they wanted to be priests so that, like the incense, they could live an almost completely spiritual life and be close to G-d at all times. Yet, G-d rejected their offering. And then swallowed up Korach’s possessions. It seems like a contradiction: I don’t want the spiritual and I don’t want the physical, either!
In part perhaps G-d was highlighting Korach’s hypocrisy. He wanted to live in the spiritual world but he just couldn’t let go of the physical.
But much more than that, it seems likely that G-d was just trying to teach a lesson about the nature of materialism. Material goods must be used in the right way. They are neither to be adulated nor eliminated, but rather elevated. By making an incense offering, Korach was advocating the elimination of the physical goods he was privately adulating, when in reality he should have been elevating those selfsame physical goods to a higher spiritual level.
This is what we, too, can do in our own lives. We can elevate our physical possessions by using them in the right way. Use candles for lighting on Friday nights. Use tables for Shabbat dinners. Use spare beds for hosting guests. Use cars for visiting the sick or elderly. Every physical possession we have can be elevated in some way.
Shabbat shalom!
Read more about Parshas Korach: Being a Leader is Hard
Read more about Parshas Korach: The Wife in Judasim
Read more about Parshas Korach: The Battle Between Ego & Self-Esteem
