CANTOR’S CORNER

Cantor Eyal Bitton shares a few thoughts on prayer and the parasha of the week.

2023-06-24 Parashat Korach

 

In this week’s Parashat Korach, we see the rise of factions and division within the Jewish people. Korach, Dathan, and Abiram challenged the leadership of Moses and Aaron, calling for a more egalitarian society. This rebellion was ultimately unsuccessful, but it serves as a reminder of the importance of diversity within our community.

The Jewish people are a diverse group, with a rich history and a wide range of beliefs and practices. Our diversity is reflected in the different factions that emerged during Korach’s rebellion. Some sought greater equality and representation, while others supported the established leadership. Regardless of their individual beliefs, each group played an important role in shaping the future of the Jewish people.

We must celebrate and embrace our diversity, recognizing that our differences make us stronger as a people and as a nation. Diversity is not just about immutable traits like ethnicity, gender, or sexuality. It’s also about diversity of culture, and diversity of thought and perspective. If we are to be welcoming of diversity, then we are also to welcome and encourage different opinions, even when they challenge our own.

The “Aleinu” prayer reflects this theme of diversity. In the original text of this prayer, we acknowledge that there are different paths to holiness and that we must respect and appreciate them all. This text, drawn from Isaiah, is still found in the Sephardic liturgy but because the Church demanded it upon penalty of persecution, it was removed from the Ashkenazi liturgy. We say, “It is our duty to praise the Master of all, to ascribe greatness to the Creator of the universe, who has not made us like the nations of the world and has not placed us like the families of the earth…for they bow to vanity and nothingness and pray to a god who cannot save.”

שֶׁהֵם מִשְׁתַּֽחֲוִים לְהֶֽבֶל וָרִיק
וּמִתְפַּלְּלִים אֶל־אֵל לֹא יוֹשִֽׁיעַ

This prayer recognizes that we are unique and different from other nations and peoples. We have our own path to holiness and must respect the paths of others. Our differences are not a source of division but rather a source of strength.

As we reflect on Parashat Korach, let us remember that diversity is a fundamental part of the Jewish people. We must celebrate and embrace our differences, recognizing that they make us stronger and more resilient as a community. We should seek to understand and appreciate the perspectives of others, even when they differ from our own. Through unity and diversity, we can build a more just and equitable society, one that reflects the values of our shared heritage.