Rabbi Daniel Siegel

The Inner Circle

A short time ago, in parashat BeHa’alotkha, we read of a selected group of people being inducted into the inner circle of Israelite leadership. Within the inner sanctum of the Tent of Meeting, located outside of the Israelite camp, these individuals, by imprimatur, become the inner circle.

Shortly thereafter, when we hear of 2 individuals prophesying within the camp, Yehosu’a, Moshe’s deputy, whom we are told “did not budge from within the Tent of Meeting”, demands of Moshe: “Kela’em-Restrain them”. Remarkably, Moshe responds: “Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord put his spirit upon them”. In the very next verse, we read that Moshe re-enters the camp with the recent appointees of the inner circle.

Soon thereafter, in this week’s parashah, we read of Korach gathering “the whole community against them (the leadership) at the Tent of Meeting”. The people’s grievance is sounded: “You have gone too far! For, all the community is holy, all of them, and the Lord is in their midst. Why, then, do you lord yourselves over the Lord’s congregation”.

While the Levite Korach is dismissed as and punished for seeking to procure a foothold in the priesthood, Moshe and Aaron are dismayed and distraught at the ensuing communal rebellion.

The Jewish tradition recognises the danger of an inner circle and the substituting of power and control for partnership and community. Moshe says to Joshua, his deputy, when the latter seeks to sanction those not in the inner sanctum: “Are you zealous for me”? Ultimately, Moshe understands, an inner circle might be reduced to the voice of one.

Moshe, like Abraham before him, and in consonance with the whole of our prophetic tradition, understands the importance of the voice of the people and the wisdom of dissenting opinion. As an intercessor for his people and as “His majesty’s loyal opposition”, Moshe reminds God, Himself, that His voice alone is not sufficient.

Then, as now, Judaism teaches, the people must be heard if we are to be an enduring and united community.