Independence Day: Relearning the Purpose of Freedom (Korach)
Today is many things, including in America, the 4th of July. Let’s ground this reflection on America’s Independence Day in Torah and delve into the day’s meaning.
In Parashat Korach we encounter a rebellion led by Korach, who recruits Datan and Aviram, who in turn enlist 250 leaders of the Israelites to stage a rebellion, not just against Moses and Aaron, but against the order established by God (Num. 16:1–3). This is significant because the authority Moses and Aaron wield is not their own, nor did they seek it. Moses tried to evade God’s call, and Aaron was appointed as a spokesperson in a last-ditch effort to support Moses.
This is an important starting point because the power any leader wields is not their own. Ancient societies, and even modern ones like Japan with the idea of an emperor, believed leaders served in place of God. This was true in ancient Egypt as well. When God called Moses, God’s language was said, “I will make you a god to Pharaoh, and Aaron will be your prophet, (Ex. 4:14–16)” underscoring that the prophet is the voice of God, just as the ruler was seen as the incarnation of God. Even the modern Catholic Church has a version of this in the role of the Pope.
But let us focus not on the authority of these leaders but the ritual by which they were tested. When Korach and the rebels challenged Aaron’s place as High Priest, they were instructed to each take their fire pans and offer incense to God. The one whose offering was accepted would be affirmed as the rightful leader in a public spectacle (Num. 16: 16–17). Aaron’s offering was accepted, while Korach’s followers were consumed by divine fire (v. 35). The fire pans of the rebels were then melted down to cover the altar, serving as a lasting reminder of the rebellion (Num. 17:3).
Rabbi Charlie Schwarz, quoting Nechama Leibowitz (who was herself amplifying Ramban’s commentary), explains that the physical transformation from fire-pans to altar-cover demonstrates that the holiness of these vessels did not originate from the actions of the sinners but rather symbolized the return of ritual order and the end of chaos.
Turning to today, American history is replete with chaotic chapters, often (at the time) seen as valorous and noble. My grandfather served in World War II, stationed in the Philippines, nearly part of a ground invasion of Japan before the U.S. dropped atomic bombs onto Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. My sister, now a chaplain in the US Navy, continues this legacy of service. My pride in America is rooted in my family’s service and the safe shores we found here generations earlier. But part of my civic responsibility includes acknowledging the complexity of American history and being part of writing the next and better chapter of our nation’s story.
Today, the 4th of July marks the ratification of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. The founders of the United States were not demigods but humans improvising the best they could. Among their achievements was creating a nation without destroying it — a lesson in leadership worth emulating.
Korach and his followers sought power without pure intent. The incorporation of their fire pans into the altar reminds us all that part of service is to absorb the complex lessons of our history. As Americans, we must acknowledge the sins of our past, from the displacement and massacre of Indigenous peoples to the dehumanization of enslavement.
Judaism teaches that we do not erase sins but learn from them, striving to do better when presented with the same circumstances. The fire pans melted down and placed on the altar teach us never to forget.
Knowing our history is essential. In his book “American Creation,” Joseph Ellis speaks about the founders’ human flaws and their creative political foundation, which allowed for future leaders like Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr. to further the nation’s ideals as more modern founders in the great American experiment. Similarly, Jonathan Sarna’s “American Judaism” highlights the contributions of American Jews to the United States’ ongoing founding. The story of American Judaism is one of human potential and the ability to change history. Both books emphasize that the future is ours to create, reminding us that justice is a process, and authority must be wielded ethically.
As we reflect on the 4th of July, we must remember that no place is perfect or fully complete. The mistakes of the past are integral to the lessons we need to serve. The fire pans of Korach remind us to absorb and learn from our history, moving the needle toward justice and real freedom.
The 4th of July is not just a date in 1776; it is today. The sacrifices of our ancestors have brought us here. So: what are we willing to contribute in this moment of history so that our children will be blessed to say the same?