Korah (Numbers 16-18)
LA JOLLA, California — I have chosen four passage types from the parasha, for comparison with ancient non-Israelite practices, from what I could find in internet sources. They concern such subjects as rebellion, salt, incense, and miracles.
I. Numbers 16:1-2 “Now Korah…of Levi, betook himself, along with Dathan and Abiram…descendents of Reuben–to rise up against Moses…”
Dating from as early as c. 2730 BCE, there are hundreds of recorded rebellions in ancient times, and since. [1] The earliest is in the Egyptian story of Osiris (the most important Egyptian myth). Set killed and mutilated his brother (or cousin?) Osiris. The story goes on to report that Osiris’ wife Isis reassembled and resurrected his body long enough to conceive his son and heir Horus. The myth goes on to describe ongoing conflicts between Horus and Set. [2]
II. Numbers 16:14 “Even if you had brought us to a land flowing with milk and honey…should you gouge out those men’s eyes?…” and 18:19 “All the sacred gifts that the Israelites set aside for the Lord…shall be an everlasting covenant of salt before the Lord…”
These two italicized phrases are figures of speech. The first of these, as expressed in modern English, means hoodwinked. No need to explain its meaning. I learned from the internet that the term originated from falconry. In that activity, the falcon’s head is covered with a cap, and its eyes are considered to be closed (blinked), until the falconer wants to let it fly after prey. From this evolved the idea, wherein not seeing truthfully came to be an expression of deliberately stopping the truth being seen. [3]
The second phrase has a long ancient history. Salt was early recognized as a necessary ingredient of food, and so of all sacrifices. Accordingly there was an early connection between salt and covenant-making. When men ate together, they became friends. Similarly, with kings, one could “eat the salt of the palace. “Covenants were confirmed by sacrificial meals and salt was present. Also, since salt is a preservative, it easily became symbolic of an enduring covenant. [4]
III. Numbers 17:12-13 “Aaron took it (firepan)…to…where the plague had begun…put on the incense and made expiation for the people…until the plague was checked.”
Incense is variable aromatic organic herbal material(s), often combined with oils, that releases fragrant smoke when burned.
Combustible bouquets were used by ancient Egyptians, in meditation and rituals, widely perceived to deter malevolent demons and appease the gods. Resin balls have been found in many Egyptian tombs.
The Babylonians used incense while offering prayers to divining oracles. The idea spread from there to Greece and Rome.
Incense burners were found in the Indus Civilization (3300-1300 BCE). India also adopted the practice. Among new herbs they introduced was frankincense.
From Neolithic times, Chinese used incense, and adopted it into religious practice around 2000 BCE.
Incense came to Japan in the 6th century CE, via Korean Buddhist monks, who used it in purification rites. [5]
IV. Numbers 17:21-23 “…Their chieftains gave (Moses) a staff for each chieftain of an ancestral home, twelve staffs in all…Moses deposited the staffs before the Lord..next day…the staff of Aaron…had sprouted…and borne almonds.”
Such miracles also were claimed among pagans. Hellenistic religion presented one of the best examples of a civilization in which miracles play a major part. The intervention of gods in the affairs of Homeric heroes take place in a cosmos in which the divine and human spheres interact. Later miraculous cures at the sanctuary of Aesculapius are recorded, plus divine manifestations of various kinds, e.g. voices, dreams, and theophanies, even virgin births and resurrections.
In the great religions of the East, miracles are closely connected with the theory that ascetic practices and the knowledge of mystical formulas, e.g. Sanskrit mantras, gave a practitioner miraculous powers.
The Hindu religion in India set no bounds to the mystical powers attained by ascetics and yogis. Brahman Sanskrit writings considered the heights of religious insight and mystical experience as humanity’s supreme aim. Ditto for other religions of India–Jainism and Buddhism.
The Buddha himself refused to spread teachings of miracles. To his followers, the greatest miracle was that of instruction. Nevertheless, a Buddha text asserts that the Buddha and his monks had magical powers.
In China, though Confucianism had little room for miraculous elements, nevertheless Daoism (Taoism) produced a rich crop of magic.on all levels of its theories, which was manifested strongly in folk religion.[6]
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NOTES
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of-revolutions_and_rebellions#BC
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Set_(deity)
[3] https://wordfoolery.wordpress.com/2014/10/22/hoodwinked/
[4] https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary//covenant-of-salt/
[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/incense
[6] https://www.brittanica.com/topic/miracle/Religions-of the-west
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Irv Jacobs is a retired medical doctor who delights in Torah analysis. He often delivers a drosh at Congregation Beth El in La Jolla, and at his chavurah.