Korach: democracy and populism

The Korach conflict is the culmination of the transfer of power from the hereditary hierarchy ( the first born is the leader) to the Priestly and Prophetic administration. This is the story of Bamidbar.

Is this also the story of modern government? Is America the refuge of the non-first born? The rejector of monarchy? Is the rejection of Divine Right the best approach?

Look at the Reign of Terror.

Look at the Nazis, the democratically elected Nazis.

The right of first born is first asserted by Cain ( the koof in Korach?)

Korach is the ancestor of Shmuel. perhaps that is part of the reason we read about Shmuel, his opposition to the appointment of the king (and the evocation of his ascendancy to prophecy over the Priestley sons, his loss of power to the new king Shaul) as the Haftorah for Korach.

There is an interesting set of Halachot for Shabbath. One is allowed to wear the Yellow star dictated by the government for Jews on Shabbath. Under some circumstances, one is allowed to walk with money sewn into his garments on Shabbath. When my father was in Treblinka, he found the money sewn into the garments. The MIshna Brura even says that sewing money into garments is preferrable to burying money ( another Treblinka activity) on Shabbath.

Is all this training in following the edicts of the tyrant unfortunate preparation for sheep-like slaughter? As the people say in Korach: all we ever do is die!