Korach: politics

Korach puts me in a religious bind. The establishment has admitted  that the core of their plan, the Promised Land of Milk and Honey will not come to pass in the lifetimes of the people who have left the life they knew.  The life (albeit of slavery and degradation ) that they had come to regard as comfortable.  Despite this radical change in plan, perhaps as part of the new order, an aristocracy will be established.  These newly appointed priests will be the stewards of the Temple service and the favored Levite tribe will be their assistants. 

For an American on the Fourth of July, on the holiday that  purports to celebrate the  democratic will of the people over royal fiat ,and  merit over privilege -  Moshe and Aaron's battle with  the upstarts is uncomfortable.  Americans, like the Chinese and the Soviet communists,  are taught that they have no aristocracy . The playing field is level, anyone can become president.The parsha says that those that serve are chosen by Gd.  Any commoner who attempts the service will die. 

Korach has applied for the position of High Priest.  This is not a position open to election.  It is a career.  It requires a qualification beyond citizenship; attributes (not specified) that only Gd knows.  Gd does the picking.  Questioning that choice is a fatal error.

The performance of the service is radioactive.  Errors are fatal and only the most qualified can approach the reactor. It is also a source of great energy, the power of unity.  The unity is threatened by  public support of Korach's assertion of competence .   The validity of Aaron's assignment, and the correctness of Korach's punishment is resolved with a combination of innocuous demonstration ( the sprouting staff) and a show of potency ( the stemming of the plague with Aaron's censor).

Democracy can give ( the illusion of) justice. Competence is a requirement for progress.