Not me, but God – Korach
What did the conspirators have against Moses and Aaron? Obviously, they did not like the way the leaders were running the affairs of the people. In particular, Korach demanded, “Why do you lord it over the congregation of HaShem?” (Num. 16:3).
Moses’ reply is: “HaShem has sent me to do all these deeds: I have not done them of my own accord” (Num. 16:28).
Yes, Moses was a prophet, and the whole Torah ends with a tribute to his prophetic capacity. But a prophet does not do his own thing. His title. navi, means “spokesman”; it is God’s message he brings.
The same concept applies to rabbis. However learned, wise and experienced they are, they do not say, “This is what I tell you, regardless of what the tradition says,” but “Hear what the Torah has to say”. The rabbi does not speak for himself but as a spokesman for Torah, for tradition, for Judaism.
This is a major reason why Judaism had problems with the central figure of another faith when he said, “It has been told you such-and-such, but I say unto you (something different)”. The assumption of personal authority is simply not Jewish.
Judaism also has problems with someone who claims God has given him or her an exclusive message. Judah Halevi reminds us that the revelation at Sinai was not given to one individual alone, who may be subject to delusions, but to the whole assemblage of the people.
