（民16）可拉与亚伦 (Numbers 16) Korah and Aaron
(ChatGPT was applied in English translation. 中文在后面）
A while ago, the United States promoted DEI, which means Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. For example, in graduate schools, the proportion of certain racial groups is too small compared with their share of the general population, which seems too unequal. DEI encourages giving extra slots and resources to admit these minority groups to graduate programs. But those admitted through DEI often encounter learning difficulties, to the extent that some schools were considering canceling the PhD qualifying exam.
Actually, movements that pursue equality were already recorded in the Bible thousands of years ago. After the Israelites came out of Egypt, their leader Moses appointed his own brother Aaron’s family to be priests; only they were allowed to manage the matters of offering sacrifices to the Creator. This regulation was actually in obedience to the command of the LORD (Exodus 28). But Korah (Moses and Aaron’s cousin) was not satisfied. He led over two hundred well-known Israelites and (Numbers 16:3) “they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?”
Actually, I think the LORD knows how to appoint the right people. The priests He appointed are those who transmit blessings of peace (Numbers 6:26), and this peace—shalom—also includes the meaning of harmony. Aaron is the most suitable transmitter of the blessing of peace. Psalm 133:1–2 says: “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments.” Many brothers in the Bible ended up in conflict due to jealousy: the elder of the first pair of brothers in humanity killed his younger brother out of jealousy; Israel was almost killed by his brother after taking the firstborn blessing; Joseph, the beloved son of Israel, was sold as a slave by his brothers out of jealousy. But when Aaron saw his younger brother Moses become the leader of the Israelites, he was not jealous. After the Creator chose Moses as leader (Exodus 4:27), He said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” So he went, and met him at the mount of God, and kissed him. Moreover, Aaron cooperated with his brother in serving the Creator. Exodus 7:1 records: “And the LORD said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet.”
Korah was not satisfied with the Aaronic family “monopolizing” the priesthood. On the surface it seemed like he was pursuing equality, saying “all the congregation are holy,” and so on. But in fact, I think he had not overcome a sin nature of the old Adam—namely, jealousy. At the very least, he had not let go of self, and had not humbly believed that the LORD’s arrangement was the best. By contrast, in the matter of his younger brother being chosen as leader, Aaron let go of the old Adam’s ego and cooperated with his brother to serve the LORD. From this point of view, Aaron was more suitable than Korah to be a priest and to transmit the blessing of peace and harmony. The LORD’s arrangement is the most fitting.
（民16）可拉与亚伦
前一段时间，美国推行DEI，就是多元平等包容的意思。比如说高校研究生中某些种族的比例和全人口中所占比例相比太少了，看上去太不平等，DEI就鼓励给出额外名额和资源来接受这些少数族裔读研究生，但这些通过DEI入学的人常有学习困难的问题，以至于有的学校要考虑取消博士资格考试。
其实追求平等的运动，在几千年前圣经里就记载过。在以色列人出埃及后，他们的领袖摩西让自己哥哥亚伦家族作祭司，只有他们才可以管理向造物主献祭的事情。这个规定实际上是遵从造物主耶和华的命令（出埃及记28），但摩西亚伦的表兄弟可拉不满意，他带领二百多位有名望的以色列人，（民数记16:3）“聚 集 攻 击 摩 西 ， 亚 伦 ， 说 ， 你 们 擅 自 专 权 。 全 会 众 个 个 既 是 圣 洁 ， 耶 和 华 也 在 他 们 中 间 ， 你 们 为 什 么 自 高 ， 超 过 耶 和 华 的 会 众 呢 ？”
其实我觉得造物主知人善任，祂所立的祭司是传递平安的祝福的 （民数记6:26），而这个平安“shalom”也包含有和睦的意思。亚伦是最合适的平安祝福的传递者。诗篇133:1-2 说: “看 哪 ， 弟 兄 和 睦 同 居 ， 是 何 等 的 善 ， 何 等 的 美 。这 好 比 那 贵 重 的 油 ， 浇 在 亚 伦 的 头 上 ， 流 到 胡 须 ， 又 流 到 他 的 衣 襟 。” 圣经里的弟兄很多都因为嫉妒而纷争，人类的第一对弟兄中的哥哥就因为嫉妒而杀了弟弟，以色列也因为从哥哥那里取走了长子的祝福而差点被杀。以色列的爱子约瑟也因为哥哥们的嫉妒而被卖为奴。但亚伦看到弟弟摩西作了以色利人的领袖却不嫉妒，造物主拣选了摩西作领袖以后（出埃及记4:27），对 亚 伦 说 ，“ 你 往 旷 野 去 迎 接 摩 西 。” 他 就 去 ， 在 神 的 山 遇 见 摩 西 ， 和 他 亲 嘴 。而且亚伦还配合弟弟侍奉造物主，出埃及记7:1记载：“耶 和 华 对 摩 西 说 ， 我 使 你 在 法 老 面 前 代 替 神 ， 你 的 哥 哥 亚 伦 是 替 你 说 话 的 。”
可拉不满意亚伦家族“垄断”祭司的职位，看上去是因为追求平等，说“全 会 众 个 个 既 是 圣 洁”等等，但其实我觉得他是没有克服“嫉妒”这个旧亚当的罪性，至少是没能放下自我，没能谦卑地相信造物主的安排最好。相反，亚伦在对待弟弟被拣选为领袖的事上，就放下了旧亚当的自我，配合弟弟侍奉造物主。从这一点来看，亚伦比可拉更合适作祭司，更合适传递平安和睦的祝福。造物主的安排最合适。