Posted on 02/08/26
Machloket (Infighting)
Sefer Bamidbar tells of the rebellion led by Korach, Datan, and Aviram against Moshe and Aharon. They claimed that Moshe and Aharon had assumed too much power and authority. Moshe proposed a test to reveal G-d’s Will: Hashem would accept the incense offering from His chosen leader.[1]
Though Moshe knew the test would validate him, he still reached out personally to each of the rebel leaders to try to make peace.[2] Reish Lakish learns from this that we are prohibited from supporting a dispute and must do whatever we can to resolve it.[3]
After Hashem’s ultimate resolution of the rebellion, He asked that Elazar HaKohen turn the ketoret pans used by Korach’s group into a covering for the Mizbei’ach. The covering was meant to remind people of this sad story and deter future infighting: “And there will not be like Korach and his group.”[4]
The Amora Rav sees this pasuk as an actual prohibition against machloket.[5] We are prohibited from causing or supporting machloket because it is poisonous.[6] It ruins the lives of both those directly involved as well as the broader community; it generates hatred and undermines our ability to face life’s real challenges together.
Division
Sefer Devarim goes even further by prohibiting factionalization.[7] Chazal interpret the pasuk of Lo Titgodedu as prohibiting division into subgroups.[8] We are meant to be one people who serve Hashem in the same way. Though we may each have our own unique understanding of Torah, we should be unified in practice. To accomplish this, Hashem gives the Sanhedrin the final word on disputes and commands us to follow their decisions. To reinforce this unity, the Torah orders the execution of an elder who teaches people to violate these decisions.[9]
Why is unity so essential?
The first answer connects to the first part of this piece – the need to avoid machloket. When differences of opinion become differences in practice, it often fosters machloket.
The Importance of Achdut
But there is more. Unity is not only a means of avoiding machloket, but also an end in itself that is important both practically and philosophically.
Yaakov Avinu made this practical point to his children before his death in Parshat Vayechi. In addition to highlighting and reinforcing each child’s unique traits, Yaakov included them all in each other’s berachot: “va’yevareich otam ish asher k’birchato beirach otam.”[10] His message to them was that each was endowed with unique attributes which, when combined with those of the other brothers, would facilitate their mutual success. Their success hinged on their working together.[11]
Unity is also essential philosophically. We often experience achdut in a technical, utilitarian manner: we come together to confront a common enemy or accomplish a shared mission. In truth, it is also ideologically significant.
The Jewish people represent both Hashem and His Torah and therefore should be regarded as a single people who follow the One G-d and His single set of directives.[12] The Gemara[13] explains that divergence in practice makes it seem as if we observe two different Torahs. The Ritva[14] adds that our divisiveness also reflects on Hashem by implying that, chas v’shalom, two different G-d’s direct the divergent segments of our people.
This explains why the Haggadah describes the Rasha as being a kofeir b’ikar (denying the basic principle) for separating from Klal Yisrael. Rejecting the inclusive unity of the Jewish people is like denying the Oneness of Hashem Himself.[15] We are Hashem’s band in this world:[16] Just as His Presence is One, so must we be. “Atah echad, v’shimchah echad, u’mi k’amcha Yisrael goy echad ba’aretz.”
The Impact of Achdut
Our unity is a condition for both our material and spiritual success.
The Torah makes this point when using the singular tense to describe the Jewish people’s arrival at Har Sinai. “Vayichan sham Yisrael neged ha’har (the Jews encamped there – opposite the mountain).”[17] The Torah uses the word vayichan (singular), as opposed to vayachanu (plural), because the Jewish people encamped there as a unified people – “as one person with one heart.”[18]
Our agreement to accept the Torah also needed to be in unison. The Torah[19] describes this consent as “Vaya’an kol ha’am kol echad” – it needed to be the whole people as well as with one voice.[20] Hashem gave the Torah to the Jewish people as one people, only when we stood before him unified as such.
Our material success also hinges on our unity. This is true from both the natural and Divine perspectives.
Naturally, when we are unified, we are more able to defend ourselves[21] and build a healthy society.[22]
Hashem’s assistance to us also hinges upon our achdut. Our success at war depends upon our relationship with one another, rather than with Hashem. When Jews live in peace with one another, it is as if Hashem says, “I cannot control them since there is peace between them.”[23] This is why soldiers died during Dovid HaMelech's reign, and not during Achav’s. Though Achav’s subjects were idol worshippers, their unity merited victory and kept soldiers from dying.[24]
The importance of unity as a condition for Hashem's blessing of peace explains the language we use in Shemonah Esreh, specifically when asking Hashem to bless us with peace: “Barcheinu avinu kulanu ke’echad (Bless us, our Father, all of us as one).” Only when we address Hashem as children unified before their father can we hope that He grants us peace.[25] When we are in peace, Hashem blesses us with peace.[26]
This is why we must pray to Hashem in a unified way. Just as the four minim we take on Sukkot include different types of species, so must our prayers and fast days.[27] The Ketoret offered in the Beit HaMikdash teaches a broader lesson by including a pungent spice. Our supplication of Hashem must include even the sinners.[28] This is why we begin the Yom Kippur tefilah by permitting prayer with sinners. We can only approach Hashem as a fully inclusive, unified people. Only those who have forgiven and accepted one another can ask Hashem for His forgiveness.
Our national redemption also hinges on our achdut. The Midrash asserts that “the Jewish people will not be redeemed until they are one band… When they are unified, they can perceive the face of the Shechinah.”[29] Disunity (baseless hatred) caused our exile; unity brings redemption. This is why Yaakov gathered his children before his death to reveal the date of the redemption.[30] Redemption is realized only when we are unified.[31]
Easier Said Than Done
Achieving achdut is easier said than done. The importance of achdut is mirrored by the difficulty of achieving it. Sadly, disunity and even baseless hatred have been part of the Jewish people since our first family, Yaakov’s children. These traits led to the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash and to our suffering in the millennia since.
Our next piece will iy”H explain the difficulty and offer suggestions on how to achieve it.
Rav Reuven Taragin is the Dean of Overseas Students at Yeshivat Hakotel and the Educational Director of World Mizrachi and the RZA. His new book, Essentials of Judaism, is available at rabbireuventaragin.com.
[1] Bamidbar 16:1-7.
[2] Ibid., 16:8-12.
[3] Sanhedrin 110a. See also Pesachim 50a.
[4] Bamidbar 17:1-5
[5] Sanhedrin 110a.
[6] See Shu”t Rambam 329.
[7] Devarim 14:1.
[8] Sifri, Re’eh 44 and Yevamot 13b. See also the Rambam’s Sefer HaMitzvot, Lo Ta’aseh 45 and the Shulchan Aruch, OC 493:3.
[9] Devarim 17:8-13 and Sanhedrin 88b. See also Avot 2:4, which discourages separating from the tzibbur (community).
[10] Bereishit 49:28.
[11] See Rashi, Ohr Hachayim, and Gur Aryeh to Bereishit 49:28.
[12] See Divrei HaYamim I 17:20-21 and Berachot 6a.
[13] Sanhedrin 88b.
[14] Ritva, Yevamot 13b.
[15] Beit Dovid (of Rav Dovid Tevel), Derush 6.
[16] Amos 9:6.
[17] Shemot 19:2.
[18] Rashi, Shemot 19:2 quoting the Mechilta. The Avnei Neizer pointed out that the formulation implies that Jewish unity, as opposed to that of others (see Rashi, Shemot 14:10), is inherent, as opposed to just based on having a common goal (lev echad).
See also Maharal, Derashot, Derush Al HaTorah.
It is also noteworthy that the giving of the Torah is the first time the Torah emphasizes the Jewish people’s unity. In contr
[19] Shemot 24:3. See also Sefer Chassidim 233. See also Yalkut Shimoni (Devarim 953) which, based on Devarim 33:5, asserts that G-d’s Presence also hinges on Jewish unity.
[20] Interestingly, each of them also spoke in plural – na’aseh v’nishmah. See Beit HaLevi and Chiddushei HaRim, Shemot 24:7.
[21] The Sefat Emet is quoted as having used this idea to explain the Haggadah’s description of “shelo echad bilvad amad aleinu l’chaloteinu.” He explained the words as implying that we were only threatened with extinction when we were not unified as one.
[22] Many explain this to be the significance of Hashem’s comparing Avraham’s descendants to sand (Bereishit 22:17). Sand is unique because it packs together very tightly and heavily. Individual granules of sand get kicked and blown around by the wind. However, when you connect the granules of sand together (especially with water) as one unit, they form a strong and impenetrable mass. Under enough pressure, sand even fuses together and becomes a solid sheet of glass.
The same is true with the Jewish people. When we stand alone, we are weak; when united, we are unstoppable. While it is true and significant that each of us can shine like a star, our real strength emerges when we come together like millions of grains of sand.
[23] Bereishit Rabbah 38:6.
[24] Bamidbar Rabbah 19:2.
[25] Sefer HaTanya 32.
[26] Sefer HaChinuch 241.
[27] Menachot 27a.
[28] Kritot 6b.
[29] Medrash Tanchuma, Nitzavim 1. See also Yalkut Shimoni 651.
[30] Bereshit 49:1
[31] Shelah, Derech Chayim Tochachat Mussar, Vayechi 3.