“Like so many conflicts in the Torah, the basic one described in Numbers 16 is fairly straightforward: good Jew versus dummkopf Jew.”

In this interpretation of Korah, Moses is referred to as the “good Jew” while Korah is considered the “dummkopf Jew”.  The tension arises over Korah being envious that Moses gets direct access to God and complains to Moses that he and his family would like that same access to God. Moses explains that whoever gets direct access to God is up to God and no one else. 

Adam Levin is the author of the novels The Instructions and Bubblegum, as well as the story collection, Hot Pink. His writing has appeared in numerous publications, including The New Yorker, McSweeney’s, and Playboy. He has been a New York Public Library Young Lions Fiction Award winner, a recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship, and a National Jewish Book Award finalist. A long-time Chicagoan, he currently lives in Gainesville, Florida.His latest novel, Mount Chicago, will be published by Doubleday in 2022.