We read in Parashat Korach that after Korach confronted Moshe along with his followers to challenge Moshe’s leadership, he then succeeded in marshalling support from the entire nation: “Korach assembled the entire nation around them, at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting” (16:19). Rashi, citing the Midrash Tanchuma, explains that Korach worked throughout the night campaigning for his cause, spreading false accusations about Moshe and Aharon and convincing the people that he, Korach, would stand up for them and release them from the tight shackles of Moshe and Aharon’s leadership.
The Torah proceeds to tell that at that point, God informed Moshe and Aharon of His desire to annihilate the nation: “Separate from amidst this nation, and I will eradicate them in an instant” (16:21). Once the nation lent Korach their support, God condemned the entire nation to annihilation. Moshe and Aharon immediately pleaded on the people’s behalf, turning to God in prayer and asking, “Shall just one man sin, and You will be enraged at the entire nation?!” (16:22). They defended Benei Yisrael by noting that the current situation was precipitated by just one man – Korach – who used persuasive rhetoric and lies to generate support for his nefarious campaign. It was thus he, and not the rest of the nation, who should be punished.
God accepted Moshe and Aharon’s prayer, but with one condition. He replied, “Speak to the nation, saying: Rise from around the tent of Korach, Datan and Aviram” (16:24). In order to be spared, the people would need to show that it is indeed just one person, or small group of people, who are guilty of insurrection. If the people would now separate from Korach and his fellow leaders, then God would limit His anger to that small group. Sure enough, the people heeded Moshe’s call to withdraw from Korach’s headquarters, and only the leadership was devoured by the ground.
This incident demonstrates that we are accountable for our decisions and actions even if we were lured by misleading, persuasive arguments. The fact that the insurrection was instigated by Korach did not suffice to absolve the followers he attracted of guilt. They were punishable for following his lead, despite the fact that they fell prey to his convincing campaigning. We cannot excuse ourselves from wrongdoing by blaming those who tempted and lured us.
This message resurfaces later in Sefer Bamidbar (25), in the tragic story of Ba’al Pe’or. The Torah tells that many among Benei Yisrael worshipped the deity of Moav and slept with women from that nation, resulting in a plague that killed 24,000 members of the nation. Chazal explain that this incident was orchestrated by the people of Moav, who, at the advice of Bilam, sent their young women to entice the men of Benei Yisrael to sin. Yet, despite the fact that the people’s sin resulted from an intentional campaign of seduction, they were nevertheless held accountable and were severely punished. We cannot blame our faults and failings on other people, even on people who intentionally tried drawing us to wrongdoing. Ultimately, we are solely responsible for our actions, we are endowed with the power of free will, to choose between right and wrong, and thus we must take responsibility for our actions without trying to cast the blame elsewhere.