Headlines »

September 30, 2024 – 1:03 pm | Comments Off on Are We A Religion of No?62 views

One of the famous passages of the Rosh Hashanah liturgy is, “I remember the kindness of your youth, the love of your nuptials, you followed me into the desert, a land that is not planted” (Jereimah 2:2).
This is our way of invoking the trust and devotion to G-d we demonstrated …

Read the full story »
Parsha Insights

Where Biblical law and Torah tale is brought vividly to life

Concepts

The Jewish perspective on topical and controversial subjects

Life Cycle

Probing for meaning in our journey and its milestones.

Yearly Cycle

Discover depth and mystique in the annual Jewish festivals

Rabbi’s Desk

Seeking life’s lessons in news items and current events

Home » Korach

Korach: Unity is Paramount

Submitted by on June 18, 2006 – 6:01 amNo Comment | 2,413 views

A Unique Punishment

Korach was a rebel. He was the prime movement behind a effort to depose Moses and Aaron. For his efforts he was severely punished; he and his followers were lost in a sudden earthquake that literally buried them alive.
Though many sinned before him and many sinned after him, Korach was the only one to be punished in this manner. Korach was not even the first to turn against G-d in the desert, why did Korach alone deserve this ignominious death?

A Community Affected

Korach was not only held responsible for his own sin but for the affect it had on the nation. His rebellion divided the nation. His disparaging remarks about Moses triggered questions about Moses’ legitimacy. It was the first fissure in the confidence that Moses had been able to inspire.
For the Jewish community, no task is impossible as long as we remain united, when we drift apart our strength is weakened. For this reason Korach was severely punished. He introduced the community to conflict and in so doing was forced to pay the price.

Tags: ,