Korach's Rebellion

Parashat Korah tells of the rebellion against the leadership of Moses and Aaron.  With 250 respected leaders of the community, they accuse Moses and Aaron of acting “holier” than the other Israelites.

When Moses asks the leaders to meet with him and Aaron, the leaders refuse saying, “We will not come.” Stunned, Moses asks God to , “Pay no regard to their words.  I have never taken anything from them nor wronged them.”

The next morning God speaks to Moses and Aaron and tells them to “Withdraw from Korah and the community because they are about to be destroyed.”  Moses and Aaron ask God on behalf of the Israelites to not destroy Korach and the leaders.

The next day the earth opens up and swallows Korah and their 250 followers, their families and everything they owned.

Rabbi Leslie and I both lived in Southern California and before that Rabbi Leslie lived in the San Francisco area where she survived the World Series Earthquake and we both lived through the Northridge Earthquake and several other less significant quakes.

Earthquakes are terrifying and sometimes it feels like the ground will open up and swallow us all.

I think we all have our own personal pits which are likely to swallow us.  For some it might be work.  For others it might be a hobby.  For others it might be acquiring wealth.

Our task, I believe, is to avoid the pits which may likely swallow us and consume us.  Unlike Korah and his followers, we can choose whether to live or die.  I urge us all to choose life.