Parshas Korach -- 23 Sivan, 5771 / June 25, 2011 -- Vol. 2, Issue 17
We saw in last week’s Parsha, Shelach, that though Miriam spoke negatively about Moshe ,instead of being upset with her, he prayed to Hashem that she should be cured of her tza’aras.
In this week’s Parsha, Korach, Moshe once again displays the qualities of a true leader. In the parsha, though Korach, Dasan and Aviram had turned against Moshe and said negative things about him, still Moshe tried to make peace with them. It didn’t bother Moshe that both he and his brother Aharon had been disgraced, rather the only thing that bothered him was the disgrace of the Torah. How is it that Moshe maintained such a positive outlook and not once became personally hurt by others’ words against him?
There was once a Chassidic Rebbe who was traveling with his attendant and they spent several days in a particular inn. Some of the people of the town had a great dislike for the Rebbe and even more so for the Rebbe’s teacher. One evening when they came back to their room, someone had written terrible things on their door about the Rebbe’s teacher. Noticing that the Rebbe didn’t seem fazed by what was written, the attendant asked, “Rebbe, doesn’t it bother you that someone wrote such horrible things about your great teacher?” “What are you talking about?” replied the Rebbe. “Whoever wrote those words certainly was not referring to my teacher, for my teacher was a saintly man, so clearly they were referring to someone else!”
Moshe had a keen understanding of who he was and who he endeavoured to be. This, coupled with his appreciation of hashgacha pratis (divine providence) and knowing that all of his talents were a gift from Hashem, enabled him to be happy in who he was and not become tainted by others’ perceptions of him. When we recognize who we are, we become secure in our vision, and are able to live up to what Hashem has planned for us.
In this week’s Parsha, Korach, Moshe once again displays the qualities of a true leader. In the parsha, though Korach, Dasan and Aviram had turned against Moshe and said negative things about him, still Moshe tried to make peace with them. It didn’t bother Moshe that both he and his brother Aharon had been disgraced, rather the only thing that bothered him was the disgrace of the Torah. How is it that Moshe maintained such a positive outlook and not once became personally hurt by others’ words against him?
There was once a Chassidic Rebbe who was traveling with his attendant and they spent several days in a particular inn. Some of the people of the town had a great dislike for the Rebbe and even more so for the Rebbe’s teacher. One evening when they came back to their room, someone had written terrible things on their door about the Rebbe’s teacher. Noticing that the Rebbe didn’t seem fazed by what was written, the attendant asked, “Rebbe, doesn’t it bother you that someone wrote such horrible things about your great teacher?” “What are you talking about?” replied the Rebbe. “Whoever wrote those words certainly was not referring to my teacher, for my teacher was a saintly man, so clearly they were referring to someone else!”
Moshe had a keen understanding of who he was and who he endeavoured to be. This, coupled with his appreciation of hashgacha pratis (divine providence) and knowing that all of his talents were a gift from Hashem, enabled him to be happy in who he was and not become tainted by others’ perceptions of him. When we recognize who we are, we become secure in our vision, and are able to live up to what Hashem has planned for us.
Parshas Korach: Counseling Korach
In this week’s Parsha, Korach challenges Moshe’s authority and asks whether it is right that Moshe should be the leader of the Jewish people. There is a standoff of sorts with the end result being that the earth opened wide and swallowed Korach and his collaborators up.
In today’s day and age, many issues can be resolved through counselling, whether it be with a Rabbi, psychologist, social worker, or other clinician. Let’s imagine for a moment that Korach had had the opportunity to see a therapist before he decided to organize a coup d’état against Moshe. I think the session would most probably sound something like this:
Therapist: So Rabbi Korach what brings you here?
Korach: I don’t know really, I was referred here by a friend of mine.
Therapist: Well, I’m very glad you came. How are you today?
Korach: I’m pretty angry right now I can tell you that much.
Therapist: Tell me more about being angry.
Korach: I can tell you a whole lot about being angry that’s for sure. I’m more than angry, I’m furious. I’ve had it up to here (gestures with his hands) with Moshe. It’s always Moshe this and Moshe that. He thinks he’s so much smarter than the rest of us.
Therapist: Is this Moshe a friend of yours?
Korach: Friend? I wouldn’t say a friend, more like an acquaintance. Well, we used to be friends before he became the ‘head honcho’. Why should he be the leader of all of us? Did you know that I’m from the tribe of Levi? It’s not as if he’s the only Levi in town!
Therapist: So I hear you saying that you’re questioning whether Moshe should be the leader of the Jewish people.
Korach: You got that right! Who says he is so much better than the other Levites?
Therapist: Are there other Levites you think are more qualified?
Korach: Absolutely! You know it’s not as if Moshe is doing it all himself, he has Hashem behind him. If Hashem had given me everything he has given Moshe I could do just as good a job, if not better.
Therapist: So if I understand correctly, what you are saying is that Moshe isn’t really so great on his own, but rather Hashem has given him certain qualities?
Korach: That’s exactly what I’m saying. Is that fair, that he was given such talent?
Therapist: I don’t’ know. Do you think it’s fair?
Korach: Absolutely not. Why wasn’t I given those talents?
Therapist: Were you given talents by Hashem?
Korach: (Thinks for a minute). Probably, but no one seems to value them.
Therapist: Do you value the qualities that Hashem has given you?
Korach: Why should I? I’m obviously no Moshe!
There is a famous saying from the Torah which says, “Love your neighbour as you love yourself”. The question is whether it can also be read the opposite way, “Love yourself, as you love your neighbour.”
Each person has enormous capabilities. The problem is that all too often, people are not aware of them. And even if they are, they undermine their value in comparison to others’ talents. One reason this occurs is because so much time is spent looking at others. A person begins thinking, “Look at what so and so has done, and they did it so quickly. Why did it take me so long?” When we spend too much time comparing ourselves to others, we lose out on precious time that we could be embracing ourselves.
Ever go to an amusement park that has a funhouse? Inside there are all different types of mirrors. Some of the mirrors are regular ones that allow you to see your reflection as it truly is. Others, however, severely distort your image, making you taller, shorter, wider, skinnier, wavier, and other different funny unrealistic versions of yourself.
Often when we look at others, we see their true potential. Yet when we look at ourselves, all we see is a distorted image. It is this wacky and warped image that hinders our growth and crushes our aspirations of who we want to be.
The Baal Shem Tov (founder of Chassidus) said that when a person sees something negative in someone else, it means that there is a part of that negative trait in him as well. I think the opposite holds true too. When we look at others and see positive traits, talents, and characteristics, there is much of that positivity that we can find in ourselves as well, we only have to look.
Korach spent so much time comparing himself to Moshe that he failed to acknowledge his own personalized role that Hashem had set out for him. Life isn’t about how you measure up against others, but rather how you measure up against yourself.
In today’s day and age, many issues can be resolved through counselling, whether it be with a Rabbi, psychologist, social worker, or other clinician. Let’s imagine for a moment that Korach had had the opportunity to see a therapist before he decided to organize a coup d’état against Moshe. I think the session would most probably sound something like this:
Therapist: So Rabbi Korach what brings you here?
Korach: I don’t know really, I was referred here by a friend of mine.
Therapist: Well, I’m very glad you came. How are you today?
Korach: I’m pretty angry right now I can tell you that much.
Therapist: Tell me more about being angry.
Korach: I can tell you a whole lot about being angry that’s for sure. I’m more than angry, I’m furious. I’ve had it up to here (gestures with his hands) with Moshe. It’s always Moshe this and Moshe that. He thinks he’s so much smarter than the rest of us.
Therapist: Is this Moshe a friend of yours?
Korach: Friend? I wouldn’t say a friend, more like an acquaintance. Well, we used to be friends before he became the ‘head honcho’. Why should he be the leader of all of us? Did you know that I’m from the tribe of Levi? It’s not as if he’s the only Levi in town!
Therapist: So I hear you saying that you’re questioning whether Moshe should be the leader of the Jewish people.
Korach: You got that right! Who says he is so much better than the other Levites?
Therapist: Are there other Levites you think are more qualified?
Korach: Absolutely! You know it’s not as if Moshe is doing it all himself, he has Hashem behind him. If Hashem had given me everything he has given Moshe I could do just as good a job, if not better.
Therapist: So if I understand correctly, what you are saying is that Moshe isn’t really so great on his own, but rather Hashem has given him certain qualities?
Korach: That’s exactly what I’m saying. Is that fair, that he was given such talent?
Therapist: I don’t’ know. Do you think it’s fair?
Korach: Absolutely not. Why wasn’t I given those talents?
Therapist: Were you given talents by Hashem?
Korach: (Thinks for a minute). Probably, but no one seems to value them.
Therapist: Do you value the qualities that Hashem has given you?
Korach: Why should I? I’m obviously no Moshe!
There is a famous saying from the Torah which says, “Love your neighbour as you love yourself”. The question is whether it can also be read the opposite way, “Love yourself, as you love your neighbour.”
Each person has enormous capabilities. The problem is that all too often, people are not aware of them. And even if they are, they undermine their value in comparison to others’ talents. One reason this occurs is because so much time is spent looking at others. A person begins thinking, “Look at what so and so has done, and they did it so quickly. Why did it take me so long?” When we spend too much time comparing ourselves to others, we lose out on precious time that we could be embracing ourselves.
Ever go to an amusement park that has a funhouse? Inside there are all different types of mirrors. Some of the mirrors are regular ones that allow you to see your reflection as it truly is. Others, however, severely distort your image, making you taller, shorter, wider, skinnier, wavier, and other different funny unrealistic versions of yourself.
Often when we look at others, we see their true potential. Yet when we look at ourselves, all we see is a distorted image. It is this wacky and warped image that hinders our growth and crushes our aspirations of who we want to be.
The Baal Shem Tov (founder of Chassidus) said that when a person sees something negative in someone else, it means that there is a part of that negative trait in him as well. I think the opposite holds true too. When we look at others and see positive traits, talents, and characteristics, there is much of that positivity that we can find in ourselves as well, we only have to look.
Korach spent so much time comparing himself to Moshe that he failed to acknowledge his own personalized role that Hashem had set out for him. Life isn’t about how you measure up against others, but rather how you measure up against yourself.
