Jewish Unity

A final word about the saga with Korach. There is a Pasuk that says, ולא תהיה כקרח וכעדתו, that we must not be like Korach and his congregation.

The Torah is telling us how important it is to avoid divisiveness among our people. Rabbi Twerski that factionalism has forever been our undoing. This message should be so obvious, but is not emphasized enough.

The חפץ חיים was well known for his efforts to do everything possible to avoid מחלוקת, disagreements. There once was an effort by a group of individuals in his town of Radin, who wanted to create their own חברא קדישא, burial society.

The חפץ חיים was very upset about this, he made an impassioned plea to prevent this from happening. He said that all merit would be lost because of divisiveness. A separate חברא קדישא would harm the potential for Jewish unity. He would not allow this to happen.

It is quite shocking that such a basic concept as אחדות, unity, could allude so many people. We have witnessed the strength of the Jewish people when they are united. When this happens, power on earth has dominion over us.

The work that Chabad does is to be praised. They welcome Jews of all backgrounds without discrimination. I was recently told that the Chabad House in Boston does not even restrict the entry of non-Jews. As a result, the Chabad rabbi discovered many lost Jews that didn’t even know they were Jewish, had they not been welcomed to the Chabad House.

So much good could come to our people if we only found ways to be unified. Learning of Korach’s rebellion was meant to be one of those moments where the important subject of Jewish Unity would come up.