The Tragedy of Rebellion

Shavua Tov from LA-

It is interesting to note that the beginning of פרשת קרח starts with the singular, ויקח קרח, and Korach took. It is followed by the plural, ויקחו, and they took.

The “they” included Datan and Aviram, Korach, and און בן פלת. These individuals joined together with the common goal of רק לא משה רבינו, anyone but Moshe Rabbeinu. (Sounds like Israeli politics as in רק לא ביבי.) They did not really take into account that if they succeeded in bringing down Moshe, only one of them would be able to lead. It was only the wife of און, that saw this, and protected her husband from a no-win situation.

Those who fail to learn from history, are destined to repeat it. And isn’t it interesting that this Parsha falls in the middle of political unrest in Israel.

The lesson here is clear that we need to think very clearly before we get “sucked in” on some kind of holy campaign. We must make sure that the cause is completely לשם שמים, “for the sake of Heaven.”

People tend to act without thinking and rationalize the justification in joining some kind of holy mission. When it comes down to it, what began as the act of of an individual, even if others join in the battle, it ends up being a struggle for one individual’s desire for power. This was the tragedy of Korach, and such conflicts and rebellions, must be avoided.