Resist Comparison: Shabbat Message by Rabbi Ashira Boxman
In this week’s Torah portion, Korach, we witness a tragic outcome born from the pursuit of status and envy. While Moses and Aaron are leading the people through the wilderness, Korach and his followers, Dathan and Abiram, lead a rebellion against their leadership. Joined by 250 community leaders, Korach rises up and declares to Moses, “You have gone too far!” (Numbers 16:3). He claims that Moses and Aaron have “raised [themselves] above the Eternal’s congregation,” and insists that every Israelite should be considered equally holy (Numbers 16:3–4). Korach’s actions are met with severe punishment as God causes the earth to swallow him, along with his household and possessions. Many read this story and immediately question the intensity of God’s response. I mean, imagine if we were swallowed up by the earth every time we protested something we disagreed