Parashas Korach

Our Parsha for Shabbos is Parashat Korach.Here,Korach with Dathan and Aviram and 250 men who are men of renown and leaders of the assembly,challenge the authority of Moshe and Aharon.Korach was himself a Kohein of high standing but that was not good enough for him.It is interesting to note that the 250 men that stood with them,were men of renown and leaders.They were of higher position than the others and yet still wanted more.
Korach already had an issue with Aharon,when he was made Kohein Gadol and here,the very authority of Moshe and Aharon got questioned.The fact that they asked who gave them authority,was an affront to HaShem,Who gave them the authority.
Korach was a man of division.It is even said that the very hair on his head split into two parts- thus the Hebrew name 'korach.'He challenged Moshe throughout the time he left Egypt and now he was bringing a direct attack to the choice of G-D.
What caused Korach to be unhappy about the high position he (korach) possessed?What caused these men of renown not to be satisfied with their higher positions?For them a little power went along way and they were hungry for more.But what of Korach?Our sages say that his wife repeatedly reminded him of how he is an underling to Moshe and Aharon and how he should have a higher position.Korach's animosity went right back to Egypt and he did not want to leave.He was given a position of treasurer to Par'o and so had amassed much wealth in Egypt,unlike the rest of the Levi'i'm who were poor.Dathan ,also had a history with Moshe,for it was Dathan whom Moshe had saved,when Moshe was still young and saw an Egyptian beating him and Moshe saved him from the Egyptian,who wanted Dathan's wife Shelomith.The next day,Moshe saw Dathan about to hit his relative Aviram and Moshe reprimanded him.It was then that Moshe's actions of saving Dathan from the hands of the Egyptian,got out and this happening came to Par'o's ears and Moshe had to flee.These were the very Korach,Dathan and Aviram.So these were men of renown who were not satisfied with what HaShem had given them.From the time they left Egypt and even before,they already resented Moshe.Korach often challenged Moshe on Halachic issues,to try and catch him out yet Moshe's holiness was beyond reproach.
Now,these men stood before HaShem and Moshe and Aharon,challenging HaShem's choice.
Greed starts out very small,with a tiny thought of discontentment and not being happy with what HaShem knows is best for one to have.Add to this a partner that is not an Aishes Chayil and one has a mixture for disaster that grows into a very big jealousy.
By Aishes Chayil,I mean a wife of valor and purity that builds her husband up and praises him for being,rather than wanting more.It is in the hands of a wife,to bless her husband and so help him to travel toward HaShem.In the Beginning,when HaShem Created Adam Ve Chava,HaShem said to Adam that He will make one 'corresponding' to Adam.'Not one who will always agree with her husband,but will be a mirror to him (for a person cannot truly see themselves) ,so that she can help to improve him and correct his faults and raise his spiritual level.The same works both ways.
Sadly,Korach's wife was not an Aishes Chayil.Korach himself was never content with what HaShem gave him.He was given the priesthood to be close to HaShem,but this still was not enough.Shlomo Hamelech teaches us very wisely to be happy with one's lot.HaShem knows what we all need and we all need to trust Him to know best.Korach and the others did not.So they were swallowed up by the Earth.
First the eye sees,then the eye wants.HaShem tells us many times in Torah to fear HaShem.The word 'fear' in Hebrew is 'Yerei' and it is so interesting that the word 'see' in Hebrew is 'Ro'eh,' so these two words have similar roots.HaShem helps us,for if we fear HaShem,we will see only good and trust and have faith in what HaShem does and gives us.To look at what others have and want it,is so wrong for,what others have,is their destiny and their path in life to travel.Not ours.We each need different things to grow spiritually and G-D alone knows what each of us need.Instead of using our eyes to see what others possess,we must rather use our eyes to perceive the fear of our Creator and so,keep faith in HaShem.
Wanting what is not ours,will give a constant hunger that can never be filled and leave such a person 'bare' and 'empty' of everything.The word 'Korach' in Hebrew means 'bear and empty' and so is the destiny of those who want and covet what belongs to others.The word 'belongs' is operative,for what others have is the possession of those that have it,not ours and to want what others have leads to theft.That already is two of the Ten Commandments that would be broken (Chas Ve Shalom) .So we need to keep our focus on trusting HaShem that He knows best and use what HaShem gives us for the Good.
HaShem gives us all a world for each of us.Let us learn to appreciate it and the love HaShem bares us,by choosing us to live.Let us use every moment of this 'living,' in His Service and remind ourselves that we are not the centre of all things,The centre of all things is HaShem.
With love to HaShem,I wish HaShem with Love,a Beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with Love and to all,a beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with love.