Let’s rewind a bit. In Beha’alotecha, the Jewish Nation was united and ready to conquer the land of Israel. Suddenly, they began to complain about their food for no apparent reason. G-d was not happy and consequently punished them. In Shelah, fresh off the heels of the previous episode, the spies delivered a devastating report that shook the entire nation. In times of strife and disorder, we naturally look to our leaders for guidance and reassurance. Though what we find at the beginning of this week’s perasha, Qorah, is quite the opposite. Qorah, a prominent Levi and Moshe’s own first cousin, stands up and launches his own rebellion, plunging the nation’s morale even further.
Qorah’s argument seems nationalistic in nature, his slogan is “everyone matters,” or more specifically, “everyone is holy!” (Bemidar 16:3) Why are you, Moshe, singling yourself and your brother out as the leader and Kohen Gadol? Underneath it all, though, he was looking out for his own personal benefit, desiring the position of Kohen Gadol. Putting that aside, what causes a person so esteemed and respected to consider such an outlandish move against Moshe and Aharon?
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks A”H, (Taking It Personally, Korah, 5771, 5784) drawing on the Ramban, points out that it is no coincidence that Qorah’s rebellion erupted immediately after the sin of the spies. Until that moment, the people had every reason to support Moshe. He had successfully led them through every challenge. Once that hope was stripped away, though, and an entire generation was condemned to die in the desert due to the sin of the spies, everything changed.
People who have nothing to lose are dangerous. Qorah saw his opening and he took it. What began as a quiet grievance quickly became a full blown mutiny, with Datan and Abiram joining the cause along with 250 prominent individuals, each with their own claims. Together, they represented Moshe’s greatest challenge as leader to this point. Qorah made a disastrous choice. He let his ambition take over and dragged hundreds of followers into a rebellion, which ultimately led to them being swallowed by the earth, lost forever.
As we head into the summer months, our routines change. We vacation, we relax, and we step away from the structure that keeps us grounded. It is precisely that structure, our praying, our learning, our daily commitments, that defines who we are. Summer presents opportunities to let our guard down, to take shortcuts, and to act like someone we are not. Qorah was a brilliant, respected man who let personal ambition pull him away from who he was supposed to be. True, these situations can arise any day of the year, but the summer months’ challenges present themselves on an almost daily basis. The test is how you respond. Stay grounded and stay true, keep G-d in your mind and in your heart. Keep the Torah at your center and maintain a steady heart, even when it’s uncomfortable or peer pressure gets in the way. You will not just survive the summer, you will return from it stronger.