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Korach(Numbers 16-18)

300 Mules

Parshat Korach tells how Korach instigated a rebellion against the leadership of Moses. This act involved a surprising amount of chutzpah, given the fact that Moses had just delivered the Jews from slavery in Egypt, led them through the Red Sea, and brought them to Mount Sinai.

Yet Korach still thought he could instigate a public rebellion against Moses. What was the source of his astounding brazenness?

The Midrash says that a few hundred years earlier, when the entire wealth of the civilized world was amassed by Egypt, a large portion of treasure was eventually funneled to Korach. It is said that Korach's wealth was so great that he required a caravan of 300 mules just to transport the keys to his treasure house!

It was this great wealth, explain the commentators, that prompted Korach to challenge Moses' leadership. Wealth is a wonderful resource. But like anything, it can be abused. A wealthy person might sometimes feel a sense of power and entitlement - which then manifests in inappropriate ways. I recall one time seeing a popular entertainer wantonly destroying property, then smirking with glee over the thought that his fame somehow made him immune to normal standards of behavior.

The Sages say that wealth is a tremendous test in life, perhaps even greater than the test of poverty. The challenge of wealth is to use it for the betterment of mankind, and to avoid using it as a prop for one's ego. That was Korach's fatal mistake.

Published: April 29, 2006

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Visitor Comments: 2

(2) Scott Granowski, June 27, 2008 3:49 PM

Challenges to Leadership

Thank you for your column. My closest experience has been that leaders are constantly held to "what have you done for me today?" issue. This issue appears repeatedly for Moses, not just with Korach. This could also be explanatory without the the seeming exaggeration of the "300 mule caravan" to simply transport the keys.

(1) S. Roytblat, July 7, 2006 12:00 AM

A bit more please

Personally, I think that you should write the full parasha and not just small clips or it.

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About the Author

Rabbi Shraga Simmons

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Rabbi Shraga Simmons spent his childhood trekking through snow in Buffalo, New York. He holds a degree in journalism from the University of Texas at Austin, and rabbinic ordination from the Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem. He is the senior editor of Aish.com and the director of JewishPathways.com.

An expert on media bias, he was the founding editor of HonestReporting.com, and is the author of David & Goliath: The Explosive Inside Story of Media Bias in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (2012). With drama and a biting edge, David & Goliath is a definitive treatment, fully resourced with over 2,000 footnotes. Readers are privy to secret negotiations with CNN executives, and how a grassroots campaign was cited by the New York Times as effecting sweeping changes in Mideast media coverage.

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Rabbi Simmons lives with his wife and children in the Modi'in region of Israel.

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