Korach

וַיִּֽקָּהֲל֞וּ עַל־מֹשֶׁ֣ה וְעַֽל־אַהֲרֹ֗ן וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֲלֵהֶם֮ רַב־לָכֶם֒ כִּ֤י כׇל־הָֽעֵדָה֙ כֻּלָּ֣ם קְדֹשִׁ֔ים וּבְתוֹכָ֖ם יְהֹוָ֑ה וּמַדּ֥וּעַ תִּֽתְנַשְּׂא֖וּ עַל־קְהַ֥ל יְהֹוָֽה
They combined against Moses and Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! For all the community are holy, all of them, and God is in their midst. Why then do you raise yourselves above God’s congregation?”

 – Numbers 16:3 Korach

Korach reminds us that not every disagreement is destructive. Judaism values questions and debate. But there is a difference between arguments that seek truth and arguments that seek victory.

Korach declared, “All the community are holy,” yet his challenge divided rather than united. His story teaches that holiness is measured not only by what we say, but by the spirit in which we speak.

May we learn to disagree with humility, and to build community even when we do not all think alike.

L’Shalom,

Cantor Paula Baruch