Weekly Mission: Parshat Korach-" Have a Little Faith in Me

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Weekly Mission: Parshat Korach (5770)

This d’var Torah is written and read (please G-d) for the complete recovery of Shayndel Gittel bat Ayda Adina. Please say a prayer for her in your own words, with a prayer book, or good deeds.

There is a story told about two great Hasidic scholars who were brothers --- Reb Zushe and Reb Elimelech of Lizhensk. Both were students of the Maggid of Mezeritch and were known for their greatness in Torah and Jewish mysticism. One time when they were passing through a certain city, they heard that a robbery took place that same day. The police saw Reb Zushe and Reb Elimelech and suspected them of the robbery since they looked unfamiliar. Thus, he arrested them and put them in jail. Upon entering the cell, Reb Elimelech grew weary as he realized that the sun was setting and he would not be able to pray the afternoon service. Because it was a jail, there was a bucket filled with feces nearby. In such surroundings, a Jew is not allowed to pray. Reb Elimelech was broken. As he mourned for his lost opportunity to pray, his brother yelled at him “Elimelech! Why are you in such despair? Do you think HaShem wants you to cry because you couldn’t serve Him with prayer? Every moment is a moment to serve HaShem, and at this moment He doesn’t want you to serve Him with prayer, He wants you to serve Him without prayer!” Reb Elimelech understood his brother and realized his lack of faith in the Master of the Universe. The brothers stood up and started to dance and sing, serving G-d with what they were given. Soon, the prison guards saw this and started to dance with them. Before they knew it, the jail cell was filled with guards and these two Jews, dancing and singing together! The chief of police walked in and asked a guard, “What is all this dancing and happiness about? They are in jail, they shouldn’t be dancing!” The guard told them that the Jews had looked at the bucket of feces and started to dance. The chief grew agitated and removed the bucket, sent the guards back to their posts, and rebuked the Jews for causing commotion. After the chief left with the bucket, there was still a few minutes before sunset and the Jews had time to pray.

Emunah (faith) doesn’t mean that you have faith that G-d is going to give you “x” job, or that you are going to prevail in “x” situation. True and complete faith come from accepting what HaShem gives you and making it the best it can be. That doesn’t mean that one sits broken and distraught from their circumstances (missed Shacharit and harsh treatment, etc.). It means that every single moment is the EXACT moment that HaShem gives us for the best service we have to offer. There are many fascinating teachings in this story. Reb Elimelech thought that his opportunity for prayer was gone and so he felt broken. But the opportunity wasn’t gone, it was just hidden. His service of G-d at the moment was not prayer; it was something else. After recognizing this and serving G-d with dance and song, he was consequently able to pray!

“Separate yourselves from the midst of this assembly, and I shall destroy them in an instant.”[i]

In this week’s parsha, we see expressions of severe doubt by Korach and his assembly of 250 people. They doubted not only Moshe, his servant, but also G-d Himself. The verse states: “Why do you exalt yourselves over the congregation of HaShem?” [ii] These people believed in G-d, and in fact, they were “princes of the assembly,” but they lacked faith that HaShem truly sent Moshe to lead. [iii] The fact that they saw many open miracles and that Moshe had led them out of Egypt, and that still wasn’t enough, shows a severe lack of faith in G-d. The original commandment to separate themselves from these people was lighter. Earlier, G-d commanded the Jews: “Raise yourselves from the circle of Korach, Dathan and Aviram.”

The earlier command to rise above those who cause sin and lack of faith in G-d did not work. It caused the death of 14,700 people.[iv] The second command was to separate completely from negativity and from relationships that create doubt. Emunah is something that is harnessed and watered, with the help of the proper people who facilitate that. Reb Elimelech needed to separate himself from doubt in order to fully see how great his opportunity was. Not only did he end up praying, but he served G-d in his seemingly “bad” situation. He sang and danced even when the situation seemed horrible.

My oldest brother Yehuda once gave me good advice. He said, “Look at your friends. How do they look to you? Do you respect them and do they respect you? Where are they going to be in ten years from now and where do you want to be in ten years from now?” There is no doubt that lack of faith comes from other’s lack of faith. If we truly want to grab hold of our weaknesses and bash them, we need to rid ourselves of poor connections and poor relationships and form new ones. We all have doubts and we all grow weary in situations, “but the main thing is to recall, to have no fear at all.” [v]

This week I will try to:…rid myself of doubt, and recognize that whatever situation HaShem puts me in is for the sake of serving Him in that moment. How we perceive things is how they will be. If we seek the opportunity of goodness in the bad, then our life of doubt in G-d will turn into a life of knowledge of G-d. This week will be like no other week. This week I will begin my individual and collective redemptive process!

The Aleph-Beis: the Bet has the numerical value of two. The Bet is the initial for both Bria (creation) and Bracha (blessing). This also alludes to the fact that nothing is one, like the oneness of G-d. the home, or Bayit is the focal point for creativity and spirituality. It is the location that we have the potential to see G-d in, with the highest levels. The two homes we aspire for are the communal Biet Hamikdash (the Temple), and on a individual level, the Beit Mikdash Meat (a miniature sanctuary). With each of these, the potential of faith, service, love, mercy, and unity are possible. So..BEEE yourself!

Good Shabbos!!

Edited by: Rachael B. Goldberg


[i] Numbers:17:9

[ii] ibid:16:3

[iii] Ibid. 16:2

[iv] Ibid:17:14

[v] Rebbe Nachman

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