When you Choose Shabbat, you choose to learn that every Shabbat is different and special. This week we read from Parashat Korach (קֹרַח), the 38th weekly Torah portion in the annual cycle of Torah readings.
According to Wikipedia, Korach (קֹרַח), Numbers 16:1 to 18:32, contains 5,325 Hebrew letters, 1,409 words, 95 verses and makes up 184 lines of the Torah scroll. The parashah tells the story of Korach’s failed attempt to overthrow Moses.
Rabbi Michael D Klein of Temple Torat Emet offers his insights on this week’s Torah reading Korach for Shabbat June 28, 2025 aka 2 Tammuz 5785:
“The following story was shared with me by our dear members Alan and Debby Pransky by way of Hilliel Fuld. It is a perfect illustration of the main points of this week’s narrative from Sedra Korach.
A little boy is going through the attic in his house and he finds a stone. The stone looks like a very valuable and rare gem, so the boy goes downstairs to his dad and says “Dad, how much is this stone worth?” The dad tells him to go down the block to the grocery store and show the stone to the owner. He tells him that when the owner asks him how much he wants for the stone, he should lift up two fingers. The boy runs down the block and when the man at the grocery store asks him how much he wants for the stone, the boy holds up two fingers as instructed. The man says “Oh, $2? Great. I’ll take it.”
The boy runs home and reports to his dad excitedly that the man was willing to pay $2 for this stone. The dad then tells the son to go to the local jewelry shop and when the jeweler asks how much he wants for the stone, to hold up two fingers. The boy does it and the jeweler says “Oh, $200? Ok I’ll take it.”
The boy is in shock and runs home to report to the dad that he offered him $200!! The dad then tells him to go the antique shop and to do the same. Hold up two fingers. The man at the shop looks at the stone, examines it, and asks how much he wants for the stone. He holds up two fingers to which the man replies “Only $2000? I’ll take it!” The boy is in disbelief, and the story goes on.
Throughout our lives, we let others dictate our value to us and they do that based on their own biases and shortcomings. They are simply not equipped or qualified to see your true value. If the boy truly knew the value of the rare gem, he wouldn’t have been so surprised or excited when offered $2, $200, or even $2000. If only we really knew our true value, the ways others appraise us would have zero impact on our own self esteem or self-worth became we know how much we’re really worth. When bullies act up, it’s because they feel bad about themselves. When people put others down, it’s because they’re down on themselves. When people shame others, it’s because they are consumed by their own shame. It’s through that lens that they value others.
Don’t let others tell you how much the stone is worth. They don’t even know what they’re looking at. Korach with all his riches and fame was clueless when it came to understanding the real value of G-d’s love for Israel and the Jewish People. Many people today fall into the same trap as Korach, They believe that because they are rich and famous they have suddenly become experts and have been given the right to criticize and publicly broadcast anti-Semitic and anti-Israel rhetoric. Ultimately, their fate will be the same as Korach because they don’t really understand the special relationship between G-d and Israel. May G-d continue to protect our people and our Land and bring the enemies of our people to ultimate justice!”
Questions to Ponder:
- How was Korach at least partially successful in his rebellion?
- What was Moses’ main argument against Korach and his followers?
- How does the internal strife today mimic the narrative of Korach?
- How doe we as a nation deal with these dissenting voices effectively?
Rabbi Michael D. Klein attended Yeshiva College of South Florida and served as Torah Reader, Hebrew teacher, Chazzan and spiritual leader of various synagogues throughout South Florida. In January 2015 he became Ritual Director, Bnai/Bnot Mitzvah instructor and 7th grade Hebrew instructor for Temple Torat Emet of Boynton Beach. In October 2019 he was accepted into an accelerated track and received his smicha from Yeshiva Adath Wolkowisk and has been the Rabbinic leadership of Temple Torat Emet since August 2020. In September of 2022 he was appointed Rabbinic and Spiritual Advisor of the Florida Region of FJMC.
Choose Shabbat; choose to celebrate, to light candles, sing songs and learn a little Torah.
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