One word says it all.
Every single word of our Torah is sacred, and they all impart such beautiful, enduring messages.
But, so very often, the very beginning of a Parsha, imparts to us a crucial lesson for life – and this is so true of Parshat Korach.
The opening word of Korach actually encapsulates the whole reason why everything went wrong.
What is that opening word? ‘Vayikach’ – ‘he (Korach) took’.
What it means in that context is that Korach took himself aside, he separated himself from others and he contended with Moshe and Aharon, challenging their leadership.
This led to a split in the nation. It was horrific. It was tantamount to a brief civil war and as a result, Korach and his followers suffered an awful death.
But what was at the root of this machloket, this conflict?
For Korach it wasn’t a ‘machloket L’shem Shamayim’ – it was not for the sake of heaven, it was for the sake of himself.
‘Vayikach’ – he wanted to take power, importance, yichus, significance, wealth.
It was all self-serving, not a single element of his leadership had the welfare or the future of the nation in mind.
I think it happens quite often that leaders of all sorts have big egos.
It shouldn’t really be the case, but even where there’s a big ego, one still needs to be in a position of authority and leadership, for the sake of those whom one is serving.
In the event that there is a leader, who is in their position exclusively for their own sake – not only will the leader be in trouble, but the entire people will be.
Shabbat Shalom.