…economist David Landes offered insight in his magisteral work The Wealth and Poverty of Nations.[5] First is the biblical insistence on property rights. He quotes Moses’ words during the Korach revolt: “I have not taken one ass from them, nor have I wronged any one of them” (Num. 16:15). Likewise, the prophet Samuel rhetorically asks the people who have come…
…are afraid it might be, let faith banish fear. KORACH: If you seek to learn, grow, pursue truth and find freedom, seek places that welcome argument and respect dissenting views. CHUKAT: Life lives in the tension between our physical smallness and our spiritual greatness. Life is short, but when we lift our eyes to heaven, we walk tall. BALAK: By…
…will do the opposite. It cannot be avoided. Politics without conflict is a contradiction in terms. Any leader elected to anything, any leader more loved or gifted than others, will face envy. Rivals will question, “Why wasn’t it me?” That is what Korach thought about Moses and Aaron. It is what the brothers thought about Joseph when they saw that…
…a number of factors. First there was the biblical respect for property rights. This he sees as nothing less than a revolution against the ancient world and the power it gave rulers to regard the property of the tribe or the people as their own. By contrast, when Moses finds his leadership challenged by the Israelites during the Korach rebellion,…
…return to Egypt and God’s anger burned against them, he said, “With Your great love, forgive the sin of this nation, just as You have forgiven them from [the time they left] Egypt until now” (Numbers 14:19). When God threatened punishment during the Korach rebellion, Moses prayed, “Will You be angry with the entire assembly when only one man sins?” (Numbers 16:22)….
…and award-winning author. This digital archive, which continues to expand over time as more content is unearthed and uploaded, has been developed by The Rabbi Sacks Legacy in honour of Rabbi Sacks, following his passing on 7th November 2020. > READ ABOUT THE LIFE OF RABBI LORD JONATHAN SACKS Covenant & Conversation PARSHA OF THE WEEK: Korach From the series…
…the fate of the nation as a whole. If they put their personal interests first, God will become angry and the entire people will be punished, the Reubenites and Gadites among them. It is striking how this negotiation contrasts so strongly to the dispute with Korach and his followers. There, the whole argument was about positions, not interests – about…
…It Personally Our new Covenant & Conversation: Family Edition series features new interactive sections and ideas to involve all the family in the conversation, at all ages. Discover games, discussion questions, brainteasers, and practical takeaways. This week we delve into Korach. GO TO THE NEW FAMILY EDITION > Subscribe to our mailing list to receive the weekly parsha commentary. Subscribe…
…Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were looking forward to having the Land of Israel. It still took them generations. Many prayers don’t get answered very spectacularly. Moses prayed to God, well, he kind of put God on the spot, and said, “Let the earth open up and swallow my opponents,” when Korach had the rebellion. But I don’t think we want…
How do King David, Rabbi Shneur Zalman, Charles Darwin, and Ludwig Wittgenstein interpret the commandments of the sacrifices? What is the connection between circumcision, monotheism and romantic love? How does the Ramban, Thomas Hobbes and a 20th-century zoologist contribute to understanding the dispute between Korach and his congregation? Is Bilaam’s curse the seed of modern antisemitism? And who is the…