JUNE 30 • 2022 | 53

SPIRIT

Happy in a World 
Tailored for Me 
T

his week’s Torah por-
tion is named for a 
man who was known 
to be the wealthiest Jew of his 
time. Being a Levite, he also 
occupied a position of 
spiritual prominence 
within the Jewish 
community. Yet he 
was not satisfied with 
that. We read of how 
he convinced many of 
his Jewish brethren to 
challenge the leader-
ship of Moses and the 
priesthood of Aaron.
“The entire commu-
nity is holy, and God is 
among them,
” Korach 
complains, “so why do 
Moses and Aaron feel 
they can exalt themselves over 
the congregation of God?”
Doesn’t that sound honor-
able? After all, all Jews have 
a spark of God within them. 
How then can distinctions be 
drawn between Jews? Let us 
all stand as one without sepa-
ration or distinction.
In truth, though, Korach 
was far from being a “man of 
the people.
” He was simply 
resentful that Aaron, and 
not he, was granted the high 
priesthood.
In response to Korach, 
Moses says: “It is too much for 
you, offspring of Levi.
”
What was Moses telling 
Korach? He was saying “Why 
can’t you recognize the beauty 
and uniqueness of the gifts 
you do have? As a Levite, you 
are a keeper of the sanctuary. 
You are a respected dignitary. 
You have so much going for 
you. How could you possibly 
be discontent? Why must you 
seek the priesthood when 

God clearly gave that to some-
body else?
The Mishnah teaches that 
the reason God created man 
as a single unit rather than 
as an entire species (as 
He did with the animal 
kingdom) is to show 
us that one man equals 
an entire world. Every 
person has their unique 
contribution. We all have 
a mission to enhance 
and perfect our world — 
the circumstances God 
placed us in.
It’s useless to fantasize, 
“If only I was born into 
a different environment.
” 
When one lives with a 
sense of divine purpose, 
one accepts that whatever 
comes their way is orchestrat-
ed by God. It’s within these 
conditions that we are called 
upon to serve our Creator and 
fulfill our very distinctive mis-
sion and purpose.
“Who is rich?” say the 
sages. “He who is happy with 
his lot.
”
The Chassidic Rebbe, Rabbi 
Zushe of Anipoli, once said, 
“If I were offered a deal to 
trade places with Abraham, so 
that he would be Zushe and I 
would be Abraham, I would 
not take it. For although 
I would benefit by being 
Abraham, what gain would 
there be for God? He would 
still have one Abraham and 
one Zushe.
”
It’s not about us; it’s about 
what role we play in God’s 
master plan. 

Rabbi Bentzion Geisinsky lives in 

Bloomfield Hills, where he co-directs 

Chabad of Bingham Farms with his 

wife, Moussia.

TORAH PORTION

Rabbi Bentzi 
Geisinsky

Parshat 

Korach: 

Numbers 16:1-

18:32; 

I Samuel

11:14-12:22.

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