Divrei Torah

The Torah in Parashat Korah describes the revolt waged by Korah and his followers against the authority of Moshe and Aharon. Korah and his group posed to Moshe the question, “Madu’a Titnas’u Al Kehal Hashem” – “Why do you elevate yourselves over the congregation of G-d?” Korah accused Moshe of asserting his authority and exerting power for personal, egotistical interests, for prestige and glory. 

Just two weeks ago, in Parashat Behaalotecha, we read the Torah’s description of Moshe Rabbenu as “exceedingly humble, more so than any person on the face of the earth.” G-d Himself testified to the fact that Moshe was the precise opposite of how Korah portrayed him. Korah charged him of asserting himself out of a desire for honor and power, whereas in truth, Moshe was more humble than any other person in the world. 

This incident teaches an important lesson about the way we are tested during life. Namely, our patience is tested specifically in our areas of strength. If a person pokes fun at us for something regarding which we profess no skill or expertise, it doesn’t bother us. But it is when we are challenged in the area in which we feel accomplished that our patience and forbearance are tested. Moshe was challenged specifically in the area of his greatest achievement – humility – and he passed the text with flying colors, ignoring the insult and proposing a way to prove that the leadership appointments were made by Hashem, and not by him. 

Our areas of success and achievement are often our source of personal pride, and it is thus specifically regarding those areas that we are emotionally vulnerable. Since they provide us with a sense of satisfaction, challenges to our success in those areas tend to hurt. We should learn from Moshe’s example to keep at our emotions at bay, and to have the strength to ignore insults and retain our dignity in the face of unwarranted criticism and scorn.