Thinking Torah Blog

This week’s parashah, Korach, is named for the main instigator of a rebellion against Moses and Aaron’s leadership. Naming the portion after Korach draws our attention to him—it pulls us into the drama he creates: the earth opening to swallow him whole, the devastating plague that follows, the chaos of rebellion. But focusing too much on Korach risks overlooking the more critical dimension of the parashah, Moses’ response.

When Korach and his followers accuse Moses of elevating himself above the community, claiming that he is no holier than anyone else, Moses “falls on his face.” In biblical Hebrew, this act is a profound expression of humility. Moses does not reject the rebels outright. Instead, he considers their accusation and acknowledges that only God can resolve the dispute.

Leadership can be hard. Leaders often become the focus of frustration and critique, and sometimes that critique hits close to home. The way a leader responds reveals a great deal about their character. Are they defensive? Combative? Or do they, like Moses, pause to reflect, to listen?

Even if we don’t hold formal leadership roles, most of us lead in some part of our lives—planning meals with friends, parenting children, organizing community efforts are all forms of leadership. In each of these moments, we have the opportunity to choose how we respond to a challenge. Are we so caught up in our certainty that we can’t even hear critique? Or can we, like Moses, find a way to lead with humility, inviting a bit of Divine light into our relationships and allowing it to help us work through the challenging moments, together?