THE DESTRUCTIVE POWER OF JEALOUSY.

"ויקח קרח בן יצהר בן קהת בן לוי וכו'" (במדבר ט"ז – א)

“KORACH, THE SON OF YITZHAR, GRANDSON OF KEHAS, GREAT-GRANDSON OF LEVI, BEGAN A REBELLION ETC.” (BaMidbar 16:1  Rashi)

These pesukim tell us that Korach initiated a rebellion, and influenced two hundred and fifty of the nation's most elite, "princes of the congregation," to join him.  The rebellion ended in utter failure, but not without exacting a tragic toll on the people.  Korach and his household were miraculously swallowed alive, descending into the earth.  A fire from heaven completely consumed the two hundred and fifty princes of the congregation, while fourteen thousand seven hundred people perished from an accompanying plague.

What was it that motivated Korach to begin an insurgency that ultimately brought about so much tragedy?  The Midrash Tanchuma[1] pinpoints the force that motivated Korach to rebel.  It finds that its root cause was the trait of jealousy.  Korach reasoned, "My grandfather Kehos had four sons; Amram, Yitzhar, Chevron, and Uziel.  I could accept the fact that Amram's two sons were appointed to high office, Moshe as king and Aharon as Kohen Gadol, since Amram was the firstborn.  However, let me ask, who is fit to be appointed to the next honor, as prince of the tribe of Kehos? Is it not I, Korach, the son of Yitzhar, who is second to Amram?  Yet Moshe Rabbeinu installed Eliztafan, the son of the youngest brother Uziel, as prince.  Therefore, I shall rebel against him and annul his words."  We see clearly from this Midrash that it was Korach's feeling of jealousy that drove him to rebel and which ultimately led to all the tragic consequences of the rebellion.

This is mystifying.  Who was Korach?  He was a pikeach of extraordinary brilliance[2] in the generation of the Dor Deah, the most knowledgeable generation that ever existed.  He was a man who was holy throughout, as was his entire generation, who were holy “from head to toe[3].”  He possessed ruach hakodesh.[4] He was one of those who was worthy of carrying the Aron HaKodesh, the Holy Ark.

If so, where could there be room for jealousy in the heart of a person who embodied so much holiness and greatness?  Should not such overwhelming piety, which surely existed within Korach's heart, entirely eradicate any trace of jealousy within him?

Furthermore, even if this jealousy were not entirely eliminated, should it not have at least become considerably diminished?  If so, how could jealousy in this diluted form possibly have penetrated the enormous holiness of Korach and have motivated him to launch such a mutinous rebellion?

We see from here the devastating power of the terrible trait of jealousy, even in its weakened state.  It remains intact and powerful even against overwhelming odds. It will steamroll through anything and everything in its path.  No person is immune from it Even the pious holiness that existed within Korach's heart could not be spared from this trenchant force of jealousy.

May we realize that the longing to possess what another person owns constitutes a violation of the Torah prohibition of jealousy.  Hashem has decreed that others should have something, and we should not.

May we also realize that although jealousy may seem to be so very difficult to overcome, and although it may seem to be so automatic and reflexive, it is, nevertheless, within our ability to eradicate it from within us.  The human being has the resources and capability not only to rid himself of the jealousy that already exists within him, but even to develop his character to such a degree that the spontaneous and involuntary thought processes of jealousy, will, incredibly, not even begin[5] to take root.

May we be privileged to "fargeen" (Yiddish, rejoice in) what the other person has, and to remove any trace of jealousy that lurks within us.  We will then be zocheh to serve Hashem with pure and holy hearts, וטהר לבנו לעבדך באמת Amen