Do You Do this Daily Act of Justice?

Parsha [Passage of Scripture] Nugget [Precious Idea] Korach – Numbers 16:1-18:32

Almost daily at my synagogue people are there asking for charity. On occasion, after receiving several contributions, someone will take a portion of what he’s been given and put it in the charity box. At first such behavior puzzled me. He’s so poor he begs for money. Although admirable, why give away what he clearly needs to survive? Parshas Korach, explains:

And to the Levites you will speak and you will say to them, “When you will take from the Children of Israel from the tithe that I give to you from them as your inheritance from it you will set aside a gift for G-d, a tithe from the tithe.” (Numbers/Bamidbar 18:26)

This Sabbath’s parsha takes us from the infamy of the spies to the rebellion of Korach and his followers against Moses and Aaron. Unlike the previous complaints about food, water, and other things, Korach, a cousin of Moses and Aaron, sought to depose them and assume their roles.  He tried to take advantage of the Israelite’s unhappiness over the decree that they would wander in the wilderness for 40 years. As a result of their rebellion, the 250 insurgents were consumed by fire and the Earth swallowed up their households.  A harsh punishment indeed!

Seemingly unrelated to the topic of Korach’s rebellion, the Torah discusses the tithes the Levites will receive. Then, as noted above, it says that the Levites must give a tithe from their tithes to the Kohanim, the Priests.

You would think that a group supported by charity would be exempt from having to give charity. But this might lead them to consider themselves uniquely entitled. Everyone, no matter how rich or how poor and no matter what the source of one’s sustenance, is obligated to give charity.

Korach’s mistakenly felt entitled to more because of his familial connection. He lacked gratitude, and its cousin, humility. As a result, he sought to overthrow Moses and Aaron and trample on the Creator’s plan.

While you may think you earn your sustenance by working and paying for it, the ability to do so is a gift from the Almighty. The recession showed what a blessing it is to be employed. Undoubtedly you have friends who are highly qualified yet struggled to find a job. Why you and not them? There but for the grace of G-d . . .

While tzedakah is usually translated as charity, righteousness is a more accurate. Each person receives G-d’s blessing, even if only life for another day. It is only right that you demonstrate your gratitude each day by sharing this blessing with another who is less fortunate.

What is your plan for showing gratitude each day? Please comment below.

Every year beginning on Simchas Torah, the cycle of reading the Torah, the first five books of the Bible, ends and begins again. Each Sabbath a portion known as a sedra or parsha is read. It is named after the first significant word or two with which this weekly reading begins.

What verse in the Old Testament would you like to know more about? Ask a question and I will answer it in a future Parsha Nugget!