You’re Never Beyond Having to Prove Yourself

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

In the military you change jobs every two or three years. Moving and getting your family settled in a new home present challenges. Another isn’t talked about often. Each new billet is an opportunity to grow your technical and leadership skills. Your new commanding officer often knows little about you. The people you’ll work with have formed a tight group. You have to break in. No matter your seniority, you have to prove yourself time and again. Parshas Korach explains why this is good:

…each man's name you will inscribe on his staff. And the name of Aaron you will inscribe on the staff of Levi… (Numbers/Bamidbar 17:17-18)

You’re Never Beyond Having to Prove Yourself

This Sabbath’s parsha starts with Korach and his followers rebelling against Moses and Aaron. Unlike the previous complaints about food and water, Korach wanted to seize the leadership of his cousins Moses and Aaron. He tried to take advantage of the Israelite’s unhappiness having to wander in the wilderness for 40 years. As a result of the rebellion, fire consumed 250 insurgents. The Earth swallowed up their households. A harsh punishment indeed!

Aaron’s Challenge

You might think Aaron shouldn’t have had to prove himself. After all, the Almighty chose him to be the Kohen Gadol (High Priest).

The Israelites loved Aaron. When he died they mourned for him 30 days. But the incident of the golden calf exposed his tenuous position. Aaron feared that the people would kill him if he refused their demand for a ruler to replace Moses. He hoped that before the calf was ready Moses would return. In any event, Aaron knew he was being tested. He kept a tight rein on his pride and went along with their plan.

Even after G-d’s miraculous crushing of Korach’s rebellion, the people’s doubt remained. They wanted proof that the Creator chose Moses and Aaron to lead them. Only those who feel inferior resist meeting a test of their position. Aaron was truly great. He participated in the test of the staffs. He did not display any anger at having to prove himself.

Greatness Comes When You Repeatedly Prove Yourself

There’s nothing demeaning about the military requiring people to prove themselves at every new job. In a pyramid structure the wheat has to be winnowed from the chaff. You learn that arrogance usually hides inferior ability. When lives are at stake, no one is above having to prove himself.

It’s no different in civilian life. Each new position gives you the chance to grow. It presents an opportunity to prove yourself to colleagues and supervisors.

Excellence is valuable no matter where you work or what you do. It is frustrating being tested all the time. But through meeting these challenges you will find out how great you are. Follow the example of Aaron. Though he was one of the greatest human beings who ever lived, he never got angry about being tested. He used them to increase his spiritual mastery.

When called upon to prove yourself, make it an incentive to up your game. Doing anything less means you’re selling yourself short.

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!