This week’s Torah portion is called Korach.
It’s named for a man, Korach, who called into question the authority of Moses and Aaron’s leadership.
The rebellion Korach incited did not end well for him.
Gd made clear in no uncertain terms that Moses and Aaron were indeed the proper leaders.
Gd opened the earth beneath Korach and his assembly and swallowed them alive. The portion begins with the words
“And Korach took” which Rashi, the super commentary, explains to mean that Korach took himself aside.
He split away, he separated.
He removed himself from the community.
This dispute that Korach engendered was not a fight.
Instead it was the lack of understanding of the unique role belonging to each individual.
Korach felt they were all equal and many were capable of fulfilling the leadership roles.
It was not a logical disagreement, Korach forgot that there are roles designed for each person and he set his sights on someone else’s role instead of fulfilling his own.
Throughout the course of the dispute and even after the earth opened up to swallow Korach, there were a number of signs to prove that Moses and Aaron were chosen by Gd to fulfill these specific roles.
It culminated in Gd commanding Moses to instruct the leader of each Tribe to place their staffs in the Tabernacle and the one who is chosen by Gd, his staff will miraculously blossom. This will be the ultimate proof that Aaron was properly chosen to be the High Priest. The next day, it was indeed Aaron’s staff that blossomed.
When this miracle was revealed, Aaron’s rightful leadership was validated and the other leaders of the Tribe took their staffs.
Rabbi Dovid Trenk, one of our beloved teachers whose yahrzeit just passed, always spoke about the blossoming staff.
He asked, why did Gd choose this medium to relay the message?
Rabbi Trenk devoted his life to educating and caring for students who were challenged in many ways.
This portion was one of his mantras.
He said that Gd was teaching us that even a “dead” stick of wood, a severed branch which seems to be lifeless and without potential, actually has the ability to blossom and bear fruit.
Even a child who seems “dried out” and lost, is in fact a wellspring of opportunity, there is so much more than meets the eye. This seemingly dried out stick can actually be the source of greatness.

Today is July 4, Independence Day in the USA.
Today is also Day 272.
A day we pray for the independence of our brothers and sisters who are trapped in Gaza, trapped behind the gates the terrorists have imprisoned them behind.
We want to celebrate their independence so desperately.
We know miracles happen. They have happened to the Jewish people from time immemorial.
48 years ago on this day, we witnessed such a miracle.
On July 4,1976, 100 Israeli commandos, were able to rescue 100 hostages who were being held at the airport in Entebbe.
The story is a miracle in our times.
This past week was also the 5th Yahrzeit, anniversary, of the passing of a great educator and mentor of thousands.
Rabbi David Trenk ztzl believed in miracles too.
He believed in the miracle that is you!
He would focus on the strengths of each person to the degree that they would start to believe in themselves and overcome the adversity that might be holding them back in any way.
There are hundreds of stories told by his students regarding this trait of positivity and how his outlook changed their outlook on themselves and how others viewed them.
Rabbi Trenk would take his car to a mechanic. There was another regular customer who frequented the same mechanic, a trucker, who was apparently extremely intimidating. Whenever he entered the mechanic’s shop everyone took a step back. Once Rabbi Trenk happened to be there when this burly gentleman came in. Within a moment he jumped up, hugged the man and said “my brother it’s so nice to meet you”.
The man literally melted before everyone’s eyes. He was so touched.
Afterwards one of the other customers asked Rabbi Trenk, why he called him “my brother”, after all, he was anything but.
Rabbi Trenk replied, he is my brother, did you not see the Magen David necklace he was wearing?
The truth is no one did see it.
They saw the persona of a truck driver. They couldn’t see beyond. No one else saw who he really was.
This week’s Torah portion is called Korach.
It speaks of jealousy amongst “brothers” that goes terribly wrong.
In the portion is a verse where Gd says to Aaron
“bring close, your brothers, the Levites, they will assist you and they will serve you”.
Rashi, the Torah commentary, explains what the role of the Levites, would be in the sanctuary and later on in the Temple.