Rabbi Howard Morrison

Dear Congregational Family,

In the Torah reading a couple of weeks ago, we learned how the mutineer, Korach, and all his followers were punished by being swallowed up in the earth.

In the beginning of this week's Parsha, called Pinchas, we read of another census taken of the Israelites. This tribe by tribe counting is necessary after a recent plague which led to the deaths of 24,000 people. The new counting was also needed as the people marched closer to the promised land.

This census, however, contains more than numbers. One of the most interesting digressions is a brief synopsis mentioning the deaths of Datan, Aviram, and Korach, the three ring leaders of the earlier rebellion, and their 250 followers. The text is then followed by the startling statement, "The sons of Korach, however, did not die."

According to legend, Korach's sons clung to the earth, as the others were being swallowed up. From the earthly mouth's opening, the sons of Korach sang songs of faith to God. They were so pious and spiritual that they not only survived but became the forerunners of the Levites who sang in the Holy Temple.

In fact, some of the Biblical Psalms, which were sung in the Holy Temple, are prefaced by references to the children of Korach as the originators of those particular passages. One might recognize that the Monday morning Psalm and the Psalm recited in a shiva house open with a reference to the song recited by Korach's sons.

From the wicked Korach, we have the purity and idealism of his children. The behavior of one generation does not necessarily correlate with the behavior of the next generation. The conduct of a parent is not necessarily replicated by the child. Every single Jew is precious. We ought never give up on any member of the Jewish people. Who knows from where the next generation of Levitical singers will come?

Just as the children of Moses fall into oblivion, the children of Korah become the original musicians of our tradition. Each person should be assessed on his/her own merits.

May each and everyone of us be a blessing to our family, our people, and our heritage.

Rabbi Howard Morrison