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Two-Line Torah: Korach 5776–Jealousy

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July 4, 2016

In this week’s Torah portion, Parashat Korach, we are reminded of the destructive power of jealousy and laden discontentment.
 

Korach, a member of the tribe of Levi, grows jealous of Moses’ leadership role. He, along with a crew of community dignitaries, covet Moses’ power and influence, causing an attempted mutiny. Eventually, the confrontation between Moses and Korach’s party ends with the death of Moses’ challengers when the LORD opens the earth and swallows them whole.
 

In the process of self-exploration and relationship building that, in part, defines the college experience, encountering jealousy is entirely natural. It’s the handling of this emotion that we learn to be wary of.
 

Allowing oneself to feel is important, but so is addressing those emotions before they become resentments. Sometimes, it doesn’t take an act from God for us to feel buried alive when the weight of sitting on our feelings overbears us.

Jonathan Falco is Engagement Associate at University of Delaware Hillel.