Korach: The Ego is a Slit In the Canvas

In Numbers 16:1-7 we see Korach hatching his plan.  In Numbers 16:8-15 we see Moshe attempt reconciliation.  And in Numbers 16:16-35 we see in great detail the demise of Korach.  

Korach had an ego problem, Korach’s haughtiness and the Frank Sinatra, “My Way” approach lead to his demise.  Haughtiness and ego are the most destructive things in the body of Messiah.  For it is written: 

But He gives all the more Chen v’Chesed! Therefore it says, "Hashem LALETZIM HU YALITZ V’LA’ANAYIM YITEN CHEN ("Hashem opposes the proud mocker but gives grace to the humble").
(James 4:6; OJB) 

The Maharal, (Rabbi Yehudah Lowe of Prague, 1512-1609, philosopher-astronomer-kabbalist, famous as the one who created a golem) spoke a lot about this “I”. He demonstrated that the sages of the Mishnah were talking about it as well.
”Why was Adam created as a lone individual?” the sages ask. “To teach you that whoever sustains the life of a single human being is as though he sustained an entire world. And anyone who destroys the life of a single human being is as though he destroyed an entire world.”

”What sense does this make?” the Maharal asked. “Some will explain that just as the entire humankind extended from this one Adam, so each human being is potentially an entire world. But there is no real parallel here: Adam is the single root of all humankind. Another human being—if not for him, another will take his place.”
”Rather,” the Maharal continues, “every human being is an entire world. This is the experience of every human being since Adam and this is the truth according to Torah: Adam was created to be unique and singular in this world, just as G‑d is unique and singular above all. That’s why every human being sees himself as an entire world. And if he is, G‑d forbid, destroyed, that entire world goes down with him.”

This is also how the Maharal explains the Mishnah, “Every person is obligated to say, ‘For my sake the world was created.’” It’s true: In your world, you are the center and all else depends on you. The same in the other guy’s world. And
In your world, you are the center. And your world is true.

Think of it this way, a piece of canvas that people draped over a frame to paint, is incredibly sturdy material.  Weight lifters cannot tear it.  But, one small break in it’s integrity by the smallest snip from scissors or a blade, virtually microscopic weakens the entire integrity of the canvas and it can be torn easily by a child.  

This is how ego and haughtiness works in our faith as well.  The egotistical destroy their marriages, they destroy their families, they destroy their relationships with their friends.  It is an ongoing trend that brings about massive destruction all around the,.  Essentially this is the main story of Korach that is sometimes virtually unseen.  What we must be diligent in doing, is seeing the Bible as internal introspection and not like bullets from a gun.  If we do this, then the yetzer hara is defeated.  If we give in, then the yetzer hard grows and sin abounds. 

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