Weekly Torah Portion

My wife and I recently faced a dilemma. As many of you are aware, all flights from Israel to America were canceled due to the war. This took place two days before our daughter was supposed to return home from her gap year in Israel.

Many people were trying unconventional routes to return to America. From sailing on a ship through Cyprus to chartering bullet-proof buses through Egypt, each option presented its own set of anxiety (and danger). Our daughter together with one of her seminary friends “decided” to stick together as we tried to find ways for them to return.

Finally, a reasonable option came up. However, due to certain circumstances it was only offered to our daughter. Her friend would not be able to leave with her. The question became what should we do. Do we forgo this option and keep waiting or do we “separate” the girls? (None of them were ever in any physical danger, but just wanted to be home already)

My wife looked at me as she often does when we need to make a big decision and said, “You know exactly what you need to do.”

I immediately picked up the phone and called my rabbi. With his abundance of Torah wisdom he advised us on how we should proceed. While his exact advice is less relevant to share now, thankfully both girls have since made it home, including a quick tour through Greece and New Jersey!

One of the greatest gifts we have is the ability to consult with those individuals who are immersed in Torah knowledge. We can ask advice from teachers who have dedicated their lives to learn the wisdom of Hashem. We can receive what they have received from their teachers, who also received from their teachers before them, all the way back to Moshe, the greatest teacher of our people’s history and the greatest student of Hashem.

How blessed we should feel that we can connect to such an unbreakable transmission. How fortunate we are!

And how disturbed we should be if someone is trying to break up that Torah tradition and shatter our lineage.

A phenomenal and unnatural event takes place in this week’s Torah portion. Korach was attempting a rebellion against Moshe. As a punishment, the earth opened up and swallowed Korach and then closed right back, as if nothing happened. Korach was gone forever.

Why such a drastic punishment? Leaders of revolts are often sent into exile or, worse, given capital punishment. Why was it necessary to eliminate Korach in such a dramatic manner?

Korach was trying to cut off our connection to G-d. He was trying to sever that transmission of Torah from Hashem through Moshe to all future generations. This was the gravity of his rebellion and thus he deserved the terrible punishment of being swallowed up by the earth.

Let us do everything in our ability to uphold and cherish our beloved Torah tradition.