Korach/Gimmel Tammuz: Are You a Rebel or a Conformist?

Description

How should we react to a rebellious teenager? Or anyone that doesn’t fit the “mold?” And what about our own mischievous voices and even insubordinate histories.  Should we bury these memories and experiences, that we are often ashamed of?

Why does the Torah elaborate about the rebellion of Korach against Moses when the episode ends in tragedy? Why do we need to know about this mutiny today?

One of the greatest contributions of the Rebbe to our lives today is the need to be a rebel, a non-conformist and challenge the status quo.

This sermon presents an analysis of the Korach episode as given by the Rebbe, whose 24^th yahrzeit we honor this Shabbos, Gimmel Tammuz. In a powerful talk delivered on the Shabbos of Parshas Korach in 5750/1990, the Rebbe identified Korach’s positive contribution to our understanding of what leadership is all about and demonstrated how best to relate to the rebellion in our souls, and especially of idealistic youth.

Further, this sermon examines the contribution of the Rebbe as a true leader and goes on to propose what each one of us can and must do when enlightened leadership is lacking in the world.

The Rebbe teaches us how every person, even ones with insubordinate and seemingly negative traits, can make a difference.

Sometimes (especially in unusual times) it takes unusual people to get the job done. People who don’t walk the straight and narrow – people who are thieves, or rebels, or non-conformists.