This week’s Parashat Korach tells the story of a rebellion — not just against Moshe and Aharon, but against truth itself. Korach cloaks his ambition in noble rhetoric: “The entire nation is holy.” It sounds inclusive, democratic. But beneath the surface lies pride, jealousy, and a dangerous distortion of reality.
Today, we face a different kind of Korach — not within, but beyond our borders. The regime in Iran, like Korach, dresses its aggression in lofty language. It speaks of justice, liberation, and resistance — while funding terror, destabilizing the region, and seeking Israel’s destruction. And like Korach, it underestimates the quiet resolve of a people rooted in truth.
In recent weeks, Israel achieved a bold and extraordinary military success deep inside Iran — a blow not just to the infrastructure of evil, but to the illusion of invincibility that the Iranian regime has tried to project for decades. The world may never know the full details, but the message is clear: Am Yisrael does not wait for destruction. We prevent it. Quietly, intelligently, with precision — and with full moral justification.
It’s easy to be impressed by power that shouts. Korach made a lot of noise. So does Iran. But real leadership, like Moshe’s, does not need to shout. It doesn’t need to impress the crowd. It stands firm. It speaks softly. And when needed — it acts decisively.
In Parashat Korach, the earth itself opens to reveal the truth. The noise fades, and the illusion collapses. The ground reclaims those who tried to uproot the divine order.
This image speaks to us today. The Iranian regime, like Korach, seeks to destabilize — to bring chaos in the name of ideology. But there comes a moment when the earth answers. When reality can no longer tolerate the lie.
The recent victory in Iran is not just a moment of national pride — it is a spiritual moment. It is a reminder that truth endures. That justice must sometimes act. And that the Jewish people, like Aharon’s staff, will always find a way to bloom — even in the most unlikely places.
As we read Parashat Korach, may we learn to see through the noise of falsehood, to trust in humble but firm leadership, and to stand with courage and clarity — in Israel, and wherever the truth is at stake.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Refael Cohen