In the Jewish tradition, few Israelites are portrayed as dastardly as Korach, the namesake for this week’s portion. This distinction in Jewish history makes it all the more surprising that in the Book of Psalms (ch.42-49) over half a dozen of these sacred hymns are dedicated to the Children of Korach! This week’s reading clearly states, And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up with their households, all Korach’s people…(Numbers 16:32). In a few weeks we will read from parshat Pinchas, where it states, And Korach’s children did not die (Ibid 26:11). Was not Korach’s children part of his household, part of his people? Say our sages, the power of teshuvah is at play. According to Midrash, during Moshe’s appeal these children repented in their hearts, yet they could not abandon their father during the rebellious deed. The duality of their measures caused them to be swallowed by the earth, but also merited them a purgatory of sorts – residing neither in the death of evil nor in the life of earth. The Midrash emphasizes the power of Teshuvah by indicating that Bnai Korach later left purgatory, settled in Israel and warranted recognition by the Psalmist – exemplifying the power of humans to overcome the challenges of, among other things, a difficult childhood.
