Rabbi Michoel Lasry has a radio program in Israel and to paraphrase him – "When you want to buy something, why don't you just buy it? Often you are not sure of things so you ask the salesperson. But some sales people can convince you to buy what you don't want!

 

You are not totally sure – and they KNOW because you ASKED them - so they confuse you with so many "facts " until you just give up and buy!"

 

An older fellow I know was contacted by his credit card company and they said he had so many "points" he could get a new TV – so he agreed. Six weeks later though the credit card bill was over $1000!!!! When he called they said over and over again "but you ordered it!"

 

Luckily his wife and his daughter yelled at him too, and he may get them to take it back next week.

Korach was a pretty holy guy – but "the Satan" got the better of him and he complained to people about Aron – and many Israelites wanted to "vote" him into the High Priesthood". Like Rabbi Lasry also said – elections are the extreme sales jobs – with everyone pitching their lines. Here – 250 "leaders" decided Korach was THEIR GUY – and picked a fight with Moses and Aron.

 

Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach said the problem was these "leaders" (and Rabbi Shlomo always warned us to "beware of LEADERS") did NOT see that Aron was always out there TO HELP SOMEONE ELSE – and even got into trouble (like at the Golden Calf) – but it was ALWAYS FOR THE PURPOSE OF HELPING OTHERS. That's a REAL HOLY PERSON.

 

My friend Rabbi Josh Hoffman wrote this week (quoting a couple of Torah Giants) that the Torah teaches us in the last few sections that we need to be strong about who we are. We were created A NATION OF PRIESTS ordered by the Almighty to teach HOLINESS to a world that is often full of people warring on others, stealing from others, politicians at the "United-hating- Israel- Nations" creating anti-semitism, etc.

 

We need to know who we are in order to not be swept into electing ourselves "priests of false priorities".

 

As one of Rabbi Carlebach's songs goes (and I think a guy named Lenny? helped him with   the song in 1975 and performed it with him)

 

"Return to who you are

Return to what you are

Return to where you were born and reborn again …"

 

We are forever the Israelite Nation and our FOCUS should be fulfilling the reason the Almighty took us out of Egypt and has kept us alive – to make the world a holier place.

 

Shabbat Shalom and Love and wishes for a great summer

 

Sent from Israel (come visit and be comforted and excited about WHO YOU ARE and where you came from) 

 

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz