Join Mark Call of Shabbat Shalom Mesa Fellowship for a two-part study of the Torah parsha reading for this week, is “Korach,” (Numbers chapters 16 through 18) and the infamous rebellion which bears that name.

The Erev Shabbat reading:

By now, perhaps it should be no surprise that Scripture sets the stage for events in the world. And, “rightly divided,” also reveals when passages have been “twisted,” or even inverted to suit the ‘prince of this world, and his big-brother servants.

The story of Korach is about a rebellion. To Moses, specifically, but certainly to YHVH as well. And the story proves that point conclusively. But, still,

Aren’t there more subtle issues when the question of ‘rebellion’ isn’t so clear-cut, and when it’s not so blatantly obvious that the rebellion is against His anointed? Israel, after all, has had bad kings, who “did evil in the sight of YHVH.” Yet, most still claim to be doing “God’s work,” but it just may not be obvious which ‘god.’

Is there a way to be sure?

The combined two-part reading and Sabbath midrash: