This week’s torah portion tells the story of Korach, who tried to wrest power from Moses along with his partners, Dotan and Abiram and 150 other leaders of the community. Korach says: “You’ve gone too far, [Moses], for ALL of the people are holy. Why do you raise yourself up above God’s congregation?”
Ultimately, Korach and all of his followers are punished by God. The earth opens up and swallows them alive.
Korach is the perfect model for the Demagogue – someone who uses a tiny grain of truth to paint a much broader picture that will serve his own need for power. Like most demagogues, he is ultimately swallowed up the weight of his deception.
Korach attemped a coup
Which caused a big hullabaloo
But his plan it went south
With the earth’s opened mouth
Gulping him down and all of his crew
- Vayikra Limerick - March 14, 2013
- A new Purim Limerick for a divided Congress. - February 21, 2013
- A New Tu B’Shvat Limerick - January 25, 2013