By Rabbi Dr. Avi Kuperberg
Have you ever encountered individuals who try to undermine your sense of worth, telling you that you are ordinary and destined for mediocrity? In effect, trying to take the wind out of our sails, telling us, “You are not so special? You are never going to amount to anything. If I were you, I would not expect much success.” In this week’s parsha, we witness Korach’s attempt to belittle Moses, questioning his uniqueness and divine calling. Korach—envious of Moshe’s leadership—aimed to diminish his stature and divine mission. While the Rambam’s 13 principles of faith affirm Moses’ exceptional qualities, Korach sought to discourage him—asserting that everyone is equally holy and that Moshe was nothing special. The Torah reveals that Moses reacted to Korach’s taunting by falling on his face, indicating humiliation, insult and despair, according to the Chizkuni commentary.
The narrative of Yosef illustrates a similar pattern of discouragement. Blessed with dreams of greatness, Yosef’s brothers became consumed by jealousy and attempted to thwart his destiny. They threw him into a pit filled with snakes and scorpions, followed by selling him into slavery—convinced that these actions would extinguish his dreams.
When the prophet Samuel arrived at Jesse’s house to anoint the future king, Jesse failed to present his youngest son, Dovid, initially disregarding his potential. He never imagined that Dovid would amount to anything special. Dovid—relegated to tending sheep in the fields—no doubt experienced a sense of rejection from his own father. Nevertheless, he did not allow this lack of faith by his father to deter him. With unwavering determination, he stepped forward to receive God’s anointing and blessing, embracing his divine destiny.
Even after receiving the anointing and divine favor, Dovid’s brothers continued to belittle and mock him (Samuel 1, 17.) When King Saul sought an Israelite champion to face Goliath, Dovid volunteered. However, his brothers scoffed and taunted him—particularly Eliav—who questioned Dovid’s audacity and implied that he was insignificant and only fit for tending sheep.
These examples demonstrate the existence of individuals who attempt to diminish our potential and dissuade us from fulfilling our destinies. Yosef’s brothers tried to take away his dream. King Dovid’s father saw little potential in him. His brothers told him all he was good for was tending sheep. Finally, in this week’s parsha, Korach tells Moshe he is nobody special. Yet, the Torah describes how Moshe, Yosef and Dovid displayed resilience, unwavering faith in God—and most importantly—belief in themselves. They overcame discouragement and emerged as influential leaders, transforming the world around them.
Each of us possesses a unique purpose and meaning, a “tafkid,” for our existence in this world. It is imperative not to succumb to the discouragement imposed by others, as witnessed in the stories of Moshe, Yosef and King David. Just like them, may we draw strength from their experiences and remain steadfast in our faith in Hashem and ourselves. By pursuing our dreams, fulfilling our destinies and embracing our unique gifts and qualifications, we can contribute to making this world a better place.
May Hashem bless us all with the resilience and determination exemplified by these great individuals.
Rabbi Dr. Avi Kuperberg is a forensic, clinical psychologist and a member of the American Psychology-Law Society. He is the coordinator of Bikur Cholim/Chesed at Congregation Torah Ohr in Boca Raton, Florida. He can be reached at [email protected].
