“And Korach took .…” (Bamidbar, 16:1) The Midrash (in Bamidbar Rabba, Korach, 18:17) tells us, “he saw the great chain of generations that would come out of him.” Since he saw this he became arrogant, daring to believe that surely he was the greatest of God’s servants. Of this it is said (Mishlei, 27:1), “Do not boast of tomorrow, for you don’t know what the day may bring forth.” Even if a man understands that has hope (promise of future rewards or success), he is to beware of putting his trust in this for he does not know how God may conduct Himself in any present moment.
וַיִּקַּח קֹרַח. בַּמִּדְרָשׁ (במדבר רבה פרשה י"ח,י"ז), רָאָה שַׁלְשֶׁלֶת גְּדוֹלָה יוֹצֵאת מִמֶּנּוּ. כִּי לְפִי שֶׁרָאָה זֹאת הִרְהִיב עֹז בְּנַפְשׁוֹ כִּי בֶּטַח הוּא הַגָּדוֹל אֵצֶל הַש"י וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר (משלי כ"ז,א') "אַל תִּתְהַלֵּל בְּיוֹם מָחָר כִּי לֹא תֵדַע מַה יֵּלֶד יוֹם". כִּי אַף שֶׁהָאָדָם יָבִין בֶּטַח שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ תִּקְוָה. לֹא יָשִׂים בִּטְחוֹנוֹ עַל זֶה כִּי לֹא יֵדַע בַּמֶּה יַנְהִיג הַש"י בְּהַהֹוֶה.
“And Korach took .…” (Bamidbar, 16:1)
The Midrash (in Bamidbar Rabba, Korach, 18:17) tells us, “he saw the great chain of generations that would come out of him.” Since he saw this he became arrogant, daring to believe that surely he was the greatest of God’s servants. Of this it is said (Mishlei, 27:1), “Do not boast of tomorrow, for you don’t know what the day may bring forth.” Even if a man understands that has hope (promise of future rewards or success), he is to beware of putting his trust in this for he does not know how God may conduct Himself in any present moment.