In this eponymous Torah portion, Korach incites a mutiny challenging Moshe’s leadership and the granting of the priesthood to Aaron. He is accompanied Datan, Aviram, and 250 distinguished members of the community. What is Moshe’s response to this exsistrential challenge to his leadership?

Moshe responds to Korach’s rebellion with a combination of emotional vulnerability ( falling on his face), rational testing, and ultimately, a direct appeal for divine intervention. There we read:

And Moshe said to Korach, “Tomorrow, you and all your company appear before God, you and they and Aaron. Each of you take your fire pan and lay incense on it, and each of you bring that fire pan before GOD, two hundred and fifty fire pans; you and Aaron also [bring] your fire pans.” (Numbers 16:16-17)

There was not a battle of ideas and talking but they were each going to offer the sacrosanct incense to prove their worthiness for the priesthood. And sure enough the earth opens up and swallows the mutineers, and a fire consumes them.

Moshe could have gotten into a debate with Korach, but instead he opted to have them be judged by God on their actions. This is powerful lesson in accountability.

I was thinking about this lesson this week when watching the celebration of Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks’ winning an amazing championship. There at City Hall Brunson have a short and meaningful speech:

Brunson notes that New York are harsh critics, but he likes it for keeping him accountable. He celebrate their fans and his family. I was particularly moved by the end of Captain Clutch’s speech when he said:

Lastly, there’s a lot of people that have a lot of negative stuff to say. There are lot of people with a lot of opinions. But, you prove ’em wrong you do not need to say shit to them. Nah, they do not deserve it.

As Brunson showed us in his deeds and his limited speech it is always more powerful to show than tell.

So going back to our Torah portion we see that Korach and his mutineers came to share their negative stuff and opinions about Moshe’s leadership. Instead of getting into a war of words, Moshe just proven ’em wrong. They were consumed by the ground below and Moshe did “not need to say shit.” In this context we see that Moshe was the OG Captain Clutch.