This week, we're diving into a story from Bamidbar Rabbah – a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Numbers – that explores just that feeling. It centers on Moses, and a particularly frustrating episode with Datan and Aviram. Get ready, because this is a masterclass in ingratitude!

So, the scene: Moses, ever the patient leader, sends for Datan and Aviram, sons of Eliav, to try and reason with them. But what happens? They refuse to even come! As Numbers 16:12 puts it, "Moses sent to summon Datan and Aviram… and they said: We will not go up." Bamidbar Rabbah emphasizes their sheer obstinacy: they remained in their wickedness, not even bothering to answer. And then, they have the audacity to complain! "Is it not enough that you took us up from a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness? Will you also reign over us?" (Numbers 16:13).

Wait a minute. Did they just call Egypt, the land of slavery and oppression, "a land flowing with milk and honey?" The nerve!

The Midrash picks up on this absurdity, questioning the basis of their complaint. "On what basis do you elevate yourself over us?" they ask Moses. "What favor have you performed for us? You took us out of Egypt, which is ‘like the garden of the Lord’ (Genesis 13:10), and into the land of Canaan you did not take us." They twist the narrative, conveniently forgetting the whole "being enslaved" part. Instead, they accuse Moses of leading them into the wilderness, where plague is rampant. They even lament not receiving an inheritance of fields and vineyards! As Numbers 16:14 continues, "Yet you did not take us to a land flowing with milk and honey, and give us an inheritance of field and vineyard; will you gouge out the eyes of these men? We will not go up."

Can you imagine how frustrating that must have been for Moses?

Unsurprisingly, "Moses was very incensed" (Numbers 16:15). The Midrash explains why: it's because when you try to reason with someone, and they simply refuse to engage, it's incredibly aggravating. It's like talking to a brick wall! So Moses turns to God, pleading, "Do not turn to their offering; not one donkey did I take from them, nor did I wrong any one of them" (Numbers 16:15).

Now, "do not turn to their offering" is a fascinating phrase. It would have been more straightforward to say "do not turn to their service." Instead, Moses is saying, according to Bamidbar Rabbah, "Master of the universe, I know that these have a portion in that meal offering that they sacrificed… Since these withdrew from your children, do not look to their portion. Let the fire leave it and fail to consume it." In other words, don't even accept their sacrifices.

But what about the donkey comment? Why bring that up? The Midrash asks, "What is the great virtue of not taking an item that is not his?" Good question! The answer lies in the context. Usually, someone who works on behalf of the community is entitled to compensation. Moses, leading them from Midian to Egypt, could have rightfully taken a donkey for his own use. But he didn't. As Exodus 4:20 tells us, "Moses took his wife and his sons and mounted them on the donkey and they returned to the land of Egypt" - using his own resources, not theirs.

The Midrash draws a parallel with the righteous Samuel, who similarly proclaimed his integrity: "Here I am; testify against me before the Lord… Whose ox did I take? Whose donkey did I take?" (I Samuel 12:3). Samuel, like Moses, went above and beyond, even using his own resources for the people's benefit. He provided sacrifices from his own flock and traveled from city to city to administer justice.

Moses continues, "Nor did I wrong one of them." He didn't pervert justice, didn't favor the guilty or condemn the innocent. He was scrupulously fair.

But the story doesn't end there. We then turn to Korah. Moses, seeing their unwavering arrogance, challenges them: "You and your entire congregation, be before the Lord: you, and they, and Aaron, tomorrow" (Numbers 16:16). Korah, however, spends the night stirring up trouble, misleading the Israelites with false promises of shared power. He cunningly exploits their grievances, convincing them that Moses is hoarding authority for himself and his brother Aaron.

Bamidbar Rabbah emphasizes Korah's manipulative tactics: "He would go and cajole each and every tribe in a manner appropriate for them, until they joined him." And it worked! "Korah assembled the entire congregation" (Numbers 16:19). They all approached Moses and Aaron, echoing Korah's accusations.

The result? Divine intervention. "The Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying: Separate yourselves from the midst of this congregation [that I may annihilate them in an instant.] They fell on their faces" (Numbers 16:20-22).

This whole episode raises some tough questions. What does it mean to lead with integrity in the face of relentless criticism? How do you deal with people who refuse to see the good you're trying to do? And perhaps most importantly, how do you stay grounded when those around you are being swayed by manipulative rhetoric? It seems these are questions we continue to grapple with, even today.