THE SELFISH ISRAELITE WEALTHY

     Following the wonderful story of Moses and Pharaoh; now the argument is about the challenge of Moses and his followers, with an arrogant Israelite who was puffed up with wealth and that, how arrogance and pride prevented him from reaching the glorious reality of the whole being, which is God.

      It has been said that KORAH or GHÄROON, was a near relative of Moses (his cousin or nephew). At first he was a believer and well versed in the Scriptures, but the pride of wealth misled him and he fell in the bottom of blasphemy and faithlessness:-

      ``Verily, KORAH was of the people of Moses who became insolent to them.''

Qurän, says that Allah gave him so much of treasures that their very keys was too heavy for a company of strong men to carry. This will imply that he had so much gold and silver coins, and Jewelry in the boxes and safes that several strong men were needed to carry those chests.

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      His holiness Ayatullah Makarem, has written in his comment that:- ``Some other commentators have taken the Arabic, ``MAFÄTIH'' to mean, ``KEYS'', but they have fallen in trouble to justify such comment, yet he in his translation of the text, has preferred the word, ``BOX'' instead of, ``KEY'' used in his commentary but we may also explain that:-

      ``The old-fashioned keys were usually very large and made of iron and other metal alloys. On the other hand there were no such a money as check and bank-notes, and the current money was gold and silver, and to bank one million of say Dirhams or Dinars would need about a hundred boxes to contain that amount, the keys of which were too heavy to be carried by one man and hence the verse:-

      ``....And We had given him so much of treasures that the very keys was too heavy for a company of strong men to carry.''

TRANSLATOR'S NOTE

      The Israelites admonished KORAH and said to him:- ``Do not rejoice with pride, that God does not love such a rejoicing. Seek through what Allah has given you the Last abode in Paradise, nor forget your share of this world. Do good to others as God has done good to you.''

      But KORAH paid no heed to such advices and arrogantly answered them saying:-

      ``These treasures have been given to me through my own merits and a knowledge that is with me, and my wealth has nothing to do with God.''

WHO WAS GHÄROON, OR KORAH

      GHÄROON is identified with the KORAH in the Old-Testament, in the book of NUMBERSِ16 a concise of which will now follow:-

      ``Korah was the son of IZHAR from the levite clan. He was joined by three members of the tribe of REUBEN and by 250 other Israelites who were well known leaders chosen by community.

      They assembled before Moses and Aaron and said to them:-

      ``You have gone too far! All the members of the community belong to the Lord, and the Lord is with all of us. Why then Moses, do you set yourself above the Lord's community.''

      After prostrating himself to God, Moses said to KORAH and his followers:-

      ``Tomorrow morning the Lord will show us who belongs to Him. Tomorrow, the Lord will show you near the altar that you Levites are the ones who have gone to far.''

      Next morning Korah gathered the whole community, and they stood facing Moses and Aaron at the entrance of the tent. Suddenly the dazzling light of the Lord's presence appeared to the whole community, and the Lord said to Moses and Aaron:-

      ``Stand back from these people and I will destroy them immediately.''

      Then Moses said to the people:- ``Stand away from the tents of these wicked men, and don't touch anything that belongs to them....''

      As soon as Moses had finished speaking to people, the ground under Dathan and Abiran (the near companions of Korah) split open and swallowed them and their families together, with all of Korah's followers and their possession. So they all went down alive to the world of dead with their possessions. The earth closed over them and they vanished.

THE BOOK OF NUMBERS; CHAPTER-16

TRANSLATOR'S NOTE