“Korach said we’re all holy, but he really meant: I want more power for me and those who are like me.” Rabbi Barenblat references Pirkei Avot 1:12: “Be like the students of Aaron: loving peace and pursuing it.” This tradition refers to the pursuit of shalom (peace) and shleimut (wholeness). Because Aaron pursued shalom and shleimut, his staff flowered, while Korach’s staff did not.
