The headlines change by the hour. One day there is hope.
The next day there is disappointment. Alliances are formed, agreements are
announced, world leaders make promises, and commentators assure us that history
is about to change. Yet every Jew who has lived through enough years knows how
quickly certainty can evaporate. 

In this morning’s Breakfast & a Class, we turn to
Parashat Korach and a powerful insight brought by Rabbi Yitzchak Adlerstein
from the sefer HaMedrash V'HaMaaseh. Why do human beings repeatedly believe
that they can engineer peace, redesign the world, and solve humanity's deepest
problems through politics, power, and diplomacy alone? From the generation of
the Tower of Bavel, to Korach's rebellion, to the great international
conferences that promised a new world order, history teaches the same lesson:
man can build plans, but only HaShem directs history. 

Drawing on Midrash, Tanach, and the timeless words of
Chazal, we explore the difference between using human effort and placing our
trust in human beings. As Israel continues to confront enemies on multiple
fronts and the Jewish world wrestles with uncertainty about what comes next,
this class offers a perspective that is both sobering and comforting. The
message of Korach is as relevant today as ever: do not place your faith in
princes. Be responsible, be informed, do your hishtadlut—but remember that the
destiny of Israel and the destiny of the world remain in the hands of HaShem
alone.