By Rabbi David Cohen
ודתן ואבירם יצאו נצבים פתח אהליהם
Rashi explains that these two reshaim, who acted as Moshe Rabbeinu’s nemeses, going back to Egypt, were here again to do what they were good at: harassing and undermining our nation’s leader. When Moshe came by, they remained firm and resolute in their commitment to degrade and humiliate Moshe in every way. One wonders how these individuals survived so long. Eighty percent of the Jewish People who were in Egypt died during the three days of the plague of darkness. Datan and Aviram did not. They continued their subversive activities at every juncture of Klal Yisrael’s journey. Yet, they were still here to join Korach, fueling his dispute. What merit allowed them to leave Egypt with the twenty percent who were worthy of the geulah, redemption?
The Kedushas Levi writes that Hashem allows reshaim to exist, so that they can serve as the vehicle for glorifying His Name in the world. Had there not been an evil Pharaoh, there most likely would not have been ten plagues, which brought about an unprecedented Kiddush Shem Shomayim, sanctification of Hashem’s Name. We can thank Datan and Aviram for the earth opening its “mouth” and swallowing up these reshaim. Every person during his lifetime has the opportunity to become the vehicle for sanctifying Hashem’s Name. It is his decision, however, whether he wants to do this as a rasha or as a tzaddik. It is his own choice.