Neighbors Can Change Your Life: Korach, Moshe and the People Next Door
Who knows the example from the Torah where we see that neighbors can change your life?
There was a famous story of a rebellion in the times of the Torah: Korach versus Moshe.
Korach rebelled, and was a bad person in certain respects. The people who lived around him joined his rebellion, and they were punished as well; they were swallowed up.
But Moshe was the leader, a righteous leader, and the people who lived around him became Torah scholars, very successful, and great businessmen.
The same is true for us
So you see the importance of having good neighbors. Moshe had a great influence; Korach had a negative one. And the same is true for us: the people around us influence us in many ways we might not even be aware of.
So choose good neighbors, choose a good school, choose the best environment.
More on the same theme: Your Environment Rubs Off on You · Living It vs. Learning It.
From the Pizza & Parsha on Parshas Lech Lecha, 2026.
Questions people ask
What is the Torah example of neighbors changing your life?
Korach versus Moshe. The people who lived around Korach joined his rebellion and were swallowed up with him, while the people who lived around Moshe became Torah scholars, very successful, and great businessmen.
Do the people around us influence us without our knowing?
Yes. Rabbi Fuchs teaches that the people around us influence us in many ways we might not even be aware of, just as Moshe and Korach influenced their neighbors.
What should we do about it?
Choose good neighbors, choose a good school, and choose the best environment you can.
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