Samuel 1 11:14 – 12:22

This week’s Haftorah takes place after Shmuel the Navi had anointed Shaul to be the first king of Israel. Shmuel, who was a descendent of Korach, exhorts the nation to follow the ways of Hashem. He criticizes them for wanting a king while at the same time, pointing out that everyone, including the king, is subject to Hashem’s law.

The connection to this week’s Parsha is the fact that Shmuel was a descendent of Korach. Whereas Korach expressed a right to interpret the Torah as he saw fit, Shmuel tells the people that the success of the king and the nation is totally dependent upon their adherence to the letter of the law. In the end, it was Korach’s own grandson who founded our nations leadership upon the unquestioned teachings of Moshe Rabbeinu.