In the portion of Korach, we read how Korach rebelled against Moses and eventually died, swallowed alive by the earth.

By all accounts, Korach was a religious man and a Torah scholar. What moved him to rebel against Moses, who was installed by G‑d as the leader of the people? Why was he swallowed by the earth?

It is not enough to be religious and learned. There is a third ingredient that is necessary, and that is humility. One who is ego-driven is doomed to fail. All the scholarship in the world won't help him from being swallowed alive by his own ego. Not being able to see anyone other than himself, he even fails to recognize the true leader of the Jewish people. He knows that everything Moses does is G‑d's will. He understands that recognizing Moses's authority is recognizing G‑d's authority, but his ego doesn't want to recognize G‑d's authority either. Being swallowed by the earth is akin to being swallowed by his ego.

While this case is extreme, it is something we could learn from. When you feel like you are getting the raw end of a situation, before starting an argument, ask yourself: is this truly unfair, or is this my ego rearing his ugly head?

Being humble will be your salvation in all your relationships, at home, at work, at synagogue and everywhere else. It will also help you overcome life's challenges. Instead of thinking, “Why me?” you will think, “G‑d put me in this predicament. What is His reason for putting me here? What does He want me to gain from this situation? How would He want me to use my situation to make things better?”

Being humble does not mean being feeble, weak or insignificant. Being humble means that you can recognize the other, not only yourself. It means you are not alone. It means that you feel that G‑d is always with you.