Korach or Korah (Hebrew: קֹרַח Qoraḥ —the name " Korah," which in turn means baldness, ice, hail, or frost, the second word, and the first distinctive word, in the parashah) is the 38th weekly Torah portion (פָּרָשָׁה ‎, parashah) in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the fifth in the Book of Numbers.

Korah (Hebrew: קֹרַח‎ Qōraḥ; Arabic: قارون Qārūn), son of Izhar, is an individual who appears in the Biblical Book of Numbers of the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible) and four different verses in the Quran, known for leading a rebellion against Moses.

The name of the Parshah, "Korach," refers to Korach, head of the rebellion against Moses and Aaron, and is found in Numbers 16:1. Korach incites a mutiny challenging Moses’ leadership and the granting of the kehunah (priesthood) to Aaron. He is accompanied by Moses’ inveterate foes, Dathan and Abiram.

Korah (Korach) was the leader of a rebellion against Moses and his brother Aaron, during the journey of the Israelites from Egypt to the Land of Israel. As punishment, he met his end by miraculously being swallowed up by the earth.

In Parashat Korach, we learn about a rebellion by Korach and 250 other community leaders who accuse Moses and Aaron ... This biblical power structure — and struggle — in Korach may offend our democratic sensibilities. Reaching out is a risk that comes with a big potential reward.

Parashat Korach: Summary. Korach and his followers rebel against Moses' and Aaron's leadership and are killed; God instructs Aaron regarding laws of the priesthood. By Nancy Reuben Greenfield

Korach was no ordinary rabble-rouser. He was a leading member of Kehatites, the most prestigious of the Levite families. Joining him in his mutiny against Moses and Aaron were "two hundred and fifty men of Israel, leaders of the community, of those regularly called to assembly, men of renown."

His distant cousin, Korach, gathers more than 250 individuals to challenge Moses and Aaron. The rest of Parashat Korach paints in vivid, violent detail the ways both God and Moses respond to the uprising.

This rebellion was instigated and organized by Moses' cousin Korach, who - along with co-conspirators from the tribe of Reuben - was swiftly judged and put to death, thereby vindicating the Aaronic priesthood and Moses' leadership of Israel. The parashah begins:

In parashat Korach, God creates a test to establish, once again, that miracles—and priestly authority—come from a divine source. The priests and their associates, the Levites, have sacred responsibilities that flow from this authority.