# Evil but Rational | June 18, 2026

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-daily-derech-from-exploring-judaism-7726833/evil-but-rational-june-18-2026
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-daily-derech-from-exploring-judaism-7726833/evil-but-rational-june-18-2026.md
Podcast: [The Daily Derech from Exploring Judaism](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-daily-derech-from-exploring-judaism-7726833)
Published: 2026-06-18T09:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://rss.com/podcasts/thedailyderech-ej/2922623
Audio file: https://content.rss.com/episodes/375185/2922623/thedailyderech-ej/2026_06_17_15_07_42_08cf771b-6430-42f0-b3f0-0e771e07a1d2.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-daily-derech-from-exploring-judaism-7726833/episodes/evil-but-rational-june-18-2026
Duration seconds: 1135

## Resource

In this episode of The Daily Derech , Rabbi Marcus Rubenstein explores Parashat Korach, Hilchot Kriat Shema, and a teaching from Menorat HaMaor about the pursuit of justice and responsible zeal. In the Me’am Loez section, Rabbi Rubenstein examines why Korach’s rebellion was so persuasive. Korach argued that all Israelites were holy and therefore no one should hold elevated leadership positions. While these claims sounded fair and appealing, the lesson is that authentic Jewish leadership and practice must remain grounded in divine revelation and tradition rather than personal preference or the desire to remake the system according to contemporary ideals. In the Rambam section, Rabbi Rubenstein discusses the proper time for reciting the morning Shema. Ideally, it should be timed around sunrise, but the mitzvah may still be fulfilled until the end of the third hour of the day. In the Menorat HaMaor section, he recounts the story of Rabbi Sheila, who risked punishment from Roman authorities while carrying out justice. The story highlights the importance of courageously upholding justice and social order, even in difficult circumstances. Learn more at exploringjudaism.org/thedailyderech and reach out to Rabbi Rubenstein here .

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## Transcript

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