ASBI Parsha Lunch and Learn: Korach 5781

Korach took. Rabbi Avraham (Ibn Ezra) wrote. “This event took place in the Sinai desert when the firstborn were exchanged for the Levites. The Bnei Yisroel thought that Moshe did this on his own accord, because he wanted to uplift his bother Aharon, the sons of Kehos, his relatives, and all the sons of Levi, his family. The Levites rose up against him because they were slated to be under the authority of Aharon and his sons. Dasan and Aviram rebelled because Moshe took away the rights of the firstborn from their father Reuven and gave them to Yosef. Korach was a firstborn as well.” In this, Rabbi Avraham follows his view that the Torah was written without regard to chronological order. However, I wrote (at the beginning of Parshas Acharei Mos) that in my opinion the entire Torah is written in chronological order, except for the places in which Scripture notes explicitly that it is out of order. In those places it is because of a certain need or suitable reason. Consequentially, the correct explanation here is that this event occurred in the Paran desert, at Kodeish Barnea, after the incident of the spies. The real reason for Korach’s rebellion is as explained in Midrash Rabbah and Tanchuma — Korach was angry about the appointment of Elitzafan to leadership. He was also envious of Aharon, as it says (v. 10), “And yet you ask to be kohanim as well?” Dasan and Aviram did not join with Korach because Moshe took away the right of the firstborn from the tribe of Reuven, for it was their forefather Yaakov who took it away from Reuven and gave it to Yosef. Rather, they stated their complaint (v. 13): “To kill us in the desert” and (v. 14), “Even into a land flowing with milk and honey you have not brought us.” As long as the Bnei Yisroel were in the Sinai desert, no bad event occurred, for even the very severe Sin of the Golden Calf resulted in relatively few deaths. The rest of the people were saved through Moshe’s prayers, which lasted forty days and forty nights (Devorim 9:28). Consequentially, the nation loved Moshe with all their soul, and obeyed him. If someone would have rebelled at that time he would have been stoned by the people. Therefore, Korach bided his time and refrained from reacting to Aharon’s appointment as Kohein Gadol. In the same way, the firstborn refrained from reacting to the elevation of the Levites and all of Moshe’s actions. However, when they arrived in the Paran desert many were burnt in Taveirah (11:1) and died in Kivros Hataavoh (11:33). When they sinned with the spies, Moshe did not succeed in annulling the decree with his prayer, and the leaders of the tribes died in a plague before Hashem. It was decreed upon the entire people to die in the wilderness. As a result, the people were embittered, and they began to feel that all their failures came as a result of Moshe’s leadership. Korach saw his opportunity now to dispute with Moshe, and he reasoned the people would listen to him. Thus, this is the explanation of Dasan and Aviram’s statement: “To kill us in the desert.” They claimed: You have brought us to this place, and you have not fulfilled the promise to bring us to a land flowing with milk and honey. You have not given us any inheritance at all. We will die in this desert and be annihilated here, and even our children will never leave this desert, for just as you have not fulfilled your promise to us, you will never fulfill your promise to our children.

Korach took. Rabbi Avraham (Ibn Ezra) wrote. “This event took place in the Sinai desert when the firstborn were exchanged for the Levites. The Bnei Yisroel thought that Moshe did this on his own accord, because he wanted to uplift his bother Aharon, the sons of Kehos, his relatives, and all the sons of Levi, his family. The Levites rose up against him because they were slated to be under the authority of Aharon and his sons. Dasan and Aviram rebelled because Moshe took away the rights of the firstborn from their father Reuven and gave them to Yosef. Korach was a firstborn as well.” In this, Rabbi Avraham follows his view that the Torah was written without regard to chronological order. However, I wrote (at the beginning of Parshas Acharei Mos) that in my opinion the entire Torah is written in chronological order, except for the places in which Scripture notes explicitly that it is out of order. In those places it is because of a certain need or suitable reason. Consequentially, the correct explanation here is that this event occurred in the Paran desert, at Kodeish Barnea, after the incident of the spies. The real reason for Korach’s rebellion is as explained in Midrash Rabbah and Tanchuma — Korach was angry about the appointment of Elitzafan to leadership. He was also envious of Aharon, as it says (v. 10), “And yet you ask to be kohanim as well?” Dasan and Aviram did not join with Korach because Moshe took away the right of the firstborn from the tribe of Reuven, for it was their forefather Yaakov who took it away from Reuven and gave it to Yosef. Rather, they stated their complaint (v. 13): “To kill us in the desert” and (v. 14), “Even into a land flowing with milk and honey you have not brought us.” As long as the Bnei Yisroel were in the Sinai desert, no bad event occurred, for even the very severe Sin of the Golden Calf resulted in relatively few deaths. The rest of the people were saved through Moshe’s prayers, which lasted forty days and forty nights (Devorim 9:28). Consequentially, the nation loved Moshe with all their soul, and obeyed him. If someone would have rebelled at that time he would have been stoned by the people. Therefore, Korach bided his time and refrained from reacting to Aharon’s appointment as Kohein Gadol. In the same way, the firstborn refrained from reacting to the elevation of the Levites and all of Moshe’s actions. However, when they arrived in the Paran desert many were burnt in Taveirah (11:1) and died in Kivros Hataavoh (11:33). When they sinned with the spies, Moshe did not succeed in annulling the decree with his prayer, and the leaders of the tribes died in a plague before Hashem. It was decreed upon the entire people to die in the wilderness. As a result, the people were embittered, and they began to feel that all their failures came as a result of Moshe’s leadership. Korach saw his opportunity now to dispute with Moshe, and he reasoned the people would listen to him. Thus, this is the explanation of Dasan and Aviram’s statement: “To kill us in the desert.” They claimed: You have brought us to this place, and you have not fulfilled the promise to bring us to a land flowing with milk and honey. You have not given us any inheritance at all. We will die in this desert and be annihilated here, and even our children will never leave this desert, for just as you have not fulfilled your promise to us, you will never fulfill your promise to our children.

ויפל על פניו [AND WHEN MOSES HEARD IT,] HE FELL UPON HIS FACE because of the rebellion, for this was already the fourth offence on their part: when they sinned by worshipping the Golden Calf, it states, (Exodus 32:11) "And Moses besought [the Lord]”; in the case of the “people who complained”, (Numbers 11:1) it states: “and Moses prayed”; at the incident of the “spies”, (Numbers 14:13) “And Moses said unto the Lord, ‘When the Egyptians shall hear it ... [and now I beseech Thee etc.]”; but now at the rebellion of Korah, his hands sank down (he felt himself powerless) A parable! This may be compared to the case of a prince who sinned against his father and for whom his (the father’s) friend gained forgiveness once, twice, three times. When he offended for the fourth time the friend felt himself powerless, for he said, “ How long can I trouble the king? Perhaps he will not again accept advocacy from me!” (Midrash Tanchuma, Korach 4).

Rav says: On, son of Peleth, did not repent on his own; rather, his wife saved him. She said to him: What is the difference to you? If this Master, Moses, is the great one, you are the student. And if this Master, Korah, is the great one, you are the student. Why are you involving yourself in this matter? On said to her: What shall I do? I was one of those who took counsel and I took an oath with them that I would be with them. She said to him: I know that the entire assembly is holy, as it is written: “For all the assembly is holy” (Numbers 16:3), and they observe the restrictions of modesty. She said to him: Sit, for I will save you. She gave him wine to drink and caused him to become drunk and laid him on a bed inside their tent. She sat at the entrance of the tent