קרח, ראשון

ויקח קרח. פָּרָשָׁה זוֹ יָפֶה נִדְרֶשֶׁת בְּמִדְרַשׁ רַבִּי תַנְחוּמָא:

Korach took. This passage is beautifully expounded by Midrash R’ Tanchuma.

ויקח קרח. לָקַח אֶת עַצְמוֹ לְצַד אֶחָד לִהְיוֹת נֶחֱלָק מִתּוֹךְ הָעֵדָה לְעוֹרֵר עַל הַכְּהֻנָּה, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁתִּרְגֵם אֻנְקְלוֹס "וְאִתְפְּלֵג" — נֶחֱלַק מִשְּׁאָר הָעֵדָה לְהַחֲזִיק בְּמַחֲלֹקֶת, וְכֵן "מַה יִּקָּחֲךָ לִבֶּךָ" (איוב ט"ו) — לוֹקֵחַ אוֹתְךָ לְהַפְלִיגְךָ מִשְּׁאָר בְּנֵי אָדָם. דָּ"אַ: ויקח קרח, מָשַׁךְ רָאשֵׁי סַנְהֶדְרָאוֹת שֶׁבָּהֶם בִּדְבָרִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "קַח אֶת אַהֲרֹן" (ויקרא ח'), "קְחוּ עִמָּכֶם דְּבָרִים" (הושע י"ד):

Korach took. He took himself to a different side, to be disassociated from the community and to cast aspersion on the kehunah. This is why Onkelos translates וְאִתְפְּלֵג, he separated himself from the rest of the community in order to maintain the dispute. Similarly, “why does your heart take you?”— (i.e.,) it takes you to separate you from other people. Another interpretation [of] “Korach took”: He won over the heads of the Sanhedrin among them, with flattering words, as it is said, “take Aharon,” “take words with you.”

בן יצהר בן קהת בן לוי. וְלֹא הִזְכִּיר "בֶּן יַעֲקֹב", שֶׁבִּקֵּשׁ רַחֲמִים עַל עַצְמוֹ שֶׁלֹא יִזָּכֵר שְׁמוֹ עַל מַחְלְקוֹתָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "בִּקְהָלָם אַל תֵּחַד כְּבֹדִי" (בראשית מ"ט), וְהֵיכָן נִזְכַּר שְׁמוֹ עַל קֹרַח? בְּהִתְיַחֲסָם עַל הַדּוּכָן בְּדִבְרֵי הַיָּמִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דהי"א ו') "בֶּן אֶבְיָסָף בֶּן קֹרַח בֶּן יִצְהָר בֶּן קְהָת בֶּן לֵוִי בֶּן יִשְׂרָאֵל":

The son of Yitzhar, the son of Kehos, the son of Levi. But Scripture does not mention, “the son of Yaakov,” since he [Yaakov] implored [God] for compassion on himself that his name be omitted from their dispute, as it is said, “let my honor not be identified with their assembly.” Where is his (Yaakov’s) name mentioned with Korach? At the genealogical identification [of the Levites] at the platform, in Divrei Hayamim, as it is said, “the son of Evyasaf, the son of Korach, the son of Yitzhar, the son of Kehos, the son of Levi, the son of Yisroel.”

דתן ואבירם. בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁהָיָה שֵׁבֶט רְאוּבֵן שָׁרוּי בַּחֲנִיָּתָם תֵּימָנָה שָׁכֵן לִקְהָת וּבָנָיו הַחוֹנִים תֵּימָנָה, נִשְׁתַּתְּפוּ עִם קֹרַח בְּמַחֲלָקְתּוֹ — "אוֹי לָרָשָׁע אוֹי לִשְׁכֵנוֹ". וּמָה רָאָה קֹרַח לַחֲלֹק עִם מֹשֶׁה? נִתְקַנֵּא עַל נְשִׂיאוּתוֹ שֶׁל אֱלִיצָפָן בֶּן עֻזִּיאֵל, שֶׁמִּנָּהוּ מֹשֶׁה נָשִׂיא עַל בְּנֵי קְהָת עַל פִּי הַדִּבּוּר, אָמַר קֹרַח, אַחֵי אַבָּא אַרְבָּעָה הָיוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ו') "וּבְנֵי קְהָת" וְגוֹ', עַמְרָם הַבְּכוֹר נָטְלוּ שְׁנֵי בָנָיו גְּדֻלָּה, אֶחָד מֶלֶךְ וְאֶחָד כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל, מִי רָאוּי לִטֹּל אֶת הַשְּׁנִיָּה? לֹא אֲנִי שֶׁאֲנִי בֶּן יִצְהָר, שֶׁהוּא שֵׁנִי לְעַמְרָם, וְהוּא מִנָּה נָשִׂיא אֶת בֶּן אָחִיו הַקָּטָן מִכֻּלָּם, הֲרֵינִי חוֹלֵק עָלָיו וּמְבַטֵּל אֶת דְּבָרָיו. מֶה עָשָׂה? עָמַד וְכָנַס ר"נ רָאשֵׁי סַנְהֶדְרָאוֹת — רֻבָּן מִשֵּׁבֶט רְאוּבֵן שְׁכֵנָיו וְהֵם אֱלִיצוּר בֶּן שְׁדֵיאוּר וַחֲבֵרָיו וְכַיּוֹצֵא בוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר נְשִׂיאֵי עֵדָה קְרִאֵי מוֹעֵד וּלְהַלָּן הוּא אוֹמֵר (במדבר א') "אֵלֶּה קְרוּאֵי הָעֵדָה" — וְהִלְבִּישָׁן טַלִּיתוֹת שֶׁכֻּלָּן תְּכֵלֶת, בָּאוּ וְעָמְדוּ לִפְנֵי מֹשֶׁה, אָמְרוּ לוֹ טַלִּית שֶׁכֻּלָּהּ שֶׁל תְּכֵלֶת חַיֶּבֶת בְּצִיצִית אוֹ פְטוּרָה? אָמַר לָהֶם חַיֶּבֶת, הִתְחִילוּ לִשְׂחֹק עָלָיו, אֶפְשָׁר טַלִּית שֶׁל מִין אַחֵר חוּט אֶחָד שֶׁל תְּכֵלֶת פּוֹטְרָהּ, זוֹ שֶׁכֻּלָּהּ תְּכֵלֶת לֹא תִפְטֹר אֶת עַצְמָהּ? (תנחומא):

And Dasan and Aviram. Because the tribe of Reuven made their camp at the south, neighboring Kehos and his sons, who camped at the south, they joined Korach in his dispute. ”Woe to the wicked, woe to his neighbor”! Why did Korach see fit to dispute Moshe? He envied Elitzafan the son of Uziel for his leadership. Moshe appointed him leader over the sons of Kehos, by the word of God. Korach said, ‘Father had four brothers, as it is said: “The sons of Kehos, etc.” Amram was the firstborn. His two sons assumed great distinction — one (Moshe) is the monarch, the other (Aharon) the Kohein Gadol. Who should appropriately assume the second [position], if not I, the son of Yitzhar, second to Amram? Yet he appointed, as leader, the son of the youngest of all of his (Amram’s) brothers. I will oppose him, and nullify everything he said.’ What did he do? He rose up and gathered two hundred fifty heads of Sanhedrin, mostly from the neighboring tribe of Reuven — they were Elitzur the son of Shdeiur, and his companions, and the like, as it is said, “leaders of the congregation, who were called to meetings,” and it says above, ”those called from the congregation (leaders of their ancestral tribes).” He clothed them in garments made completely of techeiles. They came and stood before Moshe and said to him: “Does a garment made completely of techeiles require tzitzis, or not?’ He said to them: “It is required.” They began scoffing at him. “How is it possible that a garment made of other material is absolved by a single thread of techeiles, yet one made completely of techeiles cannot absolve itself?”

בני ראובן. דָּתָן וַאֲבִירָם וְאוֹן בֶּן פֶּלֶת:

The sons of Reuvein. Dasan and Aviram, and On the son of Peles.

רב לכם. הַרְבֵּה יוֹתֵר מִדַּאי לְקַחְתֶּם לְעַצְמְכֶם גְּדֻלָּה:

You have [taken] too much for yourselves. You have taken much more distinction for yourselves [than is appropriate].

כלם קדשים. כֻּלָּם שָׁמְעוּ דְבָרִים בְּסִינַי מִפִּי הַגְּבוּרָה:

Are all holy. They all heard the Word, at Sinai, from the mouth of the Almighty.

ומדוע תתנשאו. אִם לָקַחְתָּ אַתָּה מַלְכוּת, לֹא הָיָה לְךָ לִבְרֹר לְאָחִיךָ כְּהֻנָּה, לֹא אַתֶּם לְבַדְּכֶם שְׁמַעְתֶּם בְּסִינַי "אָנֹכִי ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ", כָּל הָעֵדָה שָׁמְעוּ (שם):

Why do you raise yourselves. If you took the monarchy, you should not have chosen the kehunah for your brother. You were not alone in hearing, at Sinai, “I am God your God”— the entire community heard.

ויפל על פניו. מִפְּנֵי הַמַּחֲלֹקֶת, שֶׁכְּבָר זֶה בְיָדָם סִרְחוֹן רְבִיעִי, חָטְאוּ בָעֵגֶל, "וַיְחַל מֹשֶׁה" (שמות ל"ב), בַּמִּתְאוֹנְנִים, "וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל מֹשֶׁה" (במדבר י"א), בַּמְּרַגְּלִים, "וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל ה' וְשָׁמְעוּ מִצְרַיִם" (שם י"ד), בְּמַחֲלָקְתּוֹ שֶׁל קֹרַח נִתְרַשְּׁלוּ יָדָיו, מָשָׁל לְבֶן מֶלֶךְ שֶׁסָּרַח עַל אָבִיו, וּפִיֵּס עָלָיו אוֹהֲבוֹ פַּעַם וּשְׁתַּיִם וְשָׁלֹשׁ, כְּשֶׁסָּרַח רְבִיעִית, נִתְרַשְּׁלוּ יְדֵי הָאוֹהֵב הַהוּא, אָמַר עַד מָתַי אַטְרִיחַ עַל הַמֶּלֶךְ? שֶׁמָּא לֹא יְקַבֵּל עוֹד מִמֶּנִּי (תנחומא):

He fell upon his face. Because of the dispute, as this was, already, their fourth despicable act. They sinned with the golden calf — “Moshe implored . . . “ With the complainers — “Moshe prayed . . .” With the spies — “Moshe said to God, If Egypt should hear. . .” At Korach’s dispute, his hands were weakened. This is compared to a prince who acted despicably against his father. His intimate friend placated him the first, second, and third times, but at the fourth despicable act, the friend’s hands were weakened. He said: “How long can I impose upon the king? Perhaps he will no longer receive me.”

בקר וידע וגו'. עַתָּה עֵת שִׁכְרוּת הוּא לָנוּ וְלֹא נָכוֹן לְהֵרָאוֹת לְפָנָיו, וְהוּא הָיָה מִתְכַּוֵּן לִדְחוֹת שֶׁמָּא יַחְזְרוּ בָהֶם (שם):

[In the] morning, [Adonoy] will make known. This is a time when we are intoxicated, and it would be improper [for us] to appear in His Presence. His intention was to delay, so that they might repent.

בקר וידע ה' את אשר לו. לַעֲבוֹדַת לְוִיָּה:

[In the] morning, Adonoy will make known who is [qualified to be] His. For the Levite services.

ואת הקדוש. לִכְהֻנָּה:

And who is holy. For the kehunah.

והקריב. אוֹתָם אליו; וְהַתַּרְגּוּם מוֹכִיחַ כֵּן "וִיקָרֵב לָקֳדָמוֹהִי", "יְקָרֵב לְשִׁמּוּשֵׁיהּ"; וּמִ"אַ בקר, אָ"ל מֹשֶׁה, גְּבוּלוֹת חָלַק הַקָּבָּ"ה בְּעוֹלָמוֹ, יְכוֹלִים אַתֶּם לַהֲפֹךְ בֹּקֶר לְעֶרֶב? כֵּן תּוּכְלוּ לְבַטֵּל אֶת זוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַיְהִי עֶרֶב וַיְהִי בֹקֶר וַיַּבְדֵּל" (בראשית א'), כָּךְ "וַיִּבָּדֵל אַהֲרֹן לְהַקְדִּישׁוֹ" וְגוֹ' (דהי"א כ"ג):

He will bring. Them close to Him. Targum [Onkelos] demonstrates this: “He will bring into His presence.” “He will bring into His service.” According to the Midrashic interpretation of “morning”: Moshe said to them, ‘God marked His universe with boundaries. Can you possibly transform morning into evening? that is how possible it is for you to nullify this, as it is said, “it became evening and it became morning, and He separated” Similarly, “Aharon was separated to be consecrated etc.”

זאת עשו קחו לכם מחתות. מָה רָאָה לוֹמַר לָהֶם כָּךְ? אָמַר לָהֶם, בְּדַרְכֵי הַגּוֹיִם יֵשׁ נִימוּסִים הַרְבֵּה וְכוּמָרִים הַרְבֵּה וְכֻלָם (אֵין) מִתְקַבְּצִים בְּבַיִת אֶחָד, אָנוּ אֵין לָנוּ אֶלָּא ה' אֶחָד, אָרוֹן אֶחָד, וְתוֹרָה אַחַת וּמִזְבֵּחַ אֶחָד וְכֹהֵן גָּדוֹל אֶחָד, וְאַתֶּם ר"ן אִישׁ מְבַקְּשִׁים כְּהֻנָּה גְדוֹלָה, אַף אֲנִי רוֹצֶה בְכָךְ, הֵא לָכֶם תַּשְׁמִישׁ חָבִיב מִכֹּל, הִיא הַקְּטֹרֶת הַחֲבִיבָה מִכָּל הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת, וְסַם הַמָּוֶת נִתַּן בְּתוֹכוֹ, שֶׁבּוֹ נִשְׂרְפוּ נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּ, לְפִיכָךְ הִתְרָה בָהֶם והיה האיש אשר יבחר ה' הוא הקדש — כְּבָר הוּא בִקְדֻשָּׁתוֹ, וְכִי אֵין אָנוּ יוֹדְעִים שֶׁמִּי שֶׁיִּבְחַר הוּא הַקָּדוֹשׁ? אֶלָּא אָמַר לָהֶם מֹשֶׁה, הֲרֵינִי אוֹמֵר לָכֶם, שֶׁלֹּא תִּתְחַיְּבוּ, מִי שֶׁיִּבְחַר בוֹ יֵצֵא חַי וְכֻלְּכֶם אוֹבְדִין (תנחומא):

Do this: Take, for yourselves, fire pans. Why did he see fit to tell them this? He said to them, “the gentile way is to have a variety of rituals, with many priests, [not all] gathered in one Temple. We have only one God, one Ark, one Torah, one Altar, and one Kohein Gadol. Yet you — two hundred and fifty men — seek the kehunah Gedolah! I, too, will acquiesce. Here you have the most precious service, the incense, more precious than all the sacrifices. But a deadly poison is placed in it, which consumed Nadav and Avihu.” He, therefore, warned them, “The man who will be chosen by Adonoy, he is the holy one.” He was already holy. Do we not know that the chosen one is holy? Rather, Moshe said to them, “I tell you this so that you will not be found guilty. The chosen one will survive, but all of you will be lost.”

מחתות. כֵּלִים שֶׁחוֹתִין בָּהֶם גֶּחָלִים וְיֵשׁ לָהֶם בֵּית יָד:

Fire pans. Utensils for stoking coals, with a handle.

רב לכם בני לוי. דָּבָר גָּדוֹל אָמַרְתִּי לָכֶם; וְלֹא טִפְּשִׁים הָיוּ, שֶׁכָּךְ הִתְרָה בָהֶם וְקִבְּלוּ עֲלֵיהֶם לְקָרֵב? הֵם חָטְאוּ עַל נַפְשׁוֹתָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "אֵת מַחְתּוֹת הַחַטָּאִים הָאֵלֶּה בְּנַפְשֹׁתָם" (במדבר י״ז:ג׳), וְקֹרַח שֶׁפִּקֵּחַ הָיָה מָה רָאָה לִשְׁטוּת זֶה? עֵינוֹ הִטְעַתּוּ, רָאָה שַׁלְשֶׁלֶת גְּדוֹלָה יוֹצְאָה מִמֶּנּוּ — שְׁמוּאֵל שֶׁשָּׁקוּל כְּנֶגֶד מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן — אָמַר בִּשְׁבִילוֹ אֲנִי נִמְלָט, וְכ"ד מִשְׁמָרוֹת עוֹמְדוֹת לִבְנֵי בָנָיו, כֻּלָּם מִתְנַבְּאִים בְּרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "כָּל אֵלֶּה בָנִים לְהֵימָן" (דברי הימים א כ"ה ה'), אָמַר אֶפְשָׁר כָּל הַגְּדֻלָּה הַזֹּאת עֲתִידָה לַעֲמֹד מִמֶּנִּי וַאֲנִי אֶדּוֹם? לְכָךְ נִשְׁתַּתֵּף לָבֹא לְאוֹתָהּ חֲזָקָה, שֶׁשָּׁמַע מִפִּי מֹשֶׁה שֶׁכֻּלָּם אוֹבְדִים וְאֶחָד נִמְלָט, "אֲשֶׁר יִבְחַר ה' הוּא הַקָּדוֹשׁ" — טָעָה וְתָלָה בְעַצְמוֹ, וְלֹא רָאָה יָפֶה, לְפִי שֶׁבָּנָיו עָשׂוּ תְשׁוּבָה, וּמֹשֶׁה הָיָה רוֹאֶה. — תַּנְחוּמָא:

You have taken [too] much upon yourselves, sons of Levi. [I told you many things which are acceptable to the heart (i.e., reasonable). Another interpretation:] What I have said to you is a matter of great significance. Were they not fools, for he warned them, and yet they undertook to bring the offering? They sinned with their souls, as it is said, “the firepans of these sinners with their souls.” But Korach who was astute, why did he see fit to engage in this foolishness? His vision deceived him. He saw a great dynasty descending from him — Shmuel, who was equal to Moshe and Aharon. He said, “for his sake, I will be spared.” And twenty four watches arising from his descendants, all prophesying by Divine inspiration, as it is said, “all of these were the sons of Heiman.” He said, “is it possible that all this greatness is destined to arise from me, and I shall remain silent”? This is why he participated, for, he had heard from Moshe’s mouth, that they would all be lost, but one would be spared: “The one whom God will choose, he is holy.” He mistakenly attributed this to himself, but his vision was flawed, as his sons repented. But Moshe saw.

רב לכם. דָּבָר גָּדוֹל נְטַלְתֶּם בְּעַצְמְכֶם לַחֲלֹק עַל הַקָּבָּ"ה:

Too much upon yourselves You have undertaken a great task for yourselves to dispute the Holy One, Blessed is He.

ויאמר משה אל קרח שמעו נא בני לוי. הִתְחִיל לְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ בִּדְבָרִים רַכִּים, כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָהוּ קְשֵׁה עֹרֶף, אָמַר עַד שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁתַּתְּפוּ שְׁאָר הַשְּׁבָטִים וְיֹאבְדוּ עִמּוֹ, אֲדַבֵּר גַּם אֶל כֻּלָּם, הִתְחִיל לְזָרֵז בָּהֶם "שִׁמְעוּ נָא בְּנֵי לֵוִי" (תנחומא):

Moshe said to Korach, “Please listen, sons of Levi.” He began speaking gently to him, but when he saw that he was stiff necked, he said, “before the other tribes join and are lost with him, I had better speak with all of them, too.” He began exhorting them, “please listen, sons of Levi.”

ולעמד לפני העדה. לָשִׁיר עַל הַדּוּכָן:

And to stand before the congregation. To sing on the platform.

ויקרב אתך. לְאוֹתוֹ שֵׁרוּת שֶׁהִרְחִיק מִמֶּנּוּ שְׁאָר עֲדַת יִשְֹרָאֵל:

He brought you near. To the service from which he distanced the rest of the community of Yisroel.

לכן. בִּשְׁבִיל כָּךְ אתה וכל עדתך הנעדים אִתְּךָ עַל ה', כִּי בְשְׁלִיחוּתוֹ עָשִׂיתִי לָתֵת כְּהֻנָּה לְאַהֲרֹן, וְלֹא לָנוּ הוּא הַמַּחֲלֹקֶת הַזֶּה (שם):

Therefore, Because of this, you, and your entire congregation who are gathered with you, have assembled against God, for I have acted as His representative in awarding the kehunah to Aharon. This quarrel is not with us.

וישלח משה וגו'. מִכָּאן שֶׁאֵין מַחֲזִיקִין בְּמַחֲלֹקֶת, שֶׁהָיָה מֹשֶׁה מְחַזֵּר אַחֲרֵיהֶם לְהַשְׁלִימָם בְּדִבְרֵי שָׁלוֹם (סנהדרין ק"י):

Moshe sent, etc. From here [we derive] that one should not maintain a dispute, for Moshe sought them out in order to come to terms with them through a peaceful dialogue.

לא נעלה. פִּיהֶם הִכְשִׁילָם, שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם אֶלָּא יְרִידָה:

We will not go up. Their own words caused them to stumble — they will have nothing but a downfall.