Comentario sobre Números 16:19

ויקהל עליהם קרח AND KORAH CONVENED [ALL THE CONGREGATION] AGAINST THEM, by means of scoffing language: that whole night he went round to all the tribes and tried to win them over: “Do you really think that I care for myself alone? It is only for all of you that I have a care! These men come and occupy every high office: royal rank for himself, for his brother the priesthood!” — until in the end all of them submitted to his persuasion (Midrash Tanchuma, Korach 7).

AND KORACH ASSEMBLED ALL THE CONGREGATION AGAINST THEM.¹³²Verse 19. The meaning of [the phrase “all the congregation” is] the leading men of all tribes, who are always summoned [as the congregation’s representatives] unto the door of the Tent of Meeting, or [it may refer to] the firstborn of all Israel who were [originally] eligible for the service [of the offerings]. Scripture does not mention [that Korach assembled] “the people,” [a phrase which it uses in the incidents of the [golden] calf¹³³Exodus 32:9: I have seen ‘this people’ … and the spies,¹³⁴Above, 14:11: How long will ‘this people’ despise Me? for if all Israel were guilty [here in the rebellion of Korach] He would have said: “that I may consume them in a moment¹³⁵Verse 21 before us. — and will make thee a nation.”¹³⁶Above, 14:12. This is the phrase used in the case of the spies, where all the people sinned, and G-d wanted to destroy them and form a new nation from Moses. Since it is not used here, it implies that He did not want to direct His punishment to the whole congregation. Now all that I have mentioned [above] about the firstborn is in accordance with the explanation of our Rabbis, who say¹³⁷Zebachim 112b. See above, Note 22. that the service [of the offerings before the building of the Tabernacle] was performed by the firstborn. But according to the plain meaning of Scripture, all the Israelites [without exception] were at first eligible for the service of the offerings, for such is [indeed] always the law with respect to a High Place of an individual,¹³⁸In the period when it was permitted to bring offerings on High Places, i.e., during the fourteen years of the conquest and division of the Land, [when they had not yet built the Sanctuary at Shiloh], and after the destruction of that Sanctuary until the building of the Sanctuary in Jerusalem, there were two kinds of High Places: those of a private individual, where any Israelite could perform the service, and a public one for the whole congregation of Israel — for example, the one at Nob, and later on at Gibeon. The Passover-offering could only be brought at the public High Place, and the service there was only valid if performed by a priest (Zebachim 119b-120 a-b). See also (Leviticus), Volume III, p. 123, Note 122. and Aaron was chosen for the Service in the Tabernacle and Sanctuary. Korach thus was protesting against this selection [of Aaron alone], and wanted to restore the service [of the offerings] to all the Israelites, seeing all the congregation are holy.¹³⁹Above, Verse 3.

ויקהל עליהם קרח, Korach assembled against them, etc. This tells us that these people did not voluntarily assemble against Moses but only after Korach had put heavy pressure on them to do so. Accordingly, the Torah reports something here that is favourable for this whole congregation of 250 men. On the other hand, the words ויקהל עליהם may only provide the background to the command by G'd in verse 20 to separate themselves from this congregation in order that G'd could destroy them simultaneously and at once. The verse would provide the answer to the people who questioned why the animals had to perish along with their masters. What sin had the animals committed? To this the Torah answered that seeing the animals had obeyed Korach they were considered as if they had been supporters of his.